Fishing

[fbWldcat]

RedTop, those are what we've come to affectionately call here in Kentucky: "Jorts."

 

I don't bass fish all that much and I haven't been able to go musky-ing (  ) yet, so I will just have to sit back and watch you guys with your catches. 

[CptTrips]

Well between fiddling with learning my sonar and dodging drunk party boaters in my kayak, I was at least able to catch enough for dinner.




I have a lot to learn on that sonar.  There are a gazillion different screens and modes.  Here are a couple of test shots:



Scanning wide I notice and interesting structure:



I switch to down scan mode and make another pass(looks make like a Christmas tree some one dumped in to provide fish structure. Fallen over.):



In Down scan I pass over some rocks and moss:



I was going crazy thinking a big fish was following me until I realized I was seeing my own jig trailing DoH!  :



I think this was an old creekbed with a sandbar:



Another creekbed.  Those might be sandbass (or Hybrids) on the right laying on the bottom of the channel:


Passed by a big dock raised up on poles about 5ft over the water(note sonar shadow from poles).  Looked like maybe fish holding up against the poles so I fished it.  GOt my 2 big males from there (and maybe 4 small ones I had to release.):



Exploring I was able to find the junction of creek channels in deel water:



If you look at this one it is a good example of the noise from my paddling.  Note the alternating paddle strokes and the horizontal sonar shadow cause my the eddy from my paddle tip.  To get a high quality image I am going to have to learn to build up some speed and then coast or set myself up so the wind will drift me across:



Next time I go out I'll concentrate on learning all the GPS and navigation screeens.  I didn't really get into those yet.


Regards,
Wab

[icepac]

I brought a ronco pocket fisherman as a joke to a skeeter bass tournament in maryland in 1994 and trolled it over the transom of the skeeter 300zx with a salt water johnson sprite spoon as the tourney competitors idled slowly out of the no-wake zone and caught a pretty large bass that went fish off as it cleared the transom, bounced a couple of times, and went back into the water.

We stopped speechless for a bit and the boat next to us stopped and put lines out immediately as everybody else motored out.

We laughed it off and went off to our spot and did pretty well.

We found out later the boat next to us that stopped only 400 yards from the dock won the tournament.

The pocket fisherman is not to be underestimated as well as checking the immediate area of the tourney start the day before.

[Vudak]

That's a cool toy, Wab, glad it's working out for you!

[ozrocker]

Pah, pah and thrice pah - how do you think I feel - stuck in the Mojave Desert, 1.5 hours from water (to fish in for clarification) and jonesing badly for a fishing fix!!!!!!!!!!.


Blames Redtop for it 

Nice fish Red, bet that put up a nice fight.


Wurzel

Wurzel found out he moved to 29 Palms, not 29 Ponds

                                                           <S> Oz

[gpwurzel]

Lmao - shut it you, no need to mock the afflicted 

Will be fishing later this year, the urge is upon me.....bad

Wurzel

[Vudak]

I've been trying to catch a pike. The area I'm fishing in is about 4 feet deep and every ten times I cast I snag onto a shad. I figure there's probably a lot of pike feeding there due to the large number of bait fish, but why would they bite my shad imitating lure when there's a thousand live ones swimming around? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what lures to use and what techniques to use?

I meant to reply to this earlier but forgot...

Well, here's what I do (A guide and friend taught me this last year, and it works wonders).

Assuming the water conditions are like the Northeast in May/June/early July or September/early October...

Is deeper water available to you?  If so, find a bay or area with water deep enough that the tops of weed "columns" ends about 1-2 feet short of the surface.  Select a 3/8oz or larger spinnerbait (experiment with different types for your area, but generally you want a "fast" model a.k.a. not Colorado blade), cast it as far as you can, and reel it in *fast* as soon as it hits the water.  The sweet spot is just so fast enough so that it does not bulge the surface.

Make a few drifts doing this.  Try to drift over a slightly different area each time.  If there are any pike or pickerel in the area, they'll let you know soon enough

Pike are not lazy like bass; they will chase and chase and chase (just look at them - they are built for the chase).  Often they'll come darting out from the depths right near the boat and you'll see the strike.  It is a thrill and I wish you the best of luck!

(I don't see why this wouldn't work in shallow water, though you are less likely to find a good sized pike there most times of the year).

[RedTop]

Caught this one this morning...caught 3 more after that...nothing bigger. Caught this one on a Pumpkin/Red Stanley ribbit frog...Caught the other 3 on top water sppok walking the dog..(I'm learning this technique)

[fbWldcat]

RedTop, is that a Shimano baitcasting outfit?

[ozrocker]

LOL Sorry Wurzel Hope you can get out to a lake or something soon!
I know you are right down the road from FT. Irwin.
I went through 7 rotations (min. 21 days each) at that hellhole,lol.
Good old Death Valley.

                                                                        <S> Oz

[gpwurzel]

  Oz, anytime you feel like coming back here - I'll buy ya a beer or 3 and we'll go fish somewhere (just found out nearest river is 1.5 hours away.....planning, planning lol.....)

That invite goes for all the rest of ya lunatics too


Wurzel

[RedTop]

RedTop, is that a Shimano baitcasting outfit?

No sir...

Pinnacle Reel 7.0:1  Quantum IM6 Torsion rod 6'6" MH  17lb Berkley Mono  Gamakatzu Twist lock hook 4/0  Stanley Ribbit Frog ...Watermelon/Red  2-4 ft water   South Winds approx. 15-20  air tmp  72

[fbWldcat]

Cc. Looked like a Shimano Citica reel and pole I have. Quantum is great, though. 

[RedTop]

Cc. Looked like a Shimano Citica reel and pole I have. Quantum is great, though. 

Yeah I have 1 Medium action quantum 6'6"  , 4 quantum MH 6'6" and 2 Berkey Lightening rod 7' MH rods....2 7' medium action spinning rods by Berley as well. 1 spinning rod has a Shimano and the other a shakespere....All the Baitcatsres I have are pinnacles....4 Vision slyders 7.0:1 , Solene 6.3:1, Platinum 6.3:1 and a Pro 6.4:1.

I haven't invested to much in the reels. I didn't want to so spending 100.00 or 200.00 on a reel just to figure out I didnt like bass fishing as well as I do. I just love it. So with time I'll upgrade each one. These Pinnacles are working fine and I'm catching some decent fish with them and not having any problems with them holding up to them.

With time I would like to get a couple or so curados and possibly a couple of citcas....maybe some other higher end reels...for now tho,,,,My lil Wla-Mart setups are doing just fine.

[ozrocker]

  Wurzel!
Would be fun!
                                                           <S> Oz