Memorial float

[Fishin Maniac]

Planned on floating prongs to bay creek but prongs was too low (they said). So we floated buck hollow to alley. We absolutley tore em up!!!! Thanks to the guys who replied last week with the lure advice!!! The fishing above bay creek was so ridiculous my buddy and I found ourselves laughing so hard we were crying. We were actually started to try not to catch a fish and were unsucessful, literally fish on every cast!!!! When we caught them other smallies were chasing them and trying to rip the plastic craws out of their mouths. We would ususally catch a smaller one and then the big ones would start fighting with them for the craw hanging from their mouth so we would catch one and the other guy would toss in another craw close by and Bammmm! Below Bay creek was a little slower but nothing to get upset about. There were a few really big holes that we slayed trophies on w top water. The limit is 18 inches but I don't see how anyone could keep such a magnificant creature. We released (and lost)several 20+. Also did a night float that produced some vicious strikes but didn't land anything. We did however have a snake crawl into the boat. Too many stories to tell....WHAT A RIVER!!!!!

Please catch and release so we have this forever!!!!!

[Kicknbass]

Nice report. I need to float that river soon. Was the bite on most of the day, or typical morning and evening bite?

[Fishin Maniac]

We kept expecting it to slow down during the afternoon but it was steady all day and night. Only the trophies hit at night though on topwater.

[Kicknbass]

Were the fish scattered or in a specific pattern? Still deep holes, rocks, riffles?

I was fishing the Current river, and found that most of the best fish caught were in the lower end of the holes around rock on the transition between the deep hole and the riffles below the holes. The bite slowed down during the day when the jet boat traffic got busy. I did catch a few fish deep tight to structure during the day, but it slowed considerably.

[Fishin Maniac]

They were everywhere we threw, all day. Must of been some kind of post-spawn/new moon/air pressure combo. I've never seen anything like that. They were just absolutley ravenous. The big ones were in the deeper holes, in general, but we had one big one in particular that was 5 feet from our shored boats while we were taking a much needed break in shallow fast water that was charging my friend who was swimming. My buddy Ed threw out a plastic craw, he nailed it, got off on an awesome jump, went back to the area he was protecting, Ed threw the craw again on a flip cast, hooked him good, fought a while, then he broke the line. It was our last craw that was in decent shape so we wanted it back. Had another rod with a heedon torpedo rigged, threw that he nailed it topwater, again shook the hook on an awesome jump, Ed threw it again ( this is taking place 5 feet from us @ noon remember) and he was charging it but not hitting it for a minute. He then went up with his tail just flappin and hit it like nothing I've ever seen! He wasn't getting off this time. Had a good lip and outer gill hook. Jumped several times and pulled the drag forever. I finally walked out and had to net him before he broke the line and had another lure in him. After we got the heddon out of his mouth Ed reached in with hemostats and retrieved our last plastic craw from his throat and we released him like nothing ever happened. I don't think I'll ever be so lucky again for such a successful trip! I would do anything to protect this fishery. Great Job to all the fine folks who care for this river.