Bridgeport/James 1/17

[Phil Lilley]

We fished the both structure and the flats yesterday.  We found fish almost everywhere, I like mostly crappie but I am still trying to figure out what fish are what on the livescope.

Structure - leaving the bridge ramp we headed south to the first bluff and found some neat trees in 20-25 ft of water and fish on them.  Caught shorts mainly, and yes they were skiddish.  Moved around the point and headed in the cove.  Lots of standing trees towards the north bank and in the middle in 20-25 ft of water and fish on some.  Really wasted time there because we couldn't get them to cooperate.

Headed up to point 15 and the flats above the point.  About 6 boats working the area with some success.  We didn't do that well.  Headed back down lake and fished the bluff from peach orchard cove south.  Found a lot more fish in 20-30 feet of water and a ton of trees.  Alot of trees laying on the bottom, not standing, and these were the most productive.

Ended up with 12 keepers and probably 25 shorts.  Caught the best on a minnow/jig head but caught some on the Garland crappie baits and swimming minnows.

Saw schools on fish, I think whites, on the last spot.  They wouldn't bite.  Crappie were spooky- if they were on the tops of trees, had to stand off about 20 feet or they'd bust.  If they were on the bottom in 20+ we could sit on top of them.

 

[Phil Lilley]

Nice to meet @Bassin4fun yesterday

[Bill Babler]

The crappie up the White River in the best location have been hammered on this Winter. 

They are really spooky and you cannot vertical fish them. May get one and then the entire school moves, whether they are in structure or just in open water schools. 

Really good friend has been doing well with live scope on open water schools. He said on the scope they look like a school of gizzard Shad.  They have been on the bluffs up long creek from Gage’s on up, but just swimming in the open water. 

They have been using a 1/4 to 3/8 oz head and throwing to the schools in front of the boat. Said you can just chase them all day.   

Fish have been in the 20’ depth range, so you need a big jig head to not only launch, but to get to depth. 

Big road runner or a Underspin is also working for them. 




 

 

[Phil Lilley]

We’d use 2- 1/16th oz lead heads 18” apart to get down. Worked good.  4 lb line

[grizwilson]

started to go that way on a beautiful afternoon but opted for Pomme, similar fish reaction, had to stay off or they would move.  Only one keeper and he came loose in the boat and buried barb thought i found some of those open water fish....shad....

[Phil Lilley]

We looked for areas that we're getting fished.  The flats at 15 and up in Flat Creek are fished hard this winter.  I think there's lots of opportunities in big, open water which aren't fished that much.  Just takes time.

[Bassin4fun]

1 hour ago, Phil Lilley said:

Nice to meet @Bassin4fun yesterday

Hi Phil! That was me in the yak. It was a pleasure to meet you as well! 😁

[Phil Lilley]

11 minutes ago, Bassin4fun said:

Hi Phil! That was me in the yak. It was a pleasure to meet you as well! 😁

Wasn't even close on the screen name... 

Have you ever posted a pic of your kayak setup?  It's pretty impressive!!

[Bassin4fun]

31 minutes ago, Phil Lilley said:

Wasn't even close on the screen name... 

Have you ever posted a pic of your kayak setup?  It's pretty impressive!!

Thank you! I will have to post some. Here is a pic of me in it. I cobbled everything together after watching hours of YouTube videos. I have a 45lb thrust transom mounted trolling motor. I put together the mount onto the stern and connected stainless steel cables to a mount on the trolling motor that I added which is connected to toe steering on the pedals in the front. This allows for hands-free steering. The trolling motor is connected to a pwm controller and it is powered by a 100ah 12V LiPO4 battery. I have bow lights and a 360 light for low light conditions and a Garmin Echomap UHD 93SV installed that is connected to a 10ah 12V LiPO4 battery. I have a Tracker 175TXW as well but I probably fish out of my kayak as much or more than my boat due to competing in MoYak events. The kayak is an Outlaw 11.5 by Perception Kayaks. As far as kayaks go, it is very stable...especially while seated. I can cover quite a bit of water fishing the banks.