Quillback

Today was one of those days that happens maybe once a year for a weekend fisherman like me, I wasn't even that fired up about going fishing but I really needed to get the boat out and burn off some gas as it had been sitting in the garage since November. So I get to Beaver, launch out of Horseshoe bend and head over to a main lake flat that I like to fish. With the water up like it is, it had quite a bit of brush that extends about 50 feet out in the water and runs for about 300 yards along the bank. At the edge of the brush the water is about 6 feet deep and gradually shelves out deeper. I had a clown colored Spro Mcstick tied on, and I start casting it to the edge of the brush and bringing it back in in a twitch, twitch, pause a second sequence. About my fifth cast, I feel a little tick on the line on the pause, then my rod loads up, I feel some serious head shaking going on and then the drag is screaming, I'm fishing with a medium action 6'6" spinning rod and 10 lb test so the issue is in doubt, but I manage to keep the fish out of the brush, get him out to the open water and maybe 5 minutes later get him in my puny net. (That little gold looking thing in his mouth is the McStick). So I retie and make a couple of more casts, and again on the pause hook another striper, this one takes me into a tree and breaks me off. So I tie another one on and maybe 5 minutes later catch another striper, this one about 8 lbs. The action stayed like this for a few more hours, I lost track of time, I started about noon and next thing I know it's 4 PM and the bite stops or the fish moved off, but it just stopped. Anyway I caught seven stripers, most about 8-10 lbs. the smallest being 5 lbs, and the biggest about 12, I lost 2 others that broke me off, and 2 others that got off the hook. I could not tell you what was so special about today, but these fish were aggressive, they would hit it, and if they missed it they would come back again. I had one fish that hit it on the pause, missed, I jerked it twice more and paused and he hit it again and missed, jerked it twice more and he finally got it on the next pause. Every fish I hooked hit it on the pause. So the fish in the net is the first one I caught, the two on the counter are the two I brought home, one is 32" the other is 29". I kept three, one did not make the last shot, I gave it to an oldtimer that lives down the street from me, he's a fisherman but his hips are so bad he can't sit in a boat anymore. But he still likes to eat fish. I need to buy some more McSticks, I lost two and broke another one while unhooking a fish. Of course I'll probably never have a day like this again, if I go out and purposely fish for stripers I'll probably get skunked. But I'll sure give it another try. Supposedly they are going to drop the water starting Tuesday, so where caught these fish will be dry land. I'll have to find another spot.

Congrats, nice fish!

I have heard good things about Lund also, good boats for trolling, and I assume you can also work the banks bass fishing like you would with a more conventional bass boat.

Has the ice melted in the Hickory Creek/War Eagle arm/White river areas? Report in the paper said it was still frozen over from Hickory creek upstream, but hoping to get a more up to date report, as I would like to get the boat up that way this weekend.

I ordered some McSticks and they arrived today, they look just as good as a Megabass in my opinion. If they fish as well, Megabass may have to drop thier prices.

Buyfishingstuff is now completely sold out of McSticks.

Seaguar, I'll keep tha in mind, I'm lookng to pick up some fluoro soon.

About that fluorocarbon - Something I do is after spooling up a spinning reel with it, is when I first get out on the water, as you are slowly moving the boat, let the line out all the way, then reel it back in keeping tension on it between thumb and fore finger of one hand - same thing you do to eliminate twists in mono. Here's an article with some other tips: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/fluorocarbon_line.html

Well I might go Saturday, temps are supposed to be in the 40's and cloudy. I believe they will be starting the drawdown soon, you would think that would increase current through the lake and maybe get the fish biting.

yep "lock" your reel and just adjust your drag so that line is pulled out if you snag on a rock or hook a decent fish. I have done quite a bit of trolling and have never broken a rod because of getting hung up. If you get hung up and your drag is set right, it will just pull line off until you get the boat stopped.

So Jeb did you go? Yesterday was a little warmer, but not warm enough for me to even think about it.

I fish Road Runners on Beaver, but I cast them to the bank rather than troll them. I have found that Spotted bass really like them in the spring, and so do the whites. That's a good idea, tying your own, I have not done that yet but when I get some time I might give it a shot. One color I would like to have that Road Runner does not make as far as I can tell, is black, meaning black jig head with a black body. I would also think natural colors in brown and green, kind of like the colors you see in bass jigs would work.

Do they have lots of fishing stuff? Never been inside an Academy.

Low temps in single digits this week, Thursday night supposedly down near zero, Friday, 4 degrees, gotta wonder if there might be a layer of ice forming. Has it ever froze over? I have only lived here three years, but maybe in the past it has. I am ready for spring. Heck, I would be happy with a 45 degree day right now.

Think the Razorbacks can beat East Carolina?

Brrrrr, it's cold this morning, as far as fishing, I might watch a fishing show on TV today in between football games. Good luck on the tourney and somebody please post a report after your fingers thaw out.

It's nice to see a fishing video with no commercials. Thanks!

I hear the walleye are biting, that would be my guess as to what they are fishing for.

Nice pics, looks like a great day out on the lake!

Nice video I liked seeing what was going on on the fishfinder.

Yeah I agree, anything truly hazardous like gasoline shoul dnot have fishing allowed within a reasonable distance.

I'm against it on principle, it's a public lake and the marinas have put their docks on public water. And if it's no fishing, it should be no fishing period on the docks, including the dock owner and friends.

I wonder too, if someone from the board catches one in a few months maybe they could take a pic and post it here.

I noticed that the LM I caught on Beaver Saturday on Beaver were skinny also, which is funny consdiring there were lots of shad around. Maybe they burn lots of calories chasing shad.

I second the Road Runners, spots love them in the spring, white bass too. I think I have caught just about everything that swims on them except for carp. They are a great lure if you like to fish light tackle. Only drawback is they get hung up easy, but then again they aren't expensive.