2/28/17 - Closing out February
Feb 28, 2017 20:51:25 GMT -5
Jason54, tiltntrim, and 2 more like this
Post by mwardncsu on Feb 28, 2017 20:51:25 GMT -5
Weather: Mixed bag - 40's rising to 60s; mostly sunny, turning to partly then mostly cloudy with rain to end the day; winds started around 2pm at 10 from the S/SW
Water: 48-52, visibilty of 2 - 5'
Techniques: Pulling 9-14" gizzards on free-lined planers, and a light-lined float
Time Fished: 8:30a -6:30p
Had my bait tucked away nicely overnight - 12 or so 12-14" gizzards and maybe 6 in the 9-11" range
Got to my fishing hole where I wrapped up yesterday a little after 8:30am and had to spend a few minutes throwing away the Eagle Claw trebles and replacing them with the Gamakasu 2X strong Sz 2 that I found in the basement - had too many of those Eagle Claws break my heart recently.
It was a slow start to the morning - I should have slept in another hour or so... little to nothing in the way of nervous baits when pulling the banks, other than one or two large-mouth that swiped at my baits..... I had one pull down a bait, drop it on the way to the boat, I let it sit and he came back for another run and dropped it, then came back a third time and finally threw the bait at the boat... stupid fish. However, I was marking some decent fish over the deeper water so I had hope that the target species would be found again today.
Around 11 the bite started - I had a double - the 1st stole a 9" bait and the 2nd ran off with a big gizzard but spit it on the way to the boat - failing to hook-up. It took a while but eventually I got one to join me for a photo-session - about 30" and 10 lbs...
Saw some interesting birds while I was out today......
The fish seemed to prefer the 9"-11" baits in the mid-day vs. the big boys - and I did not have a lot of those to use... Picked up two more fish that were 14-15 lbs each - in the 33-34.5" range
Around 1 or so I made a move to a sister creek to where I was fishing to pull a fishy looking stretch. Tyler was scoping out Google Earth while at work and calling out places I should go fish
He did good - Before I could get all my boards out I had a roll on a bit bait but it was one and done..... a little on down the stretch I had my inside, deep-side board with a smaller bait get hammered - and stole the bait while avoiding the hook. I finished that stretch and decided to head back to where I started the morning to see if the fish were more active. I did find one that wanted to eat a 14" bait....
I pulled on there a while without any more action and the cloud cover was building and the winds picking up so I decided to pick-up around 3pm and head to an interesting spot with a flat next to some very deep water. I had about given up hope when a 12 lb / 33" striper decided to play
It dropped the bait at first and I reeled the board / bait to the boat and just as I was lifting the bait out of the water I saw a fish try to grab it - perhaps the one that tried to eat it to start. I dropped the bait and let it sit and sure enough it came back and gobbled up the bait - this time getting the hook.
Finished that pull and was watching the radar for an approaching rain band - so I decided to make a move a bit closer to home - but got distracted and had to pull another creek on the way..... Made a long pull and it was not until I was within about 100 feet of the end of the creek / pull that I had a 29" striper jump on one of my last largest baits..... ! it still amazes me how strong these 29-33" fish can fight in cold winter (
) water - love it (though I'd certainly love tangle with that 30 lber )
Pulled up and moved to a creek where I'd been having good evening luck - and where I'd bent open a few stinger hooks - I wanted retribution.... but made one quick pull around and had no action so I pulled up and made a dash for my own creek to close out the day..... down the stretch of a bank, just before I was approaching a dock that was going to be the end of that section of pull, the board buried - there was a lot of force / weight on the rod and the fish was digging down - wondered if it was a catfish at first - or perhaps this was the big striper to close out the week.... but then I realized what it most likely was - a foul-hooked fish....
Sure enough.... it was the smallest striper I've caught in a long time - it might have gone 22" and it attached a 13" bait. I guess it was looking for some street-cred with its peers by getting that eyebrow piercing
(the hook was not in the eyeball itself - and came out easily and cleanly, so I'm hoping that little guy won't grow up to be called "Patches" or "Lefty"
I pulled the other side of the creek until I could not see any longer - packed it in with 6 fish to the boat that went 29"-34.5" with the exception of that little foul-hooked fellow - and missed 5 or 6 - either with stolen bait or ones that did not hook-up on big baits. Fished 5 creeks and caught fish in all but two, and had action in all but one. Overall a good day - no "big" fish that I was hoping I could hook into, but some solid action and a good time - was great that Mother Nature gave us a great February that allowed me some "Spring" fishing while I had some time and opportunity to do so - ready to dive back into the Monday - Friday work-week gig next week however - and live for the weekend fishing.
Water: 48-52, visibilty of 2 - 5'
Techniques: Pulling 9-14" gizzards on free-lined planers, and a light-lined float
Time Fished: 8:30a -6:30p
Had my bait tucked away nicely overnight - 12 or so 12-14" gizzards and maybe 6 in the 9-11" range
Got to my fishing hole where I wrapped up yesterday a little after 8:30am and had to spend a few minutes throwing away the Eagle Claw trebles and replacing them with the Gamakasu 2X strong Sz 2 that I found in the basement - had too many of those Eagle Claws break my heart recently.
It was a slow start to the morning - I should have slept in another hour or so... little to nothing in the way of nervous baits when pulling the banks, other than one or two large-mouth that swiped at my baits..... I had one pull down a bait, drop it on the way to the boat, I let it sit and he came back for another run and dropped it, then came back a third time and finally threw the bait at the boat... stupid fish. However, I was marking some decent fish over the deeper water so I had hope that the target species would be found again today.
Around 11 the bite started - I had a double - the 1st stole a 9" bait and the 2nd ran off with a big gizzard but spit it on the way to the boat - failing to hook-up. It took a while but eventually I got one to join me for a photo-session - about 30" and 10 lbs...
Saw some interesting birds while I was out today......
The fish seemed to prefer the 9"-11" baits in the mid-day vs. the big boys - and I did not have a lot of those to use... Picked up two more fish that were 14-15 lbs each - in the 33-34.5" range
Around 1 or so I made a move to a sister creek to where I was fishing to pull a fishy looking stretch. Tyler was scoping out Google Earth while at work and calling out places I should go fish
He did good - Before I could get all my boards out I had a roll on a bit bait but it was one and done..... a little on down the stretch I had my inside, deep-side board with a smaller bait get hammered - and stole the bait while avoiding the hook. I finished that stretch and decided to head back to where I started the morning to see if the fish were more active. I did find one that wanted to eat a 14" bait....I pulled on there a while without any more action and the cloud cover was building and the winds picking up so I decided to pick-up around 3pm and head to an interesting spot with a flat next to some very deep water. I had about given up hope when a 12 lb / 33" striper decided to play
It dropped the bait at first and I reeled the board / bait to the boat and just as I was lifting the bait out of the water I saw a fish try to grab it - perhaps the one that tried to eat it to start. I dropped the bait and let it sit and sure enough it came back and gobbled up the bait - this time getting the hook.Finished that pull and was watching the radar for an approaching rain band - so I decided to make a move a bit closer to home - but got distracted and had to pull another creek on the way..... Made a long pull and it was not until I was within about 100 feet of the end of the creek / pull that I had a 29" striper jump on one of my last largest baits..... ! it still amazes me how strong these 29-33" fish can fight in cold winter (
) water - love it (though I'd certainly love tangle with that 30 lber )Pulled up and moved to a creek where I'd been having good evening luck - and where I'd bent open a few stinger hooks - I wanted retribution.... but made one quick pull around and had no action so I pulled up and made a dash for my own creek to close out the day..... down the stretch of a bank, just before I was approaching a dock that was going to be the end of that section of pull, the board buried - there was a lot of force / weight on the rod and the fish was digging down - wondered if it was a catfish at first - or perhaps this was the big striper to close out the week.... but then I realized what it most likely was - a foul-hooked fish....
Sure enough.... it was the smallest striper I've caught in a long time - it might have gone 22" and it attached a 13" bait. I guess it was looking for some street-cred with its peers by getting that eyebrow piercing
(the hook was not in the eyeball itself - and came out easily and cleanly, so I'm hoping that little guy won't grow up to be called "Patches" or "Lefty"I pulled the other side of the creek until I could not see any longer - packed it in with 6 fish to the boat that went 29"-34.5" with the exception of that little foul-hooked fellow - and missed 5 or 6 - either with stolen bait or ones that did not hook-up on big baits. Fished 5 creeks and caught fish in all but two, and had action in all but one. Overall a good day - no "big" fish that I was hoping I could hook into, but some solid action and a good time - was great that Mother Nature gave us a great February that allowed me some "Spring" fishing while I had some time and opportunity to do so - ready to dive back into the Monday - Friday work-week gig next week however - and live for the weekend fishing.
