Report 5/13

[Bassmaster21]

Had to help with some boat repairs on a friends bass boat and didn't hit the water until almost 11 and fished until 3:30. Following the front wasn't sure how the fishing would be. Turned out to be alright. Ended up catching 30 LM. Caught them all on a Carolina rigged lizard in 2-8 FOW. TONS of bites. Probably "missed" 50 more. Water temp was around 62+/- a degree or two. Fished between high point and Masters. Of the30 about 15-18 were keepers but nothing bigger than 17in. This makes three trips in a row now where we have caught a lot of fish but can't find any big fish. I have never caught so many average bass without at least a few 3 pounders. Any advice? I'm pretty positive its location not lure/ presentation. Headed back again Thursday!

[Jbrant]

Fished today out of Masters too. We caught around 50 with about13-14 keepers. Biggest we're 18" (battery was dead on my scale) but nothing bigger than 3 pounds. Found a little stained/cloudy water early and caught a bunch on jigs really shallow in the backs of creeks. Later in the day caught a few good ones on spinnerbaits. Guessing best 5 went 13-14 pounds. Water was really clear in spots. Did see a lot of empty beds - hardly any fish on them. Caught fish in the backs of coves, in pockets, on secondary points, in clean water, in stained water, on jigs, spooks, senkos, tubes, and spinnerbaits. Lot of fun- one big fish would've made it a really good trip.

[wuteversbitin424]

In other posts I've read that people are backing off in the 10-15fow range and the bigger ones were out there.

[Unimog]

How heavy a weight did you have on your c-rig? I've caught a lot on a split shot rig but haven't gone to the full c-rig. I don't think I have any c-rig weights under 1/2oz.

[9LB]

I was having the same luck but was getting better fish backing out to deeper water and then moving more towards the points vs. the back of the cove. I also started catching better fish on the jig vs the C-Rig. Seems like the little bucks left the jig alone ? Fish a stick bait same place fishing c rig seemed to get better bites on it and cranks vs plastics.

[Bassmaster21]

I was using a 3/8oz weight on my c-rig with about a 12in liter. The fish were very aggressive towards them. If I missed a bite I could keep casting to it until I caught it. My partner broke off his hook and lizard and my next cast I pulled that fish in with his lizard and hook still in its mouth. I was thinking about trying a jig and jerkbait in slightly deeper water. Just doesn't feel right for this time of year but if it catches fish ill try just about anything. I have heard people having a lot of success on a spinner bait but no dice for me. My crank bait bite was nonexistent last trip either. Anyone having a good topwater bite? Was planning on trying my luck in maze creek but not sure where about in there?

[Walcrabass]

9 lb. and others,

Where the "Brush Hogs" are concerned: You are definitely right in thinking that the smaller bass grab them readily. With it being such a light weight easy to suck in bait they also swallow it easily. It is very easy to catch 50 to 75 fish a day on this rig. The problem is that you might kill a bunch of them because of their small size and swallowing the bait. My suggestion is that you use large brush hogs. and large hooks. They will not take it so deeply.

I also agree that you were catching bigger fish on the jigs. In fact there is a simple test you can do with the Jigs when the fish are biting well. Use a very large profile Jig for several casts. Then switch to a small Carolina rig. Compare the difference in the size of the fish that both catch. If you don't catch larger fish on the large profile jig, or no fish at all, I will be very surprised.

Another thing that will improve the size of fish you are catching is to use the smaller brush hogs for a trailer on your jigs. It works just fine and if the plastic floats then even better.

I have seen the same thing happen with small profile Spinner Baits. I once met some guys on Stockton fishing with small profile 1/4 oz. Spinner baits. They told me they had caught something like 130 fish. All Small. I ask if they had tried bigger Spinner baits and they said yes but could not catch any fish so switched back. Here is my point......if you cannot catch decent fish with what you are using then stop using it. You will kill too many fish if you don't. It is for this reason I do not Carolina rig fish very much. It is also the reason I Jig fish a lot. By proportioning the profile of the Jig and the size of trailer I use per time of year and the bite that is happening I can pretty much rule out catching those small fish.....and thus killing many of them.

Give it a try .....I think you will agree with me.

Walcrabass

[pt1]

What do you guys think of using a wobble head rig or possibly a texas rig 6" worm when my son and I go up there this weekend. I also thought about a ned rig up there; but not sure how that would work out. Any suggestions?

[BATCAB27]

9 lb. and others,

Where the "Brush Hogs" are concerned: You are definitely right in thinking that the smaller bass grab them readily. With it being such a light weight easy to suck in bait they also swallow it easily. It is very easy to catch 50 to 75 fish a day on this rig. The problem is that you might kill a bunch of them because of their small size and swallowing the bait. My suggestion is that you use large brush hogs. and large hooks. They will not take it so deeply.

I also agree that you were catching bigger fish on the jigs. In fact there is a simple test you can do with the Jigs when the fish are biting well. Use a very large profile Jig for several casts. Then switch to a small Carolina rig. Compare the difference in the size of the fish that both catch. If you don't catch larger fish on the large profile jig, or no fish at all, I will be very surprised.

Another thing that will improve the size of fish you are catching is to use the smaller brush hogs for a trailer on your jigs. It works just fine and if the plastic floats then even better.

I have seen the same thing happen with small profile Spinner Baits. I once met some guys on Stockton fishing with small profile 1/4 oz. Spinner baits. They told me they had caught something like 130 fish. All Small. I ask if they had tried bigger Spinner baits and they said yes but could not catch any fish so switched back. Here is my point......if you cannot catch decent fish with what you are using then stop using it. You will kill too many fish if you don't. It is for this reason I do not Carolina rig fish very much. It is also the reason I Jig fish a lot. By proportioning the profile of the Jig and the size of trailer I use per time of year and the bite that is happening I can pretty much rule out catching those small fish.....and thus killing many of them.

Give it a try .....I think you will agree with me.

Walcrabass

I don't know if i catch 130 fish in a year. If I catch that many in a day I'm sure as hell not putting that bait down, I don't care how big the fish are. I'd probably go home and mount that bait on the wall.

[Sac River Jim]

I've been experimenting with the ned rig myself but ive got to get some smaller mushroom head jigs. All i had last Sunday was 1/4 jigheads and they didnt work very well but i think when i get rigged right they will do real well. I've been soaking up all the info I can on the tablerock forum and i'm wanting to give them a serious try.