Seth Clarkson

Thanks for advice Royal Blue. My dad will be coming with me so it won't be an issue of launching alone. Are you thinking that bridgeport would just be shallow for a long ways or that with the snow that the rut would be that much worse?

Hey guys, I am trying to get out tomorrow and haven't decided where to go just yet. I know the gravel entry into bridgeport had a rut that was starting to get washed out in early fall. Does anyone know how that has looked recently? Debating on going to Bull Shoals but I don't usually have much of a report for how things are down that way.

The one time I attempted to paddle up was a mistake. Water was moving way too fast and I put in at Shelvin Rock. I didn't make it very far at all. The transporting is great, but I have to wait until after 8 or 9 if I remember right. I try to get there just before or at sunrise if I can help it.

For an all around jig which type of the NuTech should I try? I went to the website and saw that there was an option to compare different types, but even though it pops up saying this jig has been added to compare, the area where you select to look at the comparison continues to show that none have been selected to compare no matter how many I add. Anyone else have this issue?

What part of James river did you fish? I have been wanting to get out there more often, but have a hard time lining up a pick up and drop off since buddies are usually busy when I'm available. I fished Hootentown to Mudbank a few month's back, but it was after a lot of hard rains. We moved pretty fast and I caught one 12 inch smallmouth and some panfish. Buddy caught a couple of rock bass. That was it. Water was pretty dirty.

Did you find them more on the main lake or back in coves?

The blade looks so small compared to what I throw, maybe that's why you catch so many more haha. I'll have to get a black on black and a gold on black to try.

What size buzzbait is that cheesemaster? It looks to be on the smaller side of the scale. 3/8?

What area of Cape Fair did you catch the Smallie if you don't mind my asking? I haven't fished there as much as many others have on here for sure, but I was out there a dozen times this year I would say and never ran across a Smallmouth. Only caught Largemouth, Spots and a few whites.

I can confidently say that until the last few month's I dealt with the same thing. My dad always threw one and was catching them, so I started following suit. My biggest reservation was that I would get them hung up a lot, like have chatterbaits. This has definitely not been the case, and as soon as I learned that my confidence went up and I started catching fish on them. Use one every time I go out now. We have taken a liking to the 3/8 oz booyah blades throwing them at wind blown banks.

Put in at swan creek last weekend with no issues. However the fishing wasn't good. The level has dropped so fast that it was really muddy and fall turnover may have started as well. There were definite areas where the water had a stench to it. Ended up running a good ways past k dock to find some cleaner water and only ended up catching shorts.

ICI would you be kind enough to share what type your favorite popper is? Sounds like it has treated you well. I have tried a few poppers but haven't had any bites, may be due to the location I'm throwing them, not sure.

I got a pair of the Eye Surrender ESEs for $70 that the tactical bassin guys wear and I have been happy so far. I think they are $60 right now on Tackle Warehouse. The frame feels cheap but I haven't had an issue (only had them a few months), but they are better than the floating bodyglove ones I bought on amazon for about $30 that went from a white frame to yellow in under a year and they hadn't even gotten in the water. I assume the sun faded them. For $20 (shipping and handling) if you break them you can send them back and get a new pair on a lifetime warranty. If you are wanting to spend a lot more I have heard really good things about the Vicious Vision glasses. Supposed to be able to see a lot deeper in the water with them and I know they can do RX as well. They can get to be like $600 with an RX though.

As long as the water isn't too muddy it has worked for really well for me this summer on suspending fish and with temps over 85.

The marina posted on facebook recently asking that people wait till it gets colder to fish for musky. Something about them not living after being pulled out into the warmer weather or something. Might look into that.

Put in at Beaver Creek. You can run all the way up to the dam if you need to. It's been about a month since I've been there, but as long as logs haven't floated up and blocked the ramp you are good to go.

I didn't take a picture, but in my kayak last fall I caught a 6 to 7 inch bass on my Whopper Plopper 130. Thought it was a leaf and started to reel it back in thinking I would need to take the leaf off so the action would be right. Must have been a reaction bite because he hit it almost instantly.

The rest of the year will be interesting now that we finally got above 500. If our bullpen can hold a lead we would be set.

I also forgot to mention that two of the bass came on a loon 130 Whopper plopper near James River. I had a couple of others swat at it and I pulled it away from them so a little more of a topwater bite then I had seen the last couple months.

Thanks Mike. Happy they are able to be uploaded now without getting that error.

I don't have much to report from today other than the fact that it was a nice morning to be out on the water. Temperature was much more enjoyable and the breeze was nice as well. Put in at Bridgeport around sunrise and was off the water around noon. Only caught 5 or 6 bass, a couple perch and my first Ned rig crappie. The big bass was 3.77lbs and 19 inches. This one seemed a little top heavy with a short tail end but I definitely can't complain. Catching it on a 4 1/2 ft ultralight with a Ned rig made it that much more enjoyable. This is my first fish on the Ned over 18 inches, so gives me hope for running into some bigger ones again with in the future. This post has been promoted to an article

I've fished it in a kayak. A motor will obviously get you around a lot faster, but a trolling motor will work just fine. If it's a john boat you might try lake Springfield. Also, you will need to stop at the marina and get a permit at fellows.

We didn't catch that many, like 5 I think but all were decent sized. Catching that many fish any size is fun! Caught all mine on an ultralight too. Makes it that much better.

Dad and I had a 50 combined fish day. Found a mega school on a bridge piling and caught 40 off small spoons. Wakes and wind moved shad up towards the surface and bass were periodically busting like crazy. 75% spotted bass between 10 and 14 inches with some whites and largemouth mixed in. Had 6 keepers including 3 white bass over 2.2 lbs. Very lucky to be in the right spot at the right time today. I only caught 1 prior to fishing the bridge this afternoon.