nathanhooper Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Went for my weekly hump day trip. I did manage to get out a tad earlier, but ended up leaving a tad earlier also. So still only got about 2 1/2 hours on the water from 5:30 to 8. I called my neighbor to see if he wanted to go with me, but he said he had been out all morning and didn't catch a thing. He mentioned the water temp being down, but I am sure it was just from the rain and has not effected the water column that much yet. When I got out it was 84 almost 85 degree's. I launched at Indian Creek and set to trolling the same way I did last week. #7 Flicker Shad - Silver/Black, 50' behind the boat and 30' deep. I wanted to get a few more of the walters because the ones last week were delicious. So not more than 15 mins into the troll and the first pass across a main point resulted in a double hookup. A nice 20"+ and one a little too short. I really need to get me one of those fish measure things. I have marks on my boat floor at 10", 15", 18", and 20" away from the side so I can tell if a fish is legal, but I can never tell exactly what length it is. After getting set back up I decided to make another pass and hooked up with a little SM. I really think that using these rubber bands on the downriggers is the way to go. I would have never seen that little guy had I not been using them. Well, after letting him go and getting set back up I decided to hit another point. As I was out over some deeper water making my turn all of a sudden one rod popped out of the down rigger and started peeling line, then I look over and see the other one do the same. Never fails, every time I see that my initial reaction is "dang, I'm hung up again!". Realizing that I was in 100' FOW I got a big smile on my face. Got one up to the boat, while every now and then reaching over to try and make sure the line stayed tight on the other fish. I have to say, those 9' rods with medium action tips really helped out in this situation by having enough flex to fight the fish for me. Got one in the boat and tried to untangle the lure from the net but found myself with a sports injury instead... Not wanting to loose the other fish I just put the net in the water with the other lure still on to be able to get it in the boat. What a mess. Sure wish I would have convinced my neighbor to come now. Its funny, I have been chasing striper exclusively for a while and then I go out for walleye and end up running over a nice school of striper instead. So getting to fight two back to back, they were 7-8lb range, I had to see if I could get on the school again. So like an addict I trolled back and forth, this way and that, but did not find them again. I had one more hookup with something, I believe it was a walleye as it came from the same point tip I caught the other two at, but it came off. I then tried another spot and caught one white and decided to call it a night. I like when short trips turn out good like this. This is the picture I took of that school of stripers after I had boated the second one. I think the weights had made them stir up and they were still coming up to look at them.
nathanhooper Posted September 4, 2014 Author Posted September 4, 2014 Well, it does not show them quite like I was seeing them. I actually did not see them till I looked at the sonar after the second one was boated. I was just drifting, and had been for a while getting those two in, and they still were following the downrigger weights.
Feathers and Fins Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Hey at least your getting in to them and learning each trip out and that is 90% of the battle. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beaver-Lake-Arkansas-Fishing-Report/745541178798856
nathanhooper Posted September 4, 2014 Author Posted September 4, 2014 Yep. I have to admit, this has been a big change over the previous years. It helps to listen to what others say, then apply it. I am actually starting to see some similarities between this and hunting. I guess animals are animals whether they be aquatic or land dwellers.
Members Green236 Posted September 4, 2014 Members Posted September 4, 2014 Looks like you had a great evening!
Members vuekid Posted September 4, 2014 Members Posted September 4, 2014 How much weight did you use to get to 30 ft with the flicker shad?
nathanhooper Posted September 4, 2014 Author Posted September 4, 2014 How much weight did you use to get to 30 ft with the flicker shad? 8lbs. . Really though, I used downriggers. Not sure how much it would take with long lining them.
fisherofmen11 Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 Nice report Nathan! Sounds like you had a blast.
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