Put in My Place

[Bill Babler]

Didn’t exactly go as planned this morning. Hit the ramp at Turkey Mountain II at 7:30 to surface temps of 62 degree. Air temp was 48 degree. 

Slick high blue clear and cold. The Garmin picture was as black as looking into space with no stars. 

Swim Bait bite was totally nonexistent.  We had to scrounge a little fish Ned bite. 

Was way to big for my britches the last few days And got taught just how little I know today. 

About 10 am the wind started a little and the water warmed to 64. Started seeing and catching but it was still sparse 

Ended the morning with probably 18/20 fish with maybe 5 keeps, that were just that  couple were spawned out.  

Surface temps at 1pm were 65 degree. That cool nite sucked the warmth right out of the lake 
Didn’t mess with them but saw huge crappie suspended on pole timber maybe 2 feed deep over 20’. Saw 3 different crappie on 3 different trees in the same pocket. 

I’m done till Monday, letting the play for pay guys have at it. 
 

Good Luck. 

 

 

[Alex Heitman]

We had a tougher day than what we expected. Fished Baxter area and started off bang bang with the Ned rig on first location. Lots of fish were paired up on beds today all over the place. We tried gravel all over looking for smallmouth and it just did not happen. Had some big thumps on Ned in those like a smallmouth but they would spit it just as quick. Most came off ledges and mostly K’s with some LM mixed in. K’s were healthy as an ox. Nothing over 2.5 lbs today but we had fun. Probably had around 25 fish. 

[Bill Babler]

I thought it was tougher than buck meat. Anytime I have to count on Ned as much as I did today, it’s not ideal. 

Friggin surface temps dropped 8 degree last nite and I don’t think that helped my early bite. 

For all the 30 plus years I guided out of Shell Knob the SM bite was good to excellent from the swim beach and boat launch at Campbell Point on down to Long Creek. Really the Point 19 area to point 9 was just crazy good. Last couple of years it’s really changed. Lot more LM on the locations we caught the Jaws on, and of course K’s. 

A new resident however is walleye. Not uncommon now to catch several a day just bass fishing that area. 

I have no explanation for their demise or where they are. 

Today we saw 2 schools of Threadfin swimming just under the surface while we fished. Nothing around them but both schools had thousand upon thousands of Shad. 

Most every fish you catch will have 2 to a 1/2 dozen big Gizzards follow it in.  





 

[Fallguy]

Bill what kind of hook do you use on those sluggos?  I'm trying to find a better hook that doesn't tear the bait as much and get a good hook up ratio.

[Bill Babler]

1 hour ago, Fallguy said:

Bill what kind of hook do you use on those sluggos?  I'm trying to find a better hook that doesn't tear the bait as much and get a good hook up ratio.

Good luck with that😀😀. I’m using an Aaron Martin 4/0 wide gap.  I’ve also used a wide gap screw lock with either a belly weight or plain hook with a weight pushed into the bait. 

Probably best way is the wide gap 4/0 fine wire as you can get. Put the fluke on over the eye of the hook and run a tooth pick thru it and the eye with a pinch of glue. 

Put your little pencil weight in the bait and when it breaks put another one on. 

That last MLF I think all 80 guys using a floating worm/ soft jerk bait. were doing it different. Couple of them were using a O-ring like a senko. I don’t like the way it acts with the O ring.  

One guy had a treble hook on both the bottom and top. I throw mine right in the mess so I’d hang up with that rig. 

You still miss a ton of fish on that type of deal.   I’m usually one out of 3 but I did a little better the other day cause they were eating it. 

Probably get a better answer from other members. 






 

[Fallguy]

Thanks for the info.

[1farmer]

3 hours ago, Fallguy said:

Bill what kind of hook do you use on those sluggos?  I'm trying to find a better hook that doesn't tear the bait as much and get a good hook up ratio.

Try the mustard power lock plus.

[m&m]

13 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Didn’t exactly go as planned this morning. Hit the ramp at Turkey Mountain II at 7:30 to surface temps of 62 degree. Air temp was 48 degree. 

Slick high blue clear and cold. The Garmin picture was as black as looking into space with no stars. 

Swim Bait bite was totally nonexistent.  We had to scrounge a little fish Ned bite. 

Was way to big for my britches the last few days And got taught just how little I know today. 

I’m done till Monday, letting the play for pay guys have at it. 

 

Good Luck. 

 

 

Bill, some days the fish win.

Mike

[Bill Babler]

2 hours ago, m&m said:

Bill, some days the fish win.

Mike

You’ve told me that many times but it’s hard to swallow. 😇😇😇😇😇
Thanks Mike

[Bill Babler]

7 hours ago, 1farmer said:

Try the mustard power lock plus.

Farmer, if you have fished those and done well congrats. Thought I’d try a pack however I simply hate Mustad hooks. 
Tried 2 and the lock fell out of both of them. They ain’t cheap in price so I was somewhat PQ’ed. 

$8.25 for 3 hooks and have them fall apart doesn’t put them on my A list. 

Lots and lots of way better and more knowledgeable fishermen than me love Mustad’s,  I think Champ and Donna use a bunch of them and we know KVD is their spokesperson  They catch fish, I just like others better.

When the triple grips came out Beck and I switched everything we had over to them. It was a bad choice. 

The 3 power locks I bought last week, One Pack are the only ones I owned. I don’t own any now. 

Would not have stepped on your toes or even mentioned it but the durn things are expensive to break like that, and maybe it was just me, which is a real possibility. 

When I bought them I thought I’d discovered the perfect fish trap, we think alike. 
 

Good Luck