Trav's Fishing Report

[Trav]

Cold and slow……

Put in at the Viola ramp in the King river arm at 7:30 am. I found warmer water up the James last week.

Surface temps were barely 47 degrees at the ramp. I had to run to Jackie Hollow before I saw 50. I did find an intermittent 51 near Big Hollow where I also found some crappie wishing winter would end. At first I thought the graph had found a bunch of whites but nope, cold lethargic tight lipped crappie. They were hovering in 15 to 20 feet of water just on the edge of the channel. Lots of them but only two of them were interested in what I was throwing.

Sorry fellas…not much in the way of tiny finesse lures in my tackle boxes. Don’t think I own anything smaller than three inches.

So I surrendered to going back to the frigid 48 degree water just down stream from Sweetwater Creek. I wanted deep water to suit the conditions. I was focusing on 30 to 20 feet of water where the channel crosses between the point and Homestead Bluff. I picked up one spotted sport.

Around 10:30 or so, the traffic cops must have unleashed the masses. In a fifteen minute span a dozen boats jetted up river. I assume they were looking for warm water.

Less than an hour later, half of them returned back down stream. I assumed they didn’t find what they were looking for.

I noticed the report this morning about bass being caught on a wart. Maybe I was too focused on the deep water?

I did quite a bit of observing and nobody was killing them like in that report where I was fishing. Yet most the guys were thinking like me…deep. I was using 4 inch grubs with ½ ounce darter heads, long counts and very slow methodical retrieves. Boring!!!

Who knows…maybe I should have worked shallower water. I never even touched water less than 15 feet.

Personally, I didn’t expect much. March has never been one of my good months for bass on The Rock anyway. I was mostly scouting the area and checking where the water temps were sitting. Wetting some hooks is just a necessary requirement when I get in my boat.

I think I am going to wait until I see redbuds and dogwoods before I hit the water again. All we need is a week of near 70 degree weather for that. I hope it will be soon!!

[Bill Babler]

Trav, sorry we missed you. Did you see my rig at Viola? We were fishing the same water with the same results you had. Maybe it was better yesterday, when these guys posted about huge numbers. We did not find that. I had a very good fisherman, and we could only put under a dozen to the boat. Couple of very nice fish however on the wart and the Spro McStick Bandit.

I thought it was a very hard day with the cold damp conditions. I to am waiting for the Redbuds.

Good Luck

[Trav]

Trav, sorry we missed you. Did you see my rig at Viola? We were fishing the same water with the same results you had. Maybe it was better yesterday, when these guys posted about huge numbers. We did not find that. I had a very good fisherman, and we could only put under a dozen to the boat. Couple of very nice fish however on the wart and the Spro McStick Bandit.

I thought it was a very hard day with the cold damp conditions. I to am waiting for the Redbuds.

Good Luck

Bill......If you notice the date I put on this report...it was for yesterday. It was cold and tedias. Don't let anyone fool ya.