Blackwater report 2/17, 2/18

[juiceman]

Got my boat back in the water for the first time since thanksgiving and dialed 'em in pretty quick on the blackwater. Granted I've been watching the birds all winter too but I found a couple big schools and and some scattered fish. B23-B28 has been full of fish, I went on 17th morning in the 7 deg windchill! Was so brutal but I had the itch bad after slaying Redfish in FL last week. Caught 14 stripers before none but none of decent size unfortunately. Water dirt line ends right around B23 and the fish have been upriver of that. Fished yesterday in much better weather and had just about the same success with a couple 8/9 pounders mixed with the 4/5 pounders. Here's to warm weather on the way, tight lines fellas

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[dogsbestfriend]

thanks for the report. you must be the only one fishing for the past few weeks. glad ya got some action for your effort in the nasty weather.

[mytoyzfishing]

Nice report, your braver than me. I woke up sunday to 13deg and the wind howling so I decided to stay in my warm cozy bed

[mwardncsu]

Great report!

[bob34]

juiceman,

Just curious, what depth were you fishing? I was able to get out this past Sun & Mon and charted a lot of fish at the mouth of Bull Run but they were all 70 - 100' deep. I've got no experience de-gassing fish so I didn't even attempt to get down that far.

[maintenanceman4lif]

Great report but truly more brave than I am! Too cold for me.

[getlinewet]

Juiceman:

I'm new to the lake. Could you tell me what the "mud line" is and what is its significance. I've seen that term mentioned frequently and I don't understand it.

Thanks.

[Shadslinger]

Feb 20, 2013 19:56:33 GMT -5 getlinewet said:

Juiceman:

I'm new to the lake. Could you tell me what the "mud line" is and what is its significance. I've seen that term mentioned frequently and I don't understand it.

Thanks.

When we get a heavy rain and the creeks and rivers turn muddy and that muddy water works its way into the lake the mudline is where the muddy water starts to clear up. Stripers usually dont like muddy water and migrate towards the clearer water.

[juiceman]

Agreed I can't believe I got out there in that frigid weather! The motivation of putting my boat back in with new engine "used" for the first time in 3 months and a friend in town for fishing pushed me out to get the hogs, haha!

-Bob34: I didn't find them that deep but I'm sure every striper fisherman will tell you that jigging flukes on a jig head would be your best bet. I have fished for them that deep near the dam before and always had the best luck with some white Gulp flukes jigged down deep. My fav for fish in the 15-30ft range is casting deep diving shad colored Rapala Max-rap, or the deepest diving Cotton Cordell black back. Don;t get me wrong I will live bait when I have some friends in who want BIG numbers of fish but in my opinion (and as a fly fisherman) the best part of the fight is feeling that initial hit by the fish. You miss the whole fun of setting the hook when reeling up fish on the circle hook, however it took me years of trolling planer boards/shad with my dad before I found other methods of catching them. Tight lines!

[Deleted]

Sweet report juiceman!!!!!

Funny you would say that you went from bait fishing to casting, I'm was just the opposite. First 6-7 years I fished SML, I was strictly casting. Not to say that you can't catch big fish casting, because we all have, but my opinion is you will consistantly catch more, bigger fish on bait. Didn't take me long to figure out they don't get 20+ lbs eating plastic and rubber. ;D For pure adrenalin pumping fun, numbers are great, but I would rather catch one 20 lber than ten 10lbers. just my .02 cents. ;D Still love castin though, if the opportunity arises.

[YAKforTHEM]

Juice man- what were you having the most luck throwing as far as lures? I had good luck with pearl super flukes last Friday but have thought about tryin some cranks.

[striperjohn]

Waaaiiitttt a minute here! I been on these SML boards a long time and I've seen entire posts dedicated to the fact that there are NO Stripers in the Blackwater River! WTH over! You mean all these times my friensd say let's go up the Blackwater and I say "no stripers up there--Bigjon says so" I was lieing? ;D

[bob34]

juiceman,

Thanks for the tips. I understand exactly what you're sayin about casting vs live bait trolling. I grew up in FL and did a lot of salt water trolling. It has it's place but to me, it's not as fun as feeling that intial strike & setting the hook like you said. I guess thats why I got hooked on LM & SM fishing. It's friggen hard but when you get a good fish on, there's nothing like it I'm gonna spend a lot more time throw'n the A rig this year for striper. I've only caught one that way but it was a blast!