abkeenan Posted July 9, 2012 Posted July 9, 2012 Fished from the 4th to the 8th starting around 5AM and never on the water past 9AM in the mornings and fished evenings from 8-11ish. Was just too hot being 100+ each day and with the boat traffic. Had good success or at least better that I thought with the heat. Fish in the mornings came pretty shallow anywhere from 5-25 ft on secondary points with wood on them. Also had good success on mainlake transition banks that went from pea gravel to chunk/shelf rock. Evening fish were a little deeper and seemed to be one here one there kinda a thing and didn't have much luck around docks at night as I usually do. I think the key deal here is wood more than anything else. Topwater was ABSOLUTELY NON-EXISTENT the entire trip and never saw any whites. Picked up a few on the DD22 early in the mornings but no size to them so switched pretty quickly to soft plastics and did much better. All fish caught where either smallies or LM's and if you can believe it not one single spot the entire trip. Not even a 12" football which I have been accustomed to catching seemingly when nothing else will bite. I tried out 2 different rigs and fished them the entire time and like them both. The ned rig boated the share of the fish and the brush hog rigged "jika" style wasn't far behind in #'s and heavily outgunned the ned rig in size/quality. Threw the ned rig on 1/8th oz (I think) standup jig head with a cut in half 5" green pumpkin YUM dinger. Great little rig and that "nub rig" as I referred it as all week is a great, simple little rig and each "nub" last for what seem 20 or more fish. If it gets beat up just turn it or flip it and re-rig it and your good to go. Thanks to dtrs5kprs for showing the ned rig on the forum. Its a simple little rig and the exposed hook will snag more but not nearly as much as I thought even fishing timber and pulling it threw it but also leads to a better hook up % and I will take that trade off for sure. Really like the brush hog rigged on my own version of the "jika" rig. Comes through cover/tree/rocks just great and snags less than the typical bullet style sinkers I used texas rigging it. Also casts better and I like the free floating type action it has. Anyhow was a great week/weekend on the rock. All fish in pics released swimming at the dock. Get out early, take nap, have nice lunch and dinner and then go out after the wakers are gone and you should be fine.
Smalliebigs Posted July 9, 2012 Posted July 9, 2012 dude, that was one hell of a report!!!!! thank you!!!! pics of the rigs and everything.....awsome smallies too. sounds like a perfect plan of out early and then relax until eve.....very sweet
Jason Essary Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Like the jika rig, I might have to try that one. Essary Construction - Honest work for honest price Custom Construction and Remodeling Call for free quotes (417)338-6418 http://essarycustomhomes.com/
dtrs5kprs Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Well done. Amazing how many of them stay relatively shallow.
Bill Babler Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Super Report on specialized baits and teniques in a particular area of the lake. Just about as good as it gets. Thanks http://whiteriveroutfitters.com http://whiteriverlodgebb.com
Tfsh4bass Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Well done. Amazing how many of them stay relatively shallow. I went to Lead Hill the other day for some night fishing and got down there around 2pm to check the lay of the land. I figured I would have to throw a football jig or rig which I did for a while until I looked over and saw a blow up on a flat. I ran over after I saw a couple others and proceeded to catch bass from 3:30pm to dark on a square bill off flats and flat pockets with the boat in 6-8 ft of water...up the rivers I expect it but not mid lake
abkeenan Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 Super Report on specialized baits and teniques in a particular area of the lake. Just about as good as it gets. Thanks No problem Bill. Its the least I can do with all the time you spend on this forum trying to help the rest of us out with your reports and tips. I will also add that the brush hog out fished the 10" worms also. Another thing we went out around 3PM for 2 afternoons catching "perch" (long ears, green ears, etc) to load the trot line and caught some real nice "eaters" with some nice bull bluegills mixed in as well. We always just use small spinners with a 1/16th oz leadhead and 1" tiny tube and slay them. Big chunk rock/boulder/shelf rock locations are best in 0-5' FOW and you will catch some 5"-12" or sometimes even keeper bass on these things. If you have kids this is the ticket as its just about every cast you catch one and are constantly getting nipped back to the boat. Trot line did ok loading it at night and checking in the morning and again checking evening when re-loading. In 3 nights and 2 days with just about 10 hooks baited we caught 4 flathead and 1 channel all in the 3-6lb range. Cats + "perch"/bluegill = great fish fry. Good luck out there.
abkeenan Posted November 1, 2012 Author Posted November 1, 2012 Stacy King is getting in on the "Jika Rig" on Table Rock now: http://www.in-fisherman.com/2012/11/01/jika-rig-update/
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