Fishing Report

[Trav]

Did some gill fishing this afternoon. Caught over 70, kind of lost track around 65. Even caught a couple of sport bass.

You fly guys ought to come down for some of this. Its a blast. Not a single one was under 5 inches. My biggest 3 were all 10 inches. with most of them between 6 and 8 inches. Great fighters.

[Hunter91]

Hey Trav, are they still on beds or are you just catching them here and there?

[Trav]

They are done spawning.

Being they are sunfish they school in swarms in extremely shallow water. Where ever they can get away from the cold water. It is typical summer Taney patterns.

It was hot today, and they never even got close to the shade. I lost probably a gallon of hydration. I was soaked with sweat.

Today I was fishing up in crystal cove and there were literally hundreds of them staged in 1 to 2 feet of water. You could see them in massive groups around any mid water locations. I basically just sight fished and never got any further than a twenty square foot section. In fact, when the wind kicked up I just dropped anchor and caught 50 of them without moving.

I saw the same conditions in bull, with a population of a few thousand! I started to have that nagging motor problem and decided to fish closer to my dock. To be safe.

As the water fluctuates more, the gills will start to group tighter together. This is very routine for this area of the lake.

Sad thing is, the Bass are starting to become more predictable and the fact I cant get no more than a 1/4 mile from my dock is starting to irritate me. In the summer the bass can stack up like fence posts down below long beach, stalking these schools of brim. Rest assured, the bass have plenty to eat. To be honost, this year has been showing a serious influx of giant gills. Over the past 3 decades I have never seen so much forage fish. I also saw schools of shad in the thousands off the coontails near bull creek.

With my handicap with boat motor trouble, I can sure say that I am grateful, for after pulling the few bass I can draw, there is always those gills to keep me spoiled.

Im sure a fly guy could do well but my method will catch you the most. Super ultra light rigs to make the fight more fun of course, a series of hooks, red trout hooks, palimar style with the smallest grub you can find. I use a three hook line about 6 inches apart with smoke as the trailer, white in the middle and a watermelon red on top. It probably dont matter what color for most the bites are reaction bites. I have caught 2 and 3 at a time with this set up. And there is no need for any weights.

I know alot of you fly guys want to catch these guys. Use a multiple presentation. Two or even three flies at once.

Crazy when you have 3 big gills fighting at once!

If any of you want to hit the water with the Big M just let me know. If your gonna be on the water anyway I would love to fish water my motor dont take me! Im having a heck of a time finding a 35 Hp. Even 25hp is scarce in these parts.

Hope I was of help Hunter

[fishin'chemteacher]

Trav - Gill fishing sounds like fun. How deep is the water in the channel in the coves you are fishing? Have a rather deep-vee boat-- can I get to the gills without losing a prop or running a-ground.

[bigredbirdfan]

Ok Trav.

1-2 foot of water. Check.

Ultra light spinning rods. Check.

Help me with this bait selection. I don't get it.

[Hunter91]

Thanks Trav. I am in the same boat. Blew the engine on my Champion a couple weeks ago and am looking for an engine also. Been fishing in my jon boat to get by the slow time. Hopefully be back up and running in a couple weeks. good luck on your search.

[Trav]

Hunter,

At least your hunting for a motor over 90 horse. Tons of them available. the mid sized motors are hard to find. Plenty of them in Wisconsin an minnasota, but locally I have hit a big fat zero.

Chem-Teach,

As long as you raise your motor and troll into the backs of the coves you will be alright.

Red,

Here are a couple pics of the rig I was using. Hope it helps you understand.

The jig head on the white hook is a floater, not a sinker.

[bigredbirdfan]

I would bite the bullet and go four stroke. Use half the gas. Very quiet as well.

[Whodat]

I would put a windmill blade on for a prop too!

[fishin'chemteacher]

Trav- What size shaft motor are you looking for?? Tiller or remote?? electric or manual start? I run into 25 to 35 hp motors here often because of river fishing on the big MO. Also am close to Omaha where there is a source for 20-35 hp used motors.