Ham

Ned Rig Trout

Jerkbait Bass on Megabass 95 Wagin React. water temp is 56 degrees. I didn't catch any of size. A local told me that too many people catch and keep.

Weather wasn't Great Friday, but I NEEDED a fishing trip. I always have multiple places I want to fish and I struggled to choose between them, but in the end weather and a slow start to my day helped me choose. I had a work commitment and my fishing gear was in disarray. So I finally got headed for Mammoth Spring about 8:45 am and got underway about 10:45 am. Cold Springs Access is well marked and a great parking area with some bank fishing opportunities. The ramp is not Great. Too short. Waldo doesn't need much, but dang. I headed up stream and found a fishy looking spot. Tossed a 1/16 oz Zig Jig in there and missed two bites before catching the trout on the third bite of the first cast. 10:53 am. I caught 5 fish on the first 7 casts. I caught fish until I was bored with the Zig Jig and switched over to Trout Magnets under a float. I swear to God I have no idea why a trout bites a Trout Magnet. They look so stupid, but bite them they do and did. A lot. I worked on my technique and hooksets. I missed a bunch of bites, but I got better at it. I caught 25 at the first spot and left them biting. I'm not sure how many more I could have caught, but I bet a bunch. I needed to learn the lake a little better so I headed upstream. I ran upstream to the first pretty shallow really grassy riffle. I had looked at aerial images snd knew that it was going to be mostly shallow and fast water ahead. I was looking for Bass at this point so I shut Waldo down. I looked for micros, but needed to look harder I guess. Trout were rising all around me so I sore mouthed a few more with Zig Jigs. Mostly 1/16 oz, but I did use 1/8 oz and 1/32 oz and caught fish on all of them. I left those fish and picked up a jerkbait. In a few minutes, I got my first Largemouth Bass Kinda small, but I was Happy to get it. Next Jerkbait fish was a Brown Trout. I had already caught several Browns on jigs. None were very large. I hope they Grow. I tried a Chatterbait for kinda a while. Nary a whiff. Trout taunted me by striking all around me. Pretty much constantly. I would weaken and catch one occasionally on a Zig Jig or Trout Magnet. Whatever I picked up. no more takers on jerkbait. I quit on that. I started picking on risers as I floated downstream close to the ramp. I threw that dang trout magnet about 12 inches under a float. Still learning. I decided to run down lake. I found a deep bank. that screamed Ned Rig. I caught a bass almost immediately. I caught a decent trout on a Ned. I would occasionally mix in a 1/8 oz Zig Jig. It worked too. I stuck with that area until I got my 50 Burger. I ran back up to the risers near the ramp. I caught a few more, but kept missing bites. That really pisses me off. I live and die with every hookset. A missed bite = complete failure. Well, I stuck with it until I caught one of the culprits. And Boy was I Glad I did.. my last fish of the day was an unexpected treat. A Red Spotted Sunfish.

Good on ya John. You've had a rough go of it so far.

Well, considering the first ones I bought were $39 bucks and sale price was $29

TBF, the Browning one was a Bass Pro only product,

Magic 8 ball says "All signs point to Yes". I haven't fished one personally.

You Good?

Are the fish camera shy?

That's Awesome Jeff!

27) Red Spotted Sunfish. Surprise catch from Spring River today.

Sounds Awesome. Every one of those fish would have been lifers for me. I see an opportunity one day.

White Bass will hammer your Carolina Rig weight w/o mercy. Drives me crazy. Darters would absolutely rather hit the sinker than the tiny piece of worm on a hook. This also tests my patience a bunch

The relatively warmer water from Powersite spillover gives the upper lake a boost in water temp in the winter.

That's a lot.

When the water is below 40 degrees, I fish for trout or water systems where the water temp > 40 degrees. Trout bite all year.

My Dad taught me so much about fishing. One lesson he taught me was to fish for what's biting. Don't fish for stuff out of season.

I try not to fish for Bass when water is < 40 degrees.

I must have a guilty look about me. I have been checked on the White (twice), Current, Buffalo (twice), Bull Shoals, Norfork, and Caddo River. I'll spare you my Louisiana and Texas stories.

Yeah, pretty disgusting to see "guides" up there with clients dragging baits. A) I doubt they are barbless b) I doubt they are using artificial and c) it's the part time fly bt night guys that guide < 10 times a year

Jacks Fork is a lot closer, but I'm more confident I can catch them in Big Cypress Bayou

I appreciate her worrying about the sculpins. good memories for the little ones.

26) Black Spotted Top Minnow

It was Spring in South Louisiana. I came back to a much different reality.

It seems like the company that makes Rogues (Smithwick or Pradco) used to do a lot of limited runs. Not quite customs, but a little less common.