Post by mwardncsu on Aug 2, 2014 15:13:14 GMT -5
Weather: lower to mid 60's - raining on Fri, overcast on Saturday, light & variable to no winds
Water: 79 on Friday, 77-78 on Saturday - visibility of a few feet
Techniques: Alewifes on downlines & lightlines
I came up Thursday evening in time to catch BRB at Jake's Place and rode the boat up to Jake's so that I could try and catch some bait afterwards. Anyone that was scared off by the weather on Thursday night and did not make it to Jake's to see BRB missed out - was a good time.
Bait was stupid easy around 11pm - one throw netted probably 100 ales - 60 went in the tank. Reports of bait being tough the day/night before were out there and a buddy had asked me to put a few extras in my tank if I got them as he was going to get them in the AM and was a little worried about the reports of tough bait and the incoming rain/weather causing issues - so I tossed once more, 30+ in the net that went straight to the tank. I headed to the house after that and put the ales to bed.
HokieChad was jumping on with me on Friday morning so we could fish a few hours before we each had to get to work. I awoke to find this on the radar... but what harm's a little rain going to do?
We were on the water a little after 6:30 and started looking. The ales had calmed down nicely overnight, settling in well to their temporary accommodations.
We were marking enough scattered fish in the area that we decided we'd put bait out vs keep searching for a big school. Good call as within 5 minutes we were hooked up with a nice 32" / 10 lber on a downline - along with a 18" dink that wanted to play with the big boy and hit lightline that the other fish tangled up while coming to the boat.
We stayed in the area the rest of the morning other than going and checking two other spots that did not pan out. We picked up several more with the light-lines doing most of the work for us - but it was a slow morning. Kept three that we split between us for our families to enjoy this weekend and we called it a morning around 9:30.
I was not sure if I was going to fish on Saturday or not - but there was plenty of bait left over - I tossed a couple of dozen when getting back to the dock on Friday to lighten the bio-load - and then did a couple of water changes through the day to combat the ammonia. So, I had bait in the tank - which means I was required to fish vs sleeping in late on Saturday. I was solo on Saturday AM and got a little later start, but began looking near were we were the day before. Marked some scattered fish so vs. running all over looking I decided to just go ahead and put out bait and fish. Had one on a downline come unbuttoned but I did manage to pick up 2 on lightlines - one 27" and one 29"
Things got real slow after that - was not even marking much - so I was faced with either heading back to take a nap, or go looking for fish. I should have chosen the nap.
I ran around to a number of creeks looking in the mouths and backs without marking much at all - so, around 9:30 I came back close to where I started and made one last pull - and at least was rewarded with a downline rod bending to the water with a fish that did not even mark on the sonar - this one a 28" fish that I invited back to the dock to join the ones from the day before for dinner
Back at the dock at 11 to clean up the boat, clean the fish, take a shower and meet the family when they arrived to the lake about 1.
Water: 79 on Friday, 77-78 on Saturday - visibility of a few feet
Techniques: Alewifes on downlines & lightlines
I came up Thursday evening in time to catch BRB at Jake's Place and rode the boat up to Jake's so that I could try and catch some bait afterwards. Anyone that was scared off by the weather on Thursday night and did not make it to Jake's to see BRB missed out - was a good time.
Bait was stupid easy around 11pm - one throw netted probably 100 ales - 60 went in the tank. Reports of bait being tough the day/night before were out there and a buddy had asked me to put a few extras in my tank if I got them as he was going to get them in the AM and was a little worried about the reports of tough bait and the incoming rain/weather causing issues - so I tossed once more, 30+ in the net that went straight to the tank. I headed to the house after that and put the ales to bed.
HokieChad was jumping on with me on Friday morning so we could fish a few hours before we each had to get to work. I awoke to find this on the radar... but what harm's a little rain going to do?
We were on the water a little after 6:30 and started looking. The ales had calmed down nicely overnight, settling in well to their temporary accommodations.
We were marking enough scattered fish in the area that we decided we'd put bait out vs keep searching for a big school. Good call as within 5 minutes we were hooked up with a nice 32" / 10 lber on a downline - along with a 18" dink that wanted to play with the big boy and hit lightline that the other fish tangled up while coming to the boat.
We stayed in the area the rest of the morning other than going and checking two other spots that did not pan out. We picked up several more with the light-lines doing most of the work for us - but it was a slow morning. Kept three that we split between us for our families to enjoy this weekend and we called it a morning around 9:30.
I was not sure if I was going to fish on Saturday or not - but there was plenty of bait left over - I tossed a couple of dozen when getting back to the dock on Friday to lighten the bio-load - and then did a couple of water changes through the day to combat the ammonia. So, I had bait in the tank - which means I was required to fish vs sleeping in late on Saturday. I was solo on Saturday AM and got a little later start, but began looking near were we were the day before. Marked some scattered fish so vs. running all over looking I decided to just go ahead and put out bait and fish. Had one on a downline come unbuttoned but I did manage to pick up 2 on lightlines - one 27" and one 29"
Things got real slow after that - was not even marking much - so I was faced with either heading back to take a nap, or go looking for fish. I should have chosen the nap.
I ran around to a number of creeks looking in the mouths and backs without marking much at all - so, around 9:30 I came back close to where I started and made one last pull - and at least was rewarded with a downline rod bending to the water with a fish that did not even mark on the sonar - this one a 28" fish that I invited back to the dock to join the ones from the day before for dinner
Back at the dock at 11 to clean up the boat, clean the fish, take a shower and meet the family when they arrived to the lake about 1.
