Friday

[denjac]

Fished the dam area. Had my brother in law with me. I was supposed to pic him up a Moonshine at 7am he didnt show until 7:45 and he only lives 2 miles down the road! If he was to hire a guide they would put him out on the bank after the first hour, but I have to put up with it to keep family peace. Anyway caught lots of smallies on a jig with a twin tail grub. I also was swimming a twin tail grub and most my fish came off of it. I finanaly found some KY all nice size 2- 3 pounds. Had 4-5 of these guys swimming the grub 16 -20 ft. Had 1 rouge black, 1 walleye and a nice channel cat. The cat satisfied the brother in law for somthing to eat so I didnt have to argue with him when I threw the KY's and smallies back in the water. He wants to eat everything we catch ,geeeez. I stole a picture from Bill and if you notice the background where he is holding a nice smallie ad me where I am holding the channel cat. Same spot.

Around 30-35 fish total 5 maybe 6 keepers out of the bunch. Heading back out this am to new water.Oh there were lots of pro am guys running around getting ready for there championship.

[FishinCricket]

Your Brother in Law sounds just like my brother in law!

[troutgnat]

Denjac,

Congratulations on your day. I was up the Indian past Big Cedar yesterday and got on some fish though most were small. Except I did catch two Kentuckys in the 2-3 lb range also and 1 15" smallie.

I found them on marble size pea gravel and any docks with adjacent pea gravel. Most of my fish came shallow, perhaps I should have concentrated my efforts deeper and with a jig. I was getting bit on dragging a zoom fish doctor so I stayed with it.

Anyway, can you provide me a little more insight of what kind of structure and depth you found your fish on?

Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks. I plan to return on Sunday.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I recognize that spot, we were there last Sunday, but we blanked.

Troutgnat, I believe Big Cedar is on Long Creek.

[troutgnat]

I recognize that spot, we were there last Sunday, but we blanked.

Troutgnat, I believe Big Cedar is on Long Creek.

Wow,

I can't believe I did that! That's what I get for fishing to many differant areas at once. I just fished around Big Cedar a few days ago. I guess I just temporarily forgot where I was at! I HAVE FISHING INSANITY!!! I meant to say Indian Point Marina. So, it is clear I fished from main lake point (21) at Indian on up past the Marina to around 18.

Thanks for the insight to my error.....................D

[denjac]

Wow,

I can't believe I did that! That's what I get for fishing to many differant areas at once. I just fished around Big Cedar a few days ago. I guess I just temporarily forgot where I was at! I HAVE FISHING INSANITY!!! I meant to say Indian Point Marina. So, it is clear I fished from main lake point (21) at Indian on up past the Marina to around 18.

Thanks for the insight to my error.....................D

I still think you are confused. Point 18 -21 is up the white not near Indian point. Anyway my fish yesterday were on all types of bank, pea shelf rock, but shallow, boat in about 12- 16ft of water.

[troutgnat]

Once again error on my part. I didn't mean the actual lake points. My Hot Spots fishing map shows them as a number with a circle around it classified as "areas". So, I was between "areas" 18 and 21 on the Indian Point Marina side of the lake. Hope this clarifies me a little better yet. Funny thing is I'm the same way with a highway map........Can't read maps well I just know where I'm at from being there before. Don't ask me how I got there or where I was at,..................kinda thing.

Anway, Denjac can you give me some pointers on catching them smallies and kentuckys on crankbaits on these areas were fishing.????

Thanks.

[Bill Babler]

TGNAT, Denny was not using a cranker for his fish. Got a question, why in the wide world of sports would you want to catch them on a cranker, when you can catch them on a jig and a topwater?

Crank baits are expensive and work on the lake about 10 percent of the time, if that. There mission in life, is not to hook fish, but to hook fishermen, causing them expensive visits to the ER. Yes, Yes, Yes, some of the locals do pretty well up the James, Kings, or Long Creek on a very limited basis, but for the most part, other than the wiggie wart bite, in the dam area you are fishing, I never have one in the boat.

The percentage of anything in any derby's thats won on the rock is just about never won on a cranker. There are exceptions, but for the most part, a rig or a jig, are money baits here.

Topwater at times and a blade will do you right, and in season, everyone knows my favorite is the suspending stickbait, but crank baits at the dam, there is usually a better mouse trap. Not to say, they won't work, cause they will. You usually just need a better condition than what we usually have, and you need the fish to be positioned correctly. That is why the jig and rig are so good, they completly will fish most any depth or situation.

Sounds like you are doing great with what you are already throwing, if you can just figure out where your throwing it.

Good Luck out there.

[troutgnat]

Bill,

Thanks for your input. But I just got to say I love fishing crankbaits. I got hooked on fishing them when I was over on the east side of the state around Wapapello, Mark Twain and occasionly LOZ and some private waters and figured out how to catch fish on them. I have never really had the opportunity to fish smallies on a crank thus my reason for the request.

Fall can be a good time to catch fish on shallow cranks when they start moving up so I wanted to be prepared and see what I could make happen. The good ole' Shad Rap has been a good fall bait for me as well as some flat sides around docks.

Well anyway tomorrow it shall be topwater, jig, spinnerbait and dragging plastics for me then....................D

[denjac]

TGNAT, Denny was not using a cranker for his fish. Got a question, why in the wide world of sports would you want to catch them on a cranker, when you can catch them on a jig and a topwater?

Crank baits are expensive and work on the lake about 10 percent of the time, if that. There mission in life, is not to hook fish, but to hook fishermen, causing them expensive visits to the ER.

Jim Rodgers who owned Rogers lures in Lamar once told me that crankbaits are tourist baits. He did say Poes crankbaits are the best for winter time fishing, put the boat on the bank and build a fire with them to keep warm !! (they are made of balsa wood)