Be My Valentine Day

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Got an early jump the 14th out of Eagle Rock. 1st day on the Rock since October.  Started with a Keitech 2.8 inch SB in Rainbow Shad on  a 3/8 oz Lews jig head and never put it down   

Fished main channel roll offs up the White and had a day that was way to good for my usual limited ability

Caught lots of shorts And 5 really nice keeps with 2 over 4 pounds. I’m guessing 35 fish. Nothing but luck I just landed on the right location to start. 

Caught fish till the wind started then it got tough for me swimming deep. Boat in the channel throwing up on the breaks. Boat most of the day in 35’ to 50’. Fish in around 20’ to 25’ on the breaks or suspended just off. 

Surface temp at 43.8 the entire time I fished.

Had 19 on my first location so that kind of made the day right there. About a 300 yard channel swing roll off a rifle shot from shore.

Funny deal all Largemouth until my last cast of the day when I caught a short K. Thought it was going to be all LM and cannot ever catching that number Fishing that deep and no K’s

To windy for me yesterday. Talked to a couple of guys that fished the Dam and they said it was brutal 

Good Luck

you just found pretty much the same thing we have been doing, but they are not always willing to bite everyday.  but, it is a good bite while they are.  good to know they will bite a swimmer pretty well.

your dam buddies just put emphasis on what i say all the time about fishing the right areas of that lake at different times.  right now the lake is fishing very tiny as far as finding a bite of any kind.  it is the same way when early fall fishing starts.  there are very few areas that will have active bass and that makes the lake fish very tiny.

there are few areas of the lake that have massive shad die offs going on, and even if there are any active bass in these areas, gook luck in competing with a super easy food source.  most of the shad that i am seeing dying are the tiny ones that we were dealing with all fall and early winter.

bo

[Bill Babler]

Saw a few Shad dying in the Roaring River area. Several sizes and the Gulls were working them pretty hard. 

Saw 2 Lund style boats trolling the inside flat at RR and at the bouy point and up at the flat below Owl. Assume walleye guys, probably should have asked them. I fished atotal of 5 locations. Caught at least one on every spot but the first channel break was the ticket. 

You know I could and maybe would have left that first location after fishing for 2 hrs without a keeper. Especially if I were in a derby. I was getting bit fine, but all short. Then 5 keeps same location the next hour. Not smart enough to figure it out. Just enjoyed it. 

On another deal this was not a cold weather bite. These guys got all over it with little doubt. They came right up and swirled on the top, no jump mind you but they were strong and aggressive.  The 2 big gals pulled drag like sled dogs. All the fish were fat as toads and in great shape   This time of year no hook holes either and that’s another good thing 

[m&m]

Bill, days that dreams are made of. Congratulations on the outing. 

Mike

[nhornback]

On 2/16/2018 at 7:42 AM, Bill Babler said:

 

Fished main channel roll offs up the White and had a day that was way to good for my usual limited ability

 

 

If i may ask, how would you explain what a "main channel rolloff" looks like on a topographical lake map? No high dollar depth finder with gps etc on my boat so i rely on map study prior to my outings. 

Not asking for specific spots, of course, but understanding this kind of terminology helps improve my preparation.  

Thanks!

[Guest]

3 hours ago, nhornback said:

If i may ask, how would you explain what a "main channel rolloff" looks like on a topographical lake map? No high dollar depth finder with gps etc on my boat so i rely on map study prior to my outings. 

Not asking for specific spots, of course, but understanding this kind of terminology helps improve my preparation.  

Thanks!

follow a channel edge coming off a bluff out into the lake, and you will begin to get the picture.  these channel edges can also occur on the inside of the channel bend.  the trick is to match up the edge depth with the depth the bass are holding.

bo

[Bill Babler]

What he said. Another point is they are sometimes not in conjunction with shore. Look at your map and see where the channel is in reference to major coves or as Bo pointed out drifting away from bluffends

lots of these locations have standing timber or stumps that are not visible from the surface but are right on the edge of the old river or Creek channels, especially up the White as it narrows, making them easier to find. Side scan really works well but years of hunt and peck and failure are a better way of finding them. 

Every place I caught them I had caught them prior this time of year. As Bo said they can still be there and keep their yap shut. I just hit it right

Good Luck

[JacobW]

Alot of these fish up the white as of lately had been laying right off the bottom, but still visible on the lowrance. Later in the day you will see them rise up in the water column but for me, have been tougher to catch later in the day. Big football jig had been catching some descent fish dragging it out deep as well as the a rig. Gonna take my son out tomorrow and drop some crawlers on top of a few and hope to find us some walleye for dinner.

[JacobW]

Took me a bit to get a pic downloaded but i had to share it especially after the day we had.

[Champ188]

BAZINGA!

[Quillback]

Those are some healthy walters!