Al Agnew Posted June 11, 2016 Posted June 11, 2016 My default position to catch some fish when I'm in a slump is to float one of my home stretches of Big River. I know where the fish are and I have confidence I can catch some. So that's what I did today. Things started out interesting. I had two nice fish take a swipe at the homemade spinnerbait within the first 50 feet of the float, but neither got hooked. Hmm. River was still slightly higher than normal, but clear, visibility about 4 feet. Crankbait? Not really...it didn't produce in the first two nice spots. Okay...topwater? Nope. Back to the spinnerbait. Nothing happening. Superfluke? Yep. Caught several fish on it in the next couple good spots, nothing very big. How about a buzzbait? Nope. Back to the fluke. A few more fish, but now they weren't really doing all that much on it, since I fished it through one of my best pools with little to show for it. Back to crankbait. Now it's working a little, caught several fish. But now I'm in water that's not very conducive to fishing the crankbait. Let's go back to topwaters. Yes. Several blow-ups, no hook-ups. I'm fishing a two-hook walk the dog lure. I've got a three hook one that I'd ordered because it looked really good, and found that it really walked well and had a nice sound. This would be the first time to try it when the fish are beginning to really get interested in topwaters. Bloosh! Second cast, nice fish, about 14 inches. About three casts later, another one. Both got hooked and stayed hooked. I'm liking this lure. Three fish later I'm really liking it. Then I get a big blow-up. Good fish. Darn, it's a spotted bass, but it's a big one, looks at least 17 inches. Snap. Line breaks. Knew I should have retied. Knew I should have bought TWO of those lures. Okay, put on another lure I've only got one of. It's big, maybe too big for these conditions. Whoosh! Largemouth, nice one, 17 inches. Then not much else. I try the crankbait again, get a couple on it, but it's not looking very magic. Hmm. What can I try? Oh, yeah, I'd ordered this lure that's kinda like a cross between a buzzbait and a normal topwater. I can't say I had much confidence in it, but a couple other guys had said it was really good. What the heck, let's try it. Whoosh. Splash. Slurp. Sloosh. The fish are eating it like crazy. For a while. Then things kinda settle down again. Still getting action, no big fish, not even many decent fish, but lots of fish here and there. I had been catching at least as many spotted bass as smallmouth, but the smallies seem to like this thing. The day's getting late, and I have a long way to go. I speed up. I try walk the dog lures again. Now the fish are on them again, somewhat at least. Action is sporadic. It's been that way all day. And where are the bigger fish? I've caught nothing over 16 inches except for that one largemouth, and the majority of fish are under 12 inches. It looks like the smaller fish are settling into their summer patterns. I have one or two other fish follow a hooked one in several times, and finally one of the followers gets hooked, too...a double, the first of the year for me. Both fish are about 12 inches. Another time I have a 10 incher hooked and the biggest smallmouth I see all day, about 18 inches, follows it around for a while. I paddle the last two miles to get to the take-out before it's really late...it's not good fishing anyway. I finish the trip with 76 bass...40 smallies, 13 largemouth, 23 spots. All in all, a nice day! tho1mas, Brian Jones, Seth and 7 others 10
Brian Jones Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 On 6/11/2016 at 2:22 AM, Al Agnew said: I finish the trip with 76 bass...40 smallies, 13 largemouth, 23 spots. All in all, a nice day! Expand Al, is the number of spots that you caught more, less, or about normal for that stretch of river?
Al Agnew Posted June 13, 2016 Author Posted June 13, 2016 Maybe a few less than normal for the last few years.
Members JimmyV Posted June 13, 2016 Members Posted June 13, 2016 On 6/11/2016 at 2:22 AM, Al Agnew said: Oh, yeah, I'd ordered this lure that's kinda like a cross between a buzzbait and a normal topwater. I can't say I had much confidence in it, but a couple other guys had said it was really good. What the heck, let's try it. Expand Was that the Whopper Plopper? I just ordered one after watching a friend do really well with it on LOZ a few weeks back.. At first seemed pretty "gimmicky" but after about the 4 fish he landed I was sold.. I have not had any luck with it yet, but only threw it a handful of times so far..
Mitch f Posted June 13, 2016 Posted June 13, 2016 If you can Walk the dog as good as Al, you don't need a WP!? Hog Wally and JimmyV 2 "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
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