Last 3 Out Of 4 Days

[Bill Babler]

Hope most of you all are doing better on the dropshot than me. I am struggling with that contraption in a mighty way.

I cannot find a soft plastic dropshot worm of any color, that I can catch numbers on. Yes, they will eat a crawler, but not great. I have had a group of clients that are just not the crawler crowd. They wanted to fish Dead, not Alive. Thats ok, but it will most of the time cut your numbers dramaticly this time of the year. The Football is saving me.

What I have had is a wonderful jig bite. Just really too good for the time of year and the conditions. Topwater is also going really decent, but in some strange places, that I don't usually see fish chasing.

About a dozen topwater fish this AM, with several chunks, K's and SJ's. 5:15 to 6 AM, then it was over. Went to the PBJ 1/2 oz football with same color trailer, and the bite was on. Fishing some chunker stuff than I usually do, but am seeing topwater action on these spots early and then working the bottom after the top bite, ends.

Putting the boat in about 35 and making about a dozen casts on these rocky points and if they don't eat, I'm going to the next.

Had 10 jig fish on two different points this AM, with just about the lot of them being either SJ's or LM small keepers. Chunky, mind you, and full of crayfish, but not over 16 inches.

Best 5 for this morning maybe 13.5, but over 40 fish to the boat. Thats a good day on a jig.

I hate to say how poorly I would have done if I had tried to fish a fake worm on a dropshot all day. I'm just not on them as some of you boys are.

I'll keep working on it. Good Luck

[Bill Babler]

Quick Update from today. If you are having trouble fishing the FB on a spinning rod and are not bait cast people, a Chomper's Hula Grub is the ticket the 1/4 oz and the 3/8 either stand-up or rocker head, or even the shakey head, paired with either the New Watermellon Candy Twin Tail Skirted Hula Grub, or the Peanut Butter Jelly grub, are deadly right now.

A touch or orange dip-en-dye on the ends of the tails won't hurt. If you can throw the 1/2 oz FB you will catch fish. Same color tails. Yamamoto PBJ may be a bit better, but bring plenty as they just will not stay together. With the gills pecking on them, as Buster says, " You get about a 1/2 of a fish per tail."

Most all the fish we are catching on the White River Section, are Pooping and Crammed Full of Bright Green Crayfish, with orange Pincers. A real mess in the boat, but better than gray shad do-do.

Boat in 35 on some of the steeper rocker points and work both the ends and channel side drops. Don't spend lots of time on a point. 10 or so casts unless you connect.

What a great alterative to that stinking ferry-wand dropshot.

Good Luck

[rps]

"stinking ferry wand dropshot"?

Bill, I'm surpised at you. Real men LIKE dangling bitty worms straight down on line so thin I can't see to tie it.

[dblades]

I had a good day Wednesday on the FB jig myself, couldn't find any dropshot fish, when the wind started picking up I got the jig out and went to town. Caught spotted bass and smallmouth, no largemouth but I did have a guy cut me off on a point and then catch a 4 or 5 on a caroline rigged french fry. Thanks for the great reports.

[DangerRanger]

How are you fishing the jig? Do you sit over top of the fish like dropshot and vertical presentation or sit back and cast to them? Do you let it sink to the bottom and jig it back or drag it along the bottom or swim it?

[Champ188]

Danger,

I'm sure Bill can expand on this, but my simple answer would be to fish the fb jig exactly as you would a Carolina rig. Chunk that dude as far as you can, let it fall to the bottom and drag it slowly back to the boat. I keep my rod tip low and sweep the rod sideways when I set the hook, just like with a C-rig. I throw it on 15-pound fluorocarbon (Seaguar or Trilene 100% fluoro) for sensitivity.