Post by jmr04 on Jan 19, 2017 20:04:49 GMT -5
After reading all of the reports and the nice weather I convinced my wife to let me come over for a quick trip despite just getting back from fishing in the keys.
Got over yesterday about 3:30 to get bait. Went to the spot I've caught most of my bait late fall (confirmed by a Cohesion tip) thanks for that by the way. Bait was much more shallow than I expected it would be, about 12' to 15'. Three throws and I had 20 in the tank. I had planned to get about 60 so I could move around a bunch since it's been about a month since I've fished. Based on my first throws thought it was going to be easy. Then I entered peanut hell. Fourth throw screen was totally full of bait, thought this is it. Pulled up the net it was a Christmas Tree of nuts. Picked em out for twenty min. It's been so long since I've run into peanuts I forgot what they looked like on my sonar. Kept looking, screen would light up and I'd convince myself it was bigger bait only to pull up the Christmas Tree again. Did it probably three times. Turns out the bigger bait was in slightly deeper water and in small pods. Threw for another hour and a half picking up one or two at a time in deeper water. Called it quits at dark with 30 dollar bills to money makers.
Had lines in just before 7 pulling a creek. Baits were nervous on every point. Got hooked up on the third point after a great chase show. Fought the fish for a few mins and felt the dreaded pop. Knot failed on the swivel. While reeling that lime in my far bank side board buried. Gone before I got to the rod. Shortly thereafter creekside board started screaming drag. Grabbed the rod and reeled down on it. It was there for a few seconds and pulled the hook. I'm never sure what to do when you get a blind strike and the drag is screaming, just reel on it, or set the hook? 0 for 3. Things weren't looking great. Pulled into the back of the creek and it was dead. Moved back out to mid creek where I had action before and hooked up with a decent fish, went right around 32"
Hit without warning luckily I was right beside to rod to set the hook. Action and nervous baits died out so picked up and moved.
Moved to one of my favorite stretches because there aren't any docks. Had nervous baits right away. Finally after another great chase show where my bait got batted up in the air a few times hooked up with a 30". Had a picture but lost it because I forgot to do the final step in go pro photo capture. As soon as that was released hooked up again bank side. Turned out to be a dink. Pulled that stretch for a while and circled back. Didn't get a nervous bait.
I was somewhat close to the next spot I wanted to try and debated wether to pull everything up and motor over or go for the long pull. Given my bait situation I made the long pull. Probably mistake because it took forever and my TM batteries suck. Finally got to my target spot and hooked up with a 28" on the first point. As I was reeling it in saw fish breaking on bait over the point. Circled around and had a chase but no takers. Started doing figure 8s between that point and a long flat. Had lots of jittery baits but couldn't get a bite. Finally about 12:30 TM batteries gave out.
Back to the house to let the batteries charge and a nap. Back out at 3. Wanted to fish some main channel points by my house. Proved to be a mistake. Not much action. Had two quick chases but fish wouldn't bite and one quick pull back on a channel side board. Called it a day at 5.
Pulled free line boards and lite lines. All action came on boards. Majority of action was shallow. Ended up with four fish. 32" the biggest. It was a little slow but was a beautiful day for late January. I figure any fish caught this time of the year are a bonus. Seemed like it October out there today.
At up to 60s. Wt pretty steady 48.
Stressed about bait all day and ended up throwing 12 back. You never have the perfect amount of bat.
Got over yesterday about 3:30 to get bait. Went to the spot I've caught most of my bait late fall (confirmed by a Cohesion tip) thanks for that by the way. Bait was much more shallow than I expected it would be, about 12' to 15'. Three throws and I had 20 in the tank. I had planned to get about 60 so I could move around a bunch since it's been about a month since I've fished. Based on my first throws thought it was going to be easy. Then I entered peanut hell. Fourth throw screen was totally full of bait, thought this is it. Pulled up the net it was a Christmas Tree of nuts. Picked em out for twenty min. It's been so long since I've run into peanuts I forgot what they looked like on my sonar. Kept looking, screen would light up and I'd convince myself it was bigger bait only to pull up the Christmas Tree again. Did it probably three times. Turns out the bigger bait was in slightly deeper water and in small pods. Threw for another hour and a half picking up one or two at a time in deeper water. Called it quits at dark with 30 dollar bills to money makers.
Had lines in just before 7 pulling a creek. Baits were nervous on every point. Got hooked up on the third point after a great chase show. Fought the fish for a few mins and felt the dreaded pop. Knot failed on the swivel. While reeling that lime in my far bank side board buried. Gone before I got to the rod. Shortly thereafter creekside board started screaming drag. Grabbed the rod and reeled down on it. It was there for a few seconds and pulled the hook. I'm never sure what to do when you get a blind strike and the drag is screaming, just reel on it, or set the hook? 0 for 3. Things weren't looking great. Pulled into the back of the creek and it was dead. Moved back out to mid creek where I had action before and hooked up with a decent fish, went right around 32"
Hit without warning luckily I was right beside to rod to set the hook. Action and nervous baits died out so picked up and moved.
Moved to one of my favorite stretches because there aren't any docks. Had nervous baits right away. Finally after another great chase show where my bait got batted up in the air a few times hooked up with a 30". Had a picture but lost it because I forgot to do the final step in go pro photo capture. As soon as that was released hooked up again bank side. Turned out to be a dink. Pulled that stretch for a while and circled back. Didn't get a nervous bait.
I was somewhat close to the next spot I wanted to try and debated wether to pull everything up and motor over or go for the long pull. Given my bait situation I made the long pull. Probably mistake because it took forever and my TM batteries suck. Finally got to my target spot and hooked up with a 28" on the first point. As I was reeling it in saw fish breaking on bait over the point. Circled around and had a chase but no takers. Started doing figure 8s between that point and a long flat. Had lots of jittery baits but couldn't get a bite. Finally about 12:30 TM batteries gave out.
Back to the house to let the batteries charge and a nap. Back out at 3. Wanted to fish some main channel points by my house. Proved to be a mistake. Not much action. Had two quick chases but fish wouldn't bite and one quick pull back on a channel side board. Called it a day at 5.
Pulled free line boards and lite lines. All action came on boards. Majority of action was shallow. Ended up with four fish. 32" the biggest. It was a little slow but was a beautiful day for late January. I figure any fish caught this time of the year are a bonus. Seemed like it October out there today.
At up to 60s. Wt pretty steady 48.
Stressed about bait all day and ended up throwing 12 back. You never have the perfect amount of bat.