Friday 12/18 and Saturday 12/19

[quackquackboom]

Hit the lake about 2 pm Friday hoped to catch bait and fish that afternoon for a little while. NO DICE. Couldn't catch bait. We found plenty but it was deep - 15' +. My nets are just not catching bait at those depths. Looks like I need to invest in a new net with a different configuration.

Caught bait Friday night on our light. It was a slow and drawn out process. Might get a decent alewife every few throws. Managed to put about 20 medium to large ales in the tank for the morning. Was not siked about it as I know it's gizzard time.

We fished the next morning. Lots of nervous baits and shameful of pull backs but no hooks ups.

The mystery of the big gizzard continues to elude me. I'm starting to think they only live on Roanoke side .

What are you guys thoughts on throwing at lights repeatedly? Do you wait a certain amount of time between throw? Or just throw continuously?

[irons]

Personally I think the bait has been tight this year, but at least you got out and fished. I always keep to u rigs for those days.

[quackquackboom]

We considered pulling artficials Saturday afternoon but the wind was ripping so we high tailed it.

That winter wind will bite!

[striperjohn]

Hey Quack, throwing at lights can be touch and go regarding getting bait. For example, I've seen guys come in to my dock lights (rental house) around 3-4am and get a couple nets full of bait. (I run a couple game cams on my lights when I rent). Then I go out there at 5am and do the same. The bait appears to be about the same size. Then, other times I go out there and all the decent bait is gone-caught by the guy before me.
If I pull in to a light that is loaded with bait, I'll throw into it a couple times to see what's there, once outside the light in the shadows a bit as the bigger bait seem to run there a lot. Then I'll go right into the light.
IMHO I think it just depends on what the bait is doing at the time of year you're after them. I'm also sure you will get about 100 different opinions on how to do it. So I'd suggest you try stuff until you find what works for you. I will say if a guys been at the light before you that cuts down your odds of getting the better bait off that light.
Cheers,
John

[johnr]

The lights this winter haven't been holding much good bait, at least the times I've tried to catch bait on them. Typically, you can load up on big alewives in the wintertime at most lights. Big Gizzards at lights are a different story. I only catch those in the spring and early fall, and only at certain lights. As for how to throw on them, I always scout a light first to see what size bait it holds and where it is holding. If I see no bait, then I'll watch the sonar in the light fringes. If I mark bait out there, that is where I throw. If I see bait directly under the light, that is where I throw unless its a ton of little bait. In that case, I will throw on the edges of the light, and usually get the bigger bait. I use a 3/8" mesh on lights, only because I don't want to gill the smaller baits. I dump them all into a bucket and quickly sort out a handful of big ones then dump the rest before they die. Then I go throw again. Often I can get a handful of good throws on a light before the bait scatters for a while. I usually hit a bunch of lights each trip when looking for alewives. Early bird gets the worm.. Sometimes, on rare occasions, the bait will only show at lights for a short period of time. During these times, it's luck mostly, unless you live at the light.

Getting big gizzards can be work, and even more work in the winter. However, with diligence, it can be done. A lot of creeks won't hold bait in the winter, while others will get jam packed full of bait. Once the bait gets below 25', it gets tough for the average bait netter. I know of a few creeks holding good bait on the blackwater side right now, so they are there.