Cold Water Fishing Report

[MOFish]

Fished out of the boat primarily from Lookout Hole down to Fall Creek, but got up nearly to Rebar once and drifted down to Short Creek. One generator was running most of the time, but the water was COLD! Temp sensor read 42.5 degrees to 44 degrees.

Best tactic was a 1/16 oz. olive maribou jig below a Thill ice float, adjusting the float to get the jig down deep enough where I couldn't see it. We seemed to pockets of fish and then dead water for awhile. The best area seemed to be from the downed Sycamore tree to about halfway to Fall Creek IN the channel, after they shut the water off on Monday and the wind was rippling the surface. Most fish ran 12 inches and nothing bigger.

I also used an in-line spinner, gold blade with black body, and had some viscious strikes but only hooked up four. Got curious about the cold water and tried white jigs, and caught two up near lookout hole.

[Bill Babler]

5 or 6 years ago, in August, I can remember having a water temp of 39.8. I am sure Phil monitors this more than we, but I cannot remember seeing water in the 42 degree range very often on Taney.

I am telling you, that is even fridgid for Alaskie.

Tim Paige did have a good day in the restricted area using 126 oz copper headed sculpin micros under a float. Lots of fish.

I believe they just wanted out of that Ice Water.

[MOFish]

This may be a dumb question, but I'll ask anyway. I've always tried to keep the jig down within six inches of the bottom and hopefully just barely making contact with the bottom as we drift. Pickups in that range seem to be fairly strong and solid.

But this last weekend they didn't want it off the bottom. They wanted it at a depth just below where I couldn't see the jig unless it was right next to the boat and the wind was calm. I would watch it drop and if the float stopped it before I lost sight of it then I was too shallow. If I would cast off to the side and the float stopped the jig just out of sight, then I would start getting nibbles and light hits. I would move the float another two or three inches up the line away from the jig and then I'd get solid takes.

It was like they wanted their food in a particular part of the water column. Is THIS behavior typical of Taney rainbows?