Lack of water continues to be a problem. Hit three different holes and one very large pool. Almost no flow on the first stream, but at least leaves were on bottom for the most part.
Hit a 13"er on flashminnow 95 shallow jerk on the walk downstream. When I got to the large hole, I hooked and lost a largemouth bass on the lure. Wanting to fish the deep stuff I threw a clown colored Pointer 78. Was rewarded by a heavy fish that was soon off the hook. A few casts later, duplicated the task from off the deep barely visibile boulders on the pause. Got the fish almost in range when it too, popped off the hook. Looked in the 16"17" range. I had planned to fish float and fly so again I was throwing 8lbs mono. The hooks were too dull, but I also lose all sense of how much pressure when I switch to mono.
Picked a 14" on the jerk out of a cloud of suckers. Just letting it sit worked.
Left and hit the nearby bigger flow. Lots of walking on bedrock to my hole. Turned out to be about .75 mile further than I thought it was, when the massive hole in the bedrock opened up, it didn't dissapoint.
First a 14" on a 4.5" swimbait, then I threw on a 4" thin floating worm on a shakey head jig. I've never had luck with these. An lately, there has been no flow. But in this spot the current spilled through and over bedrock creating some current. A spot to work finesse!
I was shaking and hopping and deadsticking the worm when an unmistakable 'thunk', reared back and the fish was heavy and supercharged. Nice fight, nice fish. Saved my day of ineptitude. 18.25"
BT,
ReplyDeleteThin, finesse, small, slow. The 8lb test would make me nervous depending on the bottom structure. I use 12lb Excel because of the ledge and sharp chunk limestone sections. This limits me to use an 1/8oz or a 3/16oz jig head.
Since the thin 3"-4" plastic displaces less water than a tube, less weight is needed to fish deeper water. Combinations of 8lb mono with a 1/16oz and a 3" work great for shallower presentations with a more cobblestone/soft bottom. While for deeper water or more rugged bottoms you can use a 1/8oz or 3/16oz with 12lb mono.
I use keeper hooks which are not the sharpest, so I carry a stone to sharpen after a couple of bass. I like mono for jig/plastic presentations and braid for hard baits. I don't like all the false feedback from braid while jigging.
Saturday I banged 25 from 12"-18". Water temps 43. Some I pulled out of 8ft of water with sharp ledge chunk. I have to set the hook straight up so the mono doesn't pull/stretch over the ledge and fray.
How deep can you fish effectively the fly and float?
Kamala
'Bout time you get out there and post a new one ... slacker!
ReplyDeleteE,
ReplyDeleteNice looking 19 7/8 on your site.
Eric.
ReplyDeleteYep-hit the nail on the head. The whole state has been a puddle except for a few northern rivers and the less asthetically pleasing river that runs through town right by the house. It fishes well, but smells like chlorine.
The flow I was hot on earlier this year (that I've been DYING to return to) has been unfishable due to flow down to less than .10 CFS! My heart is there, but until today (big rains) we've had no water.
K-Glad you're getting your share. Sounds like you're getting them good. This time of year to catch 25, you've got a good healthy fishery on your hands and have the bass zeroed in.
ReplyDeleteImpressions throwing the 3/16th screwlock football head shakey jig worm. Definately gets down and quickly compared to the tube. Felt every tick with the braid. Hooked that fish so nicely right in the middle top of the mouth. Pretty pumped on catching one on it. Like the tail floating action wiggling in the current. Lightbulb moment? I hope so.
November is my toughest month typically, presentations that work can change so much from day to day. Fish can be so far apart as to eat the precious few hours. Monday could have been the day of the year, but I picked the wrong stretch, because I was too lazy and wanted an easy non-hunted spot.
I couldn't tell you about fishing 8' of water, there may be a few places on a couple creeks or rivers that reach that depth. Most holes top out at 5' or even less. Anything deeper would be better fished out of a yak.
I'm a shallow water fisherman for sure. If there is an area I could vastly improve on it would be fishing the depths. Most rivers don't demand it. On the big rivers, I am rarely even aware of the deeper areas.
I've fished FnF with 6' of line below a float and caught fish. Not very typical of how/where I winter fish unless the water is way high and I'm overlining.
Thanks for the comments. I have been told to fish a 'french fry' style worm before. I'll keep throwing the worm and see if I can get better on it.