Post by 31Airborne on Aug 30, 2021 17:08:57 GMT -5
Yep, I am diggin' this new work schedule. I need to do a better job of tracking school schedules tho'. Was obvious to me around 9 AM today that many schools have yet to resume classes. Lotsa young peeps on the water today. And early.
A couple of definitions to help understand the notes that follow:
- a complex point is one that has multiple features or tiers to it (vc a 'simple' point that gradually tapers to its end)
- a saddle is a area of low ground between two higher elevations (break out your Boy Scout manuals, doods)
Put in at the state park around 0700. Today was the first of what will be a series of trips into the BW arm. My focus for this fall and winter will be to take it piece by piece, like I did the mid section of the lake over the past 2 years. It had been a while since I'd been in the BW so this was kinda like seeing new water. I started off in Gills Creek because I have a little history there. I spent some time scanning the structure I knew, then marking new stuff to explore. I'd forgotten how complex this creek is. Lots of sharp channel turns, funky points, and offshore stuff. I decided to key on complex points (you have to zoom in on your chart function to see these). I found a dozen or so points with multiple humps, multiple tiers (think stair-stepped), or funky turns or angles. In Gills Creek most of these points sit right on channel swings or places where the main channel splits. A good thing. I marked fish suspended in the 6-10' range and holding tight to the deck in 8-15'. I started off w/ a medium running crankbait and hooked up fairly quickly on a SK DD 1.5. Not long after that I hooked up on a DT 10. I chucked-n-winded (wound?) for a bit before putting the cranks down, then picked up my jig. Had several very light hits (no hook-ups) as I worked points and adjacent ledges. I switched to the c-rig after an hour or so and hooked almost right away on a small creature bait. This was a pretty vicious bite. Where my previous bites seemed almost apologetic, this one was a no-doubter. I continued point hopping w/ the c-rig for the next hour or so before the pieces started coming together. The fish were holding on complex points. There had to be some sort of a hump (or two) or multiple tiers to the point. Featureless points produced nothing for me. If I put my c-rig in a saddle or on one of the deeper tiers I got bit. Was able to make this pattern work in several places in the BW, in Craddock Creek, and in the midlake area. Didn't land any big ones but I did have a steady stream of keepers throughout the day.
Observations: 1) Saw 84* with slightly stained water at the state park when I put in. Maybe 4-5' of viz. WTs were steady at 86* everywhere else throughout the morning. Water was very clear in Gills (+5' of viz) and Craddock (+5' of viz). 2) Saw quite a bit of schooling activity in Gills throughout the morning. Some of this was small stripers (maybe 12-16"), some of this was bass (a few good ones). The feeding activity was short. They were there and then they were gone. I didn't hook up in any of this. 3) I marked quite a few small baitfish pods in a number of places in Gills and Craddock. These pods were relating to points and offshore structure. 4) Shad patterned cranks and green plastics (a lil red didn't hurt). 5) Later in the morning I caught a few fish off of submerged brush along the front of docks on points. The bites here were really lite. The rod would kinda load up, then start tracking off to deeper water. 6) Didn't fish any main lake points (altho' I marked a bunch of really cool looking ones). All of my fish came off of secondary points right up against the creek channel or near a swing. 7) I had a few shallow bites but the most productive range was 10-15'. Better fish were a bit deeper. 8) I fished several points that had two or more humps on them. Fish were holding in the saddles. Saddles closer to deeper water (or the end of the point) were best.
It isn't until you break down SML into smaller chunks that you begin to realize just how big this lake fishes. On paper 22,000 acres doesn't sound like a lot. Once you're in the BW or ROA Rivers you begin to get a feel for how much stuff there is to fish in this place. And then there are the larger feeder creeks down lake. You have to be patient with this place.
I'll continue to use the state park for the first few trips I make into the BW. I want to get some brain and muscle memory built in on channels, terrain features. At some point I'll want to switch to a launch location in the BW. Gills Creek Marina looks pretty solid. Would welcome any other suggestions y'all might have. Thanks in advance.
best,
B
A couple of definitions to help understand the notes that follow:
- a complex point is one that has multiple features or tiers to it (vc a 'simple' point that gradually tapers to its end)
- a saddle is a area of low ground between two higher elevations (break out your Boy Scout manuals, doods)
Put in at the state park around 0700. Today was the first of what will be a series of trips into the BW arm. My focus for this fall and winter will be to take it piece by piece, like I did the mid section of the lake over the past 2 years. It had been a while since I'd been in the BW so this was kinda like seeing new water. I started off in Gills Creek because I have a little history there. I spent some time scanning the structure I knew, then marking new stuff to explore. I'd forgotten how complex this creek is. Lots of sharp channel turns, funky points, and offshore stuff. I decided to key on complex points (you have to zoom in on your chart function to see these). I found a dozen or so points with multiple humps, multiple tiers (think stair-stepped), or funky turns or angles. In Gills Creek most of these points sit right on channel swings or places where the main channel splits. A good thing. I marked fish suspended in the 6-10' range and holding tight to the deck in 8-15'. I started off w/ a medium running crankbait and hooked up fairly quickly on a SK DD 1.5. Not long after that I hooked up on a DT 10. I chucked-n-winded (wound?) for a bit before putting the cranks down, then picked up my jig. Had several very light hits (no hook-ups) as I worked points and adjacent ledges. I switched to the c-rig after an hour or so and hooked almost right away on a small creature bait. This was a pretty vicious bite. Where my previous bites seemed almost apologetic, this one was a no-doubter. I continued point hopping w/ the c-rig for the next hour or so before the pieces started coming together. The fish were holding on complex points. There had to be some sort of a hump (or two) or multiple tiers to the point. Featureless points produced nothing for me. If I put my c-rig in a saddle or on one of the deeper tiers I got bit. Was able to make this pattern work in several places in the BW, in Craddock Creek, and in the midlake area. Didn't land any big ones but I did have a steady stream of keepers throughout the day.
Observations: 1) Saw 84* with slightly stained water at the state park when I put in. Maybe 4-5' of viz. WTs were steady at 86* everywhere else throughout the morning. Water was very clear in Gills (+5' of viz) and Craddock (+5' of viz). 2) Saw quite a bit of schooling activity in Gills throughout the morning. Some of this was small stripers (maybe 12-16"), some of this was bass (a few good ones). The feeding activity was short. They were there and then they were gone. I didn't hook up in any of this. 3) I marked quite a few small baitfish pods in a number of places in Gills and Craddock. These pods were relating to points and offshore structure. 4) Shad patterned cranks and green plastics (a lil red didn't hurt). 5) Later in the morning I caught a few fish off of submerged brush along the front of docks on points. The bites here were really lite. The rod would kinda load up, then start tracking off to deeper water. 6) Didn't fish any main lake points (altho' I marked a bunch of really cool looking ones). All of my fish came off of secondary points right up against the creek channel or near a swing. 7) I had a few shallow bites but the most productive range was 10-15'. Better fish were a bit deeper. 8) I fished several points that had two or more humps on them. Fish were holding in the saddles. Saddles closer to deeper water (or the end of the point) were best.
It isn't until you break down SML into smaller chunks that you begin to realize just how big this lake fishes. On paper 22,000 acres doesn't sound like a lot. Once you're in the BW or ROA Rivers you begin to get a feel for how much stuff there is to fish in this place. And then there are the larger feeder creeks down lake. You have to be patient with this place.
I'll continue to use the state park for the first few trips I make into the BW. I want to get some brain and muscle memory built in on channels, terrain features. At some point I'll want to switch to a launch location in the BW. Gills Creek Marina looks pretty solid. Would welcome any other suggestions y'all might have. Thanks in advance.
best,
B
