slab slinger

DPrice is right about the A rig being mean on whites. They really do flat catch them. I like to keep my tackle on the cheap end while fishing Whites in the river. Well alot cheaper than bass tackle anyway. I carry baits that I have narrowed down over the years by trail and error. I like to have baits that are effective catching both whites and walleye since both are in most rivers in spring. Everyone has their own favorite white bass baits but if I could chose only a few they would be baits that are effective in many different water ways north to south on whites. I don't fly fish...but wish I did at times the way I've seen the fly fishermen hammer the whites. These are my personal favorites that I carry ( just my opinion) 1/8 oz. Road Runner (orange head, white body) 3" Slider (pearl, chart tail) 1/8 oz head 1/8 oz Vibrix Rooster Tail (white) Purple Swimmin Minnow 1/8 oz head Small jerk bait (rebel,rapala, black back /silver) Old trusty Marabou jig 1/8 oz (white, chart, yellow, gray)

I put in at Orleans and run up. It's not that far even with a small motor. Better boat fishing below Taylor anyway won't be able to get past power line this year with current water conditions. SHALLOW.

I have fished the river between Aldrich and 215 bridge since I was old enough to hold a fishing rod. I target whites and walleye every spring and I'm telling ya it's still early for the whites to be thick up the river. The walleye are spawning and some spawned out now. Whites are spotty all males so far. I pull off the whites when they really get going because the crappie are moving up and that's my fav. 2nd week of April the whites will be at full swing in the river If no flooding and the weather holds.

Ok. Might try to make a couple this yr.

Nice job bud...good looking mess of fish.

I worked with Rick Farrell nice guy. I don't know pomme very well. Well not enough to hang with y'all. Haha. Are the turnys open invite? Show up, pay, fish???

Thank you Dan.

Nice report. Good wise whites also. Good to see ya back.

I don't think so with a prop motor unless you can run it in 1.5 ft of water. Jet drive would make it fine. You are better off putting in up river and floating down. You would be fine with your rig anywhere below Taylor Bridge but I wouldn't venture very far up from taylor with a prop motor.

Thanks MOPanfisher. Ate them last night. The eye was delicious.

Went up Friday and fished around Taylor. Fished my way up river Catching a white hear and there. Fish were spotty and scattered but willing to bite. It was a one here one there day couldn't find big concentration of fish and no real pattern was evident.ended up with 10 whites and a 24 in walleye. Everything I caught was on orange head white body road runner. Fish were close to bottom and wanted a slow retreave. Good luck.

There are 15 bridges that cross the little sac below fellows lake. Starting at Aldrich heading up river Orleans Taylor Rail Road Bridge 215 HWY E. 560th Rd S. 111th Rd FR 115 BB HWY FR 44 FR 54 O HWY FR 117 FR 125 FR 129 13 HWY I recommend floating the river above Taylor Bridge on, because of rough terrain and private land. There's some good fishing in the upper stretches of the LS. Whites will travel further than you think during the spawn and there's some great smallmouth and LMB fishing between 13 HWY and Taylor Bridge. If you follow the path from Taylor up river you will end up at the power line at the hole by the Mitchell Farm. Rough walking but it'll get you there. Good luck.

My dad drove to river today on the way to our hunting property. He said it was muddy but not up to bad. He didn't fish but said there was a few fishermen on the banks. Muddy water warms faster but makes for tough fishing if to muddy. Hopefully she'll be cleared up by Friday. We're Headed down to try it out.

Sounds like possible fuel pressure issues. But I would PM wrench and see what he thinks.

I have fished 13 HWY to Orleans over the years. You would be surprised how far up river whites will run. The crowds really start to thin above the power line from Taylor. Almost no one from there to RR bridge and from there to 215. If your willing to scout areas and are not affrade to walk you can have many holes to your self. I float fish mainly because of the rough terrain and private land postings but will stop and fish productive holes. Good luck monday. Hope you find them. Looking foward to reading your post.

It's still a little early for bank fishing crappie. Closer to the spawning would be great area to bank fish. You might Try the turn back Creek area for whites off bank and get lucky with a few crappie as well. I would go after whites now off bank till lake warms for crappie. May try holston mill area on big sac as well. Good luck.

Zoomed in closer and they're still tight packed. Might still have time to get me a few river eyes yet. You got me fired up to get down there. I have been working on my hunting property every weekend for the past 4 months. Will get finished this weekend then I'll be on the water. Cant wait.

That's cool you shared pic of eggs. By the color and blood vessels they look ready soon. Thanks.

I hear it was put in place to take pressure off the walleye during the spawn. Some say poachers we're shining fish at ruffles while spawning and dip netting them in shallow water. Dunno just hear say from a couple old timers I fish with?

Did the big girl still have eggs in her??? Guessing the other 2 fish we're males???

Congrats on all the eyes. Thats a great day on the river. The toad makes it that much sweeter. Dunno bout you but I would take 3 keeper eyes over a limit of whites any day. Don't worry about no whites it's still early for them yet. Before long they Will be thick as seed ticks in the river. Good reprot...nice work.

Sounds like a quick trip with plenty of action. Congrats on your hard earned eyes. Thanks for report.

These post spawn crappie will not be over agressive but they will bite and some days very well. You'll have to sit tight over the fish and really work the areas you've marked fish. For me live bait shines for this situation but a jig tipped with a minnow is very effective as well. I can't think of a better technique to catching pre spawn Crappie on channel ledges other than spider rigging. I use to hold a 12ft pole in each hand and double minnow rig over the fish on the ledge. I know there's other techniques to catch these fish but I have came reliant on spider rigging for this pattern. I would recommend the investment in a spider rig set up if your a die hard crappie fishermen if not I probably wouldn't make the investment. I have a hard time leaving the set up at home because it is so effective year round. Good electronics and mastering boat control are key to catching fish and not making a mess of your lines. Fishing 16 hooks over a brush pile takes practice and perfect boat control. I'm not going to say it's not boring staring at 8 rods when your not in the fish. I am a single pole jig fishermen at heart and I live for the thump bite on a jig but when it's tough riggin shines over any other technique I know.

Great report. Thanks for the info. For what it's worth I'll try and help out in finding crappie. The crappie are in pre spawn pattern obviously but many people have trouble finding them now and after the spawn. The pre spawn Fish will usually be hanging out in spawning coves hugging the creek channel ledges in deeper water. Some days They will suspend near the creek channel like post spawn fish. The males should be starting to gather up in spawning coves on the channel and also on spawning banks with a channel swing near. It's sometimes hard to find pre spawn Fish like now because fish are scattered like crazy this time of year. If you are struggling finding them on known locations piles, timber, bridge pillars. Try looking for suspended fish or close to bottom in coves near the channel's edge or near spawning main lake banks with channel swing. If there's stumps or piles on channel edge then that's where the fish will be heaviest concentrated. Good luck. Thanks again for the report.

It should be good then if no huge rains. Man you fly rod guys knock them dead. I have fished the Little sac my whole life and consider myself above average fishing it, but I can say y'all got it figured out. Last year I was fishing a hole up from Taylor and was headed to the truck with a limit. I had been fishing for 45 min or so to get my 15 fish and thought I done well. I stopped to rest and chat with a fly fishermen. I saw him catch and release a fish every cast for atleast a dozen casts. I'm amazed every spring at how effective a tiny kip tail jig and a fly rod are on whites.