Jason Essary

DUCK FOR COVER.

duckdoty, great catch man. what was u using and what time did u catch them?

Ok, I have a question. We have all seen the posts about releasing ALL the bass caught. And just to be known, I release 90% of all bass caught, and all over 16" (when i ever get to catching them). BUT, I have a question about fishing and really about Tourneys during the spawn. If our gorgeous lake is so delicate that keeping some fish is such a big deal, as it seems to some people, then how is it that so many people love to fish the tourneys during the spawn? In my mind, when someone jerks a bass of the nest, even if the bass makes it throu the stress of being hauled around and then released, the clutch of eggs is of course toast. Now, multiply that by the numbers of fisherman in these touneys, then multiply that by the tourneys during the spawn, and add in some for the "just like to fish" guys that take a couple home and we are talking a huge dent in the fry that even get a chance at growing up in a few years to be targeted. And how many times, even if directly after being caught they are released, do sows dump there eggs from the stress. I know of two guys that have told me they lost weight in their bag because of their livewell full of eggs at the weigh-in. Wonder what the population of bass in the lake would be if for three years bass were left alone to all spawn. I have heard so many people say to release all fish, but NEVER heard of anyone complaining about anything else. Just wanted to know what everone else thinks.

I feel ya techno, it was me smelling it up last evening. dont feel bad. good luck, they are there, just not where i am either.

Wow, thats like putting salt in my wounds Bill. Glad to hear u had a great day. I hit the water bout 4 and fished till 7. nothing, fished some places that Mr. Beck told me to try, as i went with him thursday. between point 5 and 6. 51 degree water, threw a stick in pointer char shad most all the time. tried moderate retrieve with no luck and went to soaking them. Nothing. Dont understand what i did wrong. guess maybe i wasnt holding my mouth right.....

oh ya, i was in the wind. couple of places my troll was coming out every once and awhile. maybe its just me. i left the indians, to fish main lake after going with beck thursday, maybe a bad move. i threw a stick 75 percent of the time i believe, tried letting it soak for up to a 20 count, and tried faster retrieves. Im just not understanding, guess im still down low on the learning curve

Denjac, beautiful fish. what area was u fishing? I just got in, fished between point 5 and 6, couple community holes and a couple i have done in and only had one swipe at a stick, 0 fish. Fished char. shad pointer, s&p grub, and even tried split shot for awhile with no luck. temps were 51 where i was. really thought id catch some, maybe the water temp drop killed it for me. went out with beck last thursday, caughts some good quality fish, but nothing on my own. So Denjac, bill, anyone.....what i do wrong.

Denjac, went yesterday. saw a bunch of carcasses but all i saw were white bass. some big and some decent. maybe thats what u saw. I would say that they were caught right there because a couple years ago when the water was way down at this time, me and my boy just killed the whites in the west pocket from the ramp just a couple days before easter. whites always have a run back into little indian and big indian at this time, but they are hard to predict. I tried to catch some yesterday, but didnt get hit by any. I think i did run into some on a pea gravel bank just out a little, had some hard hits but everytime i set the hook, all i got was a tail less grub. I didnt but two and two together till later, and tried on my way back in and whatever was hitting was gone. u been going in little indian lately and doing any good. Ive been catching a lot of shorts but not to many keepers.

denjac, thats my backyard. the main dock is full of submerged brush for them and I know a couple older guys that fish with minnows under the dock. id say thats the ones that caught them. ill keep my ears open though and let u know if i can catch them and find out what the pattern is. Do u put in much there?

Ok bill, which megabass stickbait are those, i havent found one like it yet. maybe im on the wrong site.

Don, were u fishing Big Indian around Indian Point? I was out till 4 around the area. Didnt have the luck u did but i didnt really get on a bank the wind was crashing against. Did find the fish eating a grub.

just got an email...total wieght at crossroads....62 lbs.

seth, anytime your coming down for a bill trip, let me know. id love to hang and learn more on how to do it.

Was fishing friday at walnut springs. three guys caught this spoonbill and was wondering what everone thought the wieght might be. give me some ideas, none of us had a scale big enough.

i went up sunday morning, water dramatically dropped in temp. no bite. saw some swimming around in a couple clear feeder creeks, but no good on the feeding. it will be good again as the water warms.

sorry to hear about the one that got away. would have loved to seen a pic of it. if u dont mind me asking, how far up the james are u fishin. above bridgeport or below. nothing specific, just a pointer?

sounds good, was thinking of going tomorrow afternoon. do u think that night is the best time to snag? i havent done it in at night yet.

ok, so u were above talor shoal, at gentry cave. sounds great, i went to talor last weekend, it was full of dinks. the move must have been made after the rains last week. if u dont mind, what was the water color, knowing it will change again soon? ill head up there when it warms a little after this cold rain. thanks

heh tightline, sounds great. what bluff are u talking about, there are a couple to drop off of if someone is adventurous enough.

perfect wackem, last trip to canada, guide told us we were going to dung creek. figured he was just jerking our chain, till later when i looked on the big map at the lodge, i found the name dung creek. what a name to have in print.

That was one great finish by MIZZOU. hope they have enough for memphis.......wow

great report bill, sounds like a wonderful day. was wondering, what are u considering the 'drag' bite?

great fish seth, i cant make it till tuesday. where were u fishin?

Would love to hear some reports from this weekend on the white bass on the james. I havent been able to go since last friday by have talked to some good friends that are doing better than i done. Dinks as im hearing it are all the way to almost talor shoal, by the thousands. eat good but it takes a whole limit to make a mess. Larger males and most sows are still hanging back, waiting on warmer water or a good rain i guess. Ive seen some pics of limits of huge fish, 3lbs. sows, being caught from point 15 all the way down to virgin bluff, downstream from bridgeport. Lets hope for a good rain, think a rise of water would make a huge change to the situation. Anyone else have any reports???

Just wanted to start a topic for the spoonbillers on the James. Anyone getting ready for a midnight start? Any and all catches help us all, so lets hear all the stories and see all the pics.