Post by mwardncsu on Mar 5, 2016 20:54:35 GMT -5
Weather: Below freezing rising into the mid 50's, calm to start, then ~5 mph winds late morning
Water: 42-46, visibility from 0 - 5'
Techniques: Pulling big gizzards behind free-lined planer boards
My buddy Keith (TopwaterRush on here) had a hall-pass for most of Saturday and asked if I wanted to jump on - I had made plans to catch bait in the afternoon but told him I could fish till Noon. We headed out a little before 7am with another friend of his - had to go catch bait as what he had in his house tank had gone bad due to bad pump..... headed to the back of his creek and we found some scattered but it was slow pickings...... we got distracted by a bunch of birds diving a ways back up the creek which turned out to be a false alarm, so we decided to make a run up the lake to a sure-thing for bait.
A few throws later and we had 20+ baits in the tank and off we went to fish. We pulled two different creeks with not a sniff of action other than an occasional nervous bait. Keith's buddy had to leave about 10, so we dropped him off and headed a bit further down the lake to see if we could find a little warmer water. Found a stretch that was around 46 and started pulling circles in a creek.
I had a swirl on a board with a 12" bait and then a fish grabbed the bait and run with it. Grabbed the rod and let it load up - holding it solid for a few seconds and just as I went to reel down the hook pulled
Not more than a few minutes later the middle board on Keith's side took off and a few seconds after he picked up the rod it was gone. Not a good start.....
We kept working that area - at least we'd found some fish - when I had a board with a money-maker get slammed. This time the hook held and after a few minute fight we had a 14 lber to the boat - and I sent Mr. Skunk packing.....
We worked that area a little longer and then moved to another part of the creek - you know, leave fish to find fish....
Nothing.... We called it a morning right at noon and I headed back to my place to get my boat and then go pick up Nathan for bait catching duty..... I've been fighting a chest infection/cold all week and still not 100%, so Nathan was designated thrower today..... It took us a while to get on the right piles of bait, but we eventually did putting 65 big baits into storage.
One toss put the net on something immovable. We tried to free it by working from various directions when I decided it was time to cleat it off.... the trolling motor would not pull it lose so I fired up the big motor and backed away till the net freed.... somehow, miraculously this time, no apparently damage or even stretching of the braile lines. But we did come away with this bonus gem..... anyone in the market for a lightly used spinning outfit?
Good day - two missions accomplished - sent the Skunk packing & added bait to the tank..... Looking forward to the upcoming week of 60's & 70's - It is about to bust wide open my friends...
Water: 42-46, visibility from 0 - 5'
Techniques: Pulling big gizzards behind free-lined planer boards
My buddy Keith (TopwaterRush on here) had a hall-pass for most of Saturday and asked if I wanted to jump on - I had made plans to catch bait in the afternoon but told him I could fish till Noon. We headed out a little before 7am with another friend of his - had to go catch bait as what he had in his house tank had gone bad due to bad pump..... headed to the back of his creek and we found some scattered but it was slow pickings...... we got distracted by a bunch of birds diving a ways back up the creek which turned out to be a false alarm, so we decided to make a run up the lake to a sure-thing for bait.
A few throws later and we had 20+ baits in the tank and off we went to fish. We pulled two different creeks with not a sniff of action other than an occasional nervous bait. Keith's buddy had to leave about 10, so we dropped him off and headed a bit further down the lake to see if we could find a little warmer water. Found a stretch that was around 46 and started pulling circles in a creek.
I had a swirl on a board with a 12" bait and then a fish grabbed the bait and run with it. Grabbed the rod and let it load up - holding it solid for a few seconds and just as I went to reel down the hook pulled
Not more than a few minutes later the middle board on Keith's side took off and a few seconds after he picked up the rod it was gone. Not a good start.....
We kept working that area - at least we'd found some fish - when I had a board with a money-maker get slammed. This time the hook held and after a few minute fight we had a 14 lber to the boat - and I sent Mr. Skunk packing.....
We worked that area a little longer and then moved to another part of the creek - you know, leave fish to find fish....
Nothing.... We called it a morning right at noon and I headed back to my place to get my boat and then go pick up Nathan for bait catching duty..... I've been fighting a chest infection/cold all week and still not 100%, so Nathan was designated thrower today..... It took us a while to get on the right piles of bait, but we eventually did putting 65 big baits into storage.
One toss put the net on something immovable. We tried to free it by working from various directions when I decided it was time to cleat it off.... the trolling motor would not pull it lose so I fired up the big motor and backed away till the net freed.... somehow, miraculously this time, no apparently damage or even stretching of the braile lines. But we did come away with this bonus gem..... anyone in the market for a lightly used spinning outfit?
Good day - two missions accomplished - sent the Skunk packing & added bait to the tank..... Looking forward to the upcoming week of 60's & 70's - It is about to bust wide open my friends...
