Shell Knob 2-29-16 Current Report

[dtrs5kprs]

I've talked with a few folks recently regarding the little guy. There has been a decent bite in the clearer stuff, pretty much the expected places 15' and out to 30' or so, on ends, points, end coves, etc. Also some bluff fish. It's spotty, in terms of fish being bunched up like they can be in early spring.

From talking to a few of them I think there are a couple of issues in the color. They are generally fishing too deep, basically out where the fish should be if it is clear. They are fishing it too fast, kind of worked up from all the chunking and winding I think. In color you really have to slow down even more.

Last part is something I don't think a lot of TR folks have quite put together with it, and it addresses those fish being somewhat suspended. In cold, stained to dirty water you can at times really work them over using the swim/glide retrieves Ned writes about. Takes a big change in boat positioning, mindset, and head size. That would be a place I would even consider dropping down to a 1/32oz ball head, and/or one of the Zman baits that does not have much salt- TRD, ShadZ, Finesse WormZ. Boat needs to be much closer to the bank than normal, and casts should be more at 90 degrees to the bank than parallel. That allows better control of the swim action with the lighter heads and more buoyant baits.

If you try that with the uber popular 1/8oz head it is just a non starter. I don't make a 1/32, so I usually just use a ball head with a decent hook. 

Most folks are still locked in on fishing it like a tiny shakey head, or even going the deadsticking route. If they are not tight to bottom, sometimes you just have to slow swim it. It will work on LM in stained water that is just nasty.