Sunday In The Rain

[Bittle]

Tired of watching the rain come and go, my dad and I loaded the boat with our rain gear. We headed to bridgeport with some minnows. About this time of year we start catching catfish moving up to spawn.

We started seeing shad in large schools on the surface. We started throwing the throw net and caught some shad for a trot line. The shad ended up getting wise to the game, so we let them roam free.

We hit one of our catfish spots and I believe my third cast I hooked at channel. I caught a total of 4 channel cats before it started raining. During the rain we couldn't get bit. It stopped again and we started picking up some more bites. We were using our crappie rigs with a bobber set about 3 feet above a live minnow. Thrown in about 3-4 feet of water. If it drifted from the bank it wouldn't work. The second channel I caught was a good fight. It took me about 10 minutes to land on light tackle. I didn't weigh it but my guess was about 10-12 pounds. We only kept 3 catfish as the fourth one was too small. My dad caught a couple bluegill and a small bass.

We decided we had enough and dinner was calling our names. We decided to work our way out of the cove casting swimming minnows and throwing minnows around trees. We picked up two crappie in short order, a 13 incher by my dad and a 11 incher by me. Both caught on minnows. One caught off a brush pile and the other off of pole timber. Both in about 25 feet of water. We ran out of minnows so we called it an evening. I believe that we could have picked up more crappie if we stayed after it but it was nice to get out while we could. Here is a pic of what we kept.

I told my dad that I spanked him that day. So before we lined up the fish for the picture he had to pull out the shad he caught in the throw net. He said I may have won big fish but he won the number of fish for the day. Can't argue with that I guess! Good times, great company.

Bittle

[Bittle]

By the way, the catfish were full of eggs and pretty close to spawning. They are feeding up hard before the spawn so catch them while you can. Dad is going to set out a couple trot lines this weekend. I will report how it goes.

[Phil Lilley]

Thanks for the report and pic. Looks like you and your dad had a memorable trip.

[Chris Tetrick]

Nice Cats! Good job. I used to live right above Cape Fair and me and my neighbor would start setting trot lines out this time of year. Always seemed to do the best in the 2nd or 3rd weeks in June. I guess that's when they spawn.

[Martin]

Chris is right. The trotline bite is getting better everyday it seems. I got a 19 lb 8 oz flathead and a 9 lb 15 oz flathead (digital scale) last night. Also had a baby flathead that was quickly released. Still using live bluegills for bait. (orangespotted sunfish and green sunfish as well).

I'll try to attach a photo of the 19 1/2 pounder.

[Chris Tetrick]

Martin,

Holey Moley! That's a super nice flat-head. Good work on them trot lines. I moved from the river down around Kimbelring City and miss havind a boat dock where I could have access to work lines in the evening. Would you mind me asking you where you put your trot lines out at? I was kinda thinking about getting some free time and would love to try and run a few lines. Thanks

[Hunter91]

Nice fish, Martin!! I seemed to have misplaced the invitation to a fish fry

[Martin]

Chris, I think any of the steeper sided coves in the lower lake creek arms are good. Both Cows, Spring Branch, those coves up by Indian Point (Jacques ?). I'm in Big Cow, but there are probably hundreds of good places from Kimberling to the dam. Maybe thousands. lol.

I set mine as close to the thick timber as possible. After a few years I have some places where I can be "in the thick of things", and not get the line hung up when a good fish gets on. I keep my line short too. Like 10 to 12 hooks.

Hope that helps.

Hunter91, you bring the walleye and I'll bring the flathead !!

[Chris Tetrick]

Martin- hey thanks for the report . I set out 3 short lines yeasteday evening and ran them this afternoon after my guide trip. Had these guys attached on the lines. Set them from Point 5 to Panorama Point on the steeper banks. Little sunfish as bait. Lots of fun-Thanks for the advise!

[Predator1]

Nice fish everyone. Are you using the whole sunfish/bluegill or cutting it up? What size hooks and what kind of hooks work best?