The Big M 4/01/2014

[fishingaddiction]

Bo, Very good point you make about what is happening on the upper end. Never thought about the influx of cold water from Beaver. I would think that by the time it reached that area around Eagle Rock it would have warmed up.

[Bill Babler]

Does not warm up much in that length of water. Very similar to taney, a lot of the time you can still see if they are running it the same temps 15 miles below TR dam. Especially this time of the year.

I have and had been catching very nice fish in 4 to 6 pound range above Eagle Rock and have posted the pictures, not every time but very frequent. These fish are now gone from my deep flat brush and channel swing Winter locations. Bo is correct, the river fish use depth for cover and suspend on depth rather than structure. It is extremely hard to just back out and catch larger fish.

Also these fish are in somewhat of a constant movement type of pattern this type of year, raising and lowering in the water column. That are also moving up and moving out. Again and we have heard this word a lot, it is called staging.

They are in different locations during the 24 hrs. of each day.

The big fish that the guys are catching and have been catching on the Alabama rig are fixin to move and it is really close to happening. This will change the game. As has been previously posted the same folks are catching them every weekend. And in really the same locations.

I believe after this week you will see a totally new cast of characters as the fish move shallow, and start into prespawn.

Quill, I could not get bit today above the Kings River.. Had a super day below it on a wart.

[rps]

Up here, I map fish suspended almost every trip. The general pattern I am working on mastering is why they suspend where they do - and they are particular about that. There is one spot on the Stubblefield flat bend and another on the Eagle Rock flat bend where they can be found (but not always caught) on many different days in different seasons. I am beginning to think it must be some bottom feature on the flat channel bend that attracts bait fish and makes it a good spot for the predators to hang out a short distance away and then graze at will. WHen I figure this out I will share the facts but not the GPS.

[Quillback]

Quill, I could not get bit today above the Kings River.. Had a super day below it on a wart.

The Elites sore-lipped them all. That's my excuse anyway.

[duckydoty]

Good report. Lots of good info in this one. I actually fished for bass for 20 minutes yesterday while looking for crappie. First time in 25 years that I targeted bass. I saw them in a cove hitting the surface close to a chunk rock bank. Threw a swimming minnow and reeled it way faster than I ever would for crappie. Caught 2 spots. One right at 15 inches, one short. Would have kept fishing for them, but the urge to find more crappie was overpowering.

[Bill Babler]

Good report. Lots of good info in this one. I actually fished for bass for 20 minutes yesterday while looking for crappie. First time in 25 years that I targeted bass. I saw them in a cove hitting the surface close to a chunk rock bank. Threw a swimming minnow and reeled it way faster than I ever would for crappie. Caught 2 spots. One right at 15 inches, one short. Would have kept fishing for them, but the urge to find more crappie was overpowering.

You abandoned schooling and chasing bass to pursue CRAPPIE? Your are a true Son and have never met a sizzling crappie fillet that you did not like. On the other hand I would have probably abandoned schooling and chasing crappie with an overpowering urge to find a skinny buck bass I could catch and release.

Speaking of that it sounds like the Indy 500 here this morning. Some of those backhoe boat driver's must think there is a fish or two in Longcreek this morning.

PS Duane if you get more of those sizzlers than you can possibly stand I might have a place for your left overs.

Have a great day.

[duckydoty]

Bill, if the weather holds out, I just might have a bag that I need to unload after some fishing today. It sounded like NASCAR at Coney Island this morning.

[Mitch f]

Up here, I map fish suspended almost every trip. The general pattern I am working on mastering is why they suspend where they do - and they are particular about that. There is one spot on the Stubblefield flat bend and another on the Eagle Rock flat bend where they can be found (but not always caught) on many different days in different seasons. I am beginning to think it must be some bottom feature on the flat channel bend that attracts bait fish and makes it a good spot for the predators to hang out a short distance away and then graze at will. WHen I figure this out I will share the facts but not the GPS.

Great info from you guys!