a little transplanting brownies

[merc1997 Bo]

went downstream tonight and pretty much had a good trip of catching.  16 keepers, but not any really good ones.  had some 3's.  we had 9 brownies in that 16 and we brought back to eagle rock and let them loose.  hope to get to do some more of that from now through fall.  maybe we will eventually get a decent population going around eagle rock.

beat bait was still the 1 oz. SpinJig.  we did catch a couple on beaver style baits and a couple on a 1/2 jig.  best depth was around 15 to 20 feet still.  they were not just everywhere, and we caught very few shorts.  it did not seem that there was any current running and it took some hunting to key in on location.

 

bo

 

 

[Champ188]

With the oxygen problems/fish kill we are experiencing right now, I would question the practice of bringing healthy fish from the dam area into that environment. One more dead fish is too many.

[Fish24/7]

16 keepers is a good night!

but

you are also putting additional stress on those 9 bass by putting them in the box when it's this hot and then removing them from their current habitat(home)  (why I don't like summer bass t's)

anyway ,i doubt they will stick around long where you released them, they will move elsewhere eventually

[Bill Babler]

Bo, that is a pretty typical trip for most of us guides the last 3 weeks.  Anywhere from a dozen to a durn good day with 30.  Most often, we have been in that same 12 to 20 range your hitting in.  Exactly the same depth in daylight hours as after dark.  Fish are coming off of 1/2 dozen locations, if you fish 20 spots your going to have some skunks or zero's. and you are going to hit a home run on the couple of spots that seem to be holding them.

Majority of the fish are keeper size with maybe a better LM or a big Jaw if you get it around them.  Fish have not been on my beloved gravel, except up the James River on a very few locations.  Best baits by far have been a 5/8th. oz jig or a 1/2 oz. Underspin, moving both at a painfully slow rate.  Just durn near the same report you have just written up.  This is lake wide.

I would just about bet you a jig, most of us are doing pretty much the same deal, with the same results.

Good Luck

 

[merc1997 Bo]

yep, bill they are not at every place, and not in the same place twice.  you just have to keep on the move until you find them, and not be afraid to try different presentations until you find the combination that is working.

yes, the same location will work in the daytime.  we did start a bit before dark and i caught three on the first stop.  we have also been catching all three species off the same area, which is really good to see.

i will say they are extremely easier to find and catch when the current is running as it positions them.  the current was not running last night, and took some hunting to find an area with some willing fish.

one other great thing about last night was we never saw or heard another boat!  it can't hardly get any better than that.

 

bo

 

 

[littlejasper]

Nice reply from Babler.  Wish I could say the same about Chump 188.   You very seldom have anything positive to say about ANYTHING on the forum. I am sure I am not alone when I say you are a real downer!  Lighten up and quit challenging any post you don't' agree with.  You might feel better if you had Bo take you on a guide trip......

[Bill Babler]

Nice reply from Babler.  Wish I could say the same about Chump 188.   You very seldom have anything positive to say about ANYTHING on the forum. I am sure I am not alone when I say you are a real downer!  Lighten up and quit challenging any post you don't' agree with.  You might feel better if you had Bo take you on a guide trip......

Bo is a big boy and can take care of himself.  Lots of concerns about fish care right now in this algae filled hot water low oxygen pond.

For gosh sakes we just got a write up in a National Mag for dying fish.  How bad is that?  You can see why folks are a bit concerned right now.

Bo knows how to take care of his fish, he has fished derby's here for a coons age.  Cannot weigh in dead fish and for sure transplanting dead ones won't work.  I'm sure he handled them with kid gloves, and a dose of O2 mixed in with salt or what ever formula he stirs up.

That's another good topic.  What do you all use in your livewells as a fish care product, and how do you handle them in warm water situations in these Wednesday and Friday Nite Shindigs?

Time for us to get back to helpin and quit the Fritten and Fussin.

[abkeenan]

If Bo is going to take our smallies up the river I say you bring some largies down to us to offset the damage. It's only fair.

[merc1997 Bo]

If Bo is going to take our smallies up the river I say you bring some largies down to us to offset the damage. It's only fair.

hey, you have all the fish down on your end.  you had better be glad the water was not a bit cooler, or we might have transplanted a couple of k's and lmg's while we were at it.  by the way,for those expressing concerns, those brownies were put into the best water in table rock as far as O2 levels and water temp.  and for those worried about them being in a livewell, it was harder to get them out of the livewell than getting them into the boat.  believe me when i say they were release into an area full of food, 70 degree water, and plenty of O2.  so, from those facts, those that can do a bit of figuring should know where they are at.

 

bo

[Sprint21fter]

I use O2, and have at least 10 frozen 2 liter bottles of water,  my livewells have the oxygenator in them as well turn them on and keep them on.  The bottles also keep the fish from being bounced around while running.