Jim Elam Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Launched at 9 am, bluebird day with light westerly winds. Water Temp 43-45 clarity 10 ft + visibility. Started looking for shad and found them in 30-50 fow in mouths of creeks, lots stacked up in one particular area. Worked 2 hrs + deep jigging and just couldn't quite come up with the right formula to really get on them. A few misses and only 1 keeper K deep jigging, lots of lookers on the graph that would just not take. I am not very good at this vertical deep water game, any tips are appreciated... Broke down and started hitting the mixed rock banks with Ned rig, shot a few docks, tried some deep bluff and bluff end submerged timber throwing jerk, jig, even swim bait. Gorgeous day, only 4 fish total (3 keeper K, one short brownie). Pumpkin / orange with 1/16 or 1/32 oz head seemed to work best for me on the little rig. The bite was very light. Just got heavy. Probably would've caught more if we had stuck with the Ned exclusively. Was hoping to find LM chasing schooling shad, gambled and lost. Jim "The obsessions of others are opaque to the unobsessed, and thus easy to mock...If we are lucky we all have at least one."
dtrs5kprs Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the report. Did you mix up what you were dropping at the deep fish? Sometimes if you can watch them playing with the bait but not committing a switch from the spoon to a grub, or a different size or color of spoon will flip the switch. I have also spent a good bit of time playing with fish following baits on the graph only to eventually find out they were just big gizzard shad. With a little practice you can figure out what they look like compared to bass and skip that thrill.
Quillback Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the report - Did you try a 1/8 oz Ned? That for me has been working better than the lighter heads. Those deep fish will bite it at times, takes a while to get down there is the main downside.
Jim Elam Posted January 25, 2015 Author Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the report. Did you mix up what you were dropping at the deep fish? Sometimes if you can watch them playing with the bait but not committing a switch from the spoon to a grub, or a different size or color of spoon will flip the switch. I have also spent a good bit of time playing with fish following baits on the graph only to eventually find out they were just big gizzard shad. With a little practice you can figure out what they look like compared to bass and skip that thrill. Yes, I changed things up from std jigging spoon to various other offerings. I think the fish responding to the lures were probably gamefish based on their relative size on the graph, but hard to be sure. No luck on grub. Was using my Ned rod with 6lb floor so I don't think I was putting them off with the line. Maybe I need to buy a few of those Rapala ice jigs? LOL! Thanks for the tips. dtrs5kprs 1 Jim "The obsessions of others are opaque to the unobsessed, and thus easy to mock...If we are lucky we all have at least one."
dtrs5kprs Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the report - Did you try a 1/8 oz Ned? That for me has been working better than the lighter heads. Those deep fish will bite it at times, takes a while to get down there is the main downside. Quill...there is something different about that 1/8 head. I was a die hard 1/16 guy until I made some of those for my kids on a whim in 2012. Having watched the pool video, I think the rocking effect is even greater with the 1/8 head. Talking about when it hits bottom on a slack line, or when you barely shake the slack. I had one rigged when we did that, but it just swam past the camera too fast to be useful. The 1/16 is still the basic head, but the 1/8 bears watching.
Jim Elam Posted January 25, 2015 Author Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the report - Did you try a 1/8 oz Ned? That for me has been working better than the lighter heads. Those deep fish will bite it at times, takes a while to get down there is the main downside. Thats a good idea. With the wind at this particular spot it was tough to stay over the right spot, and really was trying to get something down in front of the fish quickly (i.e. 3/4 oz spoon). Later in the day I thought about presenting a Ned rig vertical with a heavier jig head, but did't try it. Is that what you mean? I have fished the Ned on 1/4 to 1/32 oz heads, but usually settle on 1/16 or 1/32. Jim "The obsessions of others are opaque to the unobsessed, and thus easy to mock...If we are lucky we all have at least one."
dtrs5kprs Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Yes, I changed things up from std jigging spoon to various other offerings. I think the fish responding to the lures were probably gamefish based on their relative size on the graph, but hard to be sure. No luck on grub. Was using my Ned rod with 6lb floor so I don't think I was putting them off with the line. Maybe I need to buy a few of those Rapala ice jigs? LOL! Thanks for the tips. The ice jig is not a bad idea. I usually drop a different spoon down, maybe a chrome spoon, or a slab that will swim a little more. Grub is the next step. After that I leave them. Not a big runner in the spring. I would bet most of the hours on my motor are from running deep fish in the winter. Sometimes they just want to play, not eat.
Jim Elam Posted January 25, 2015 Author Posted January 25, 2015 The ice jig is not a bad idea. I usually drop a different spoon down, maybe a chrome spoon, or a slab that will swim a little more. Grub is the next step. After that I leave them. Not a big runner in the spring. I would bet most of the hours on my motor are from running deep fish in the winter. Sometimes they just want to play, not eat. That is good to know, because I felt like I did what I should do to get bit. Just didn't seem to be in the mood, and the fish that did bite were not slamming the baits. I probably spent way too much time on this spot. Lesson learned. Thanks for the advice. Jim "The obsessions of others are opaque to the unobsessed, and thus easy to mock...If we are lucky we all have at least one."
dtrs5kprs Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 That is good to know, because I felt like I did what I should do to get bit. Just didn't seem to be in the mood, and the fish that did bite were not slamming the baits. I probably spent way too much time on this spot. Lesson learned. Thanks for the advice. it's and odd deal on the deep fish Jim. I'll spend hours on one point or transition area finesse fishing, but kind of think deep fish should make things happen a little quicker.
Quillback Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 Thats a good idea. With the wind at this particular spot it was tough to stay over the right spot, and really was trying to get something down in front of the fish quickly (i.e. 3/4 oz spoon). Later in the day I thought about presenting a Ned rig vertical with a heavier jig head, but did't try it. Is that what you mean? I have fished the Ned on 1/4 to 1/32 oz heads, but usually settle on 1/16 or 1/32. No, I throw it out there and let it sink, then drag it, or lightly hop it back. Very slow fishing it that way, and in a strong wind I would not even try it. Watch your line like a hawk when it is falling, you'll get some bites on the drop, maybe all you'll see is a little tick in the line or it will just stop. Nice thing about the Ned is they will often hold onto it, so if you're a little slow to react to the bite you can still get them.
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