Friday 2/28/20

[DRY]

Got to work about 12:30 PM
For the first 45 min. didn't have a hit.
Water level rising...water temperature falling...bright sun...windy like yesterday...hmmmmmmm
I kept searching the eddies that were starting to come back..

Finally I picked up a 1 pounder....then a 2.5 pounder... then this 3 pounder



then the biggest one of the season weighing in at 4 lbs. 3 oz. (she doesn't look as big as the 3 pounder but that is all about camera angle)



She came out of some flooded rip-rap and hit like a freight train...heading out into the current...felt like a carp at first...

Winter smallmouth fishing...what fun !! 

Bill

[Pawatch]

Dry your catching some beautiful fish!! It's another cold day too.
Appreciate you sharing your experience.

Your making me feel guilty for sitting in front of my wood stove.
What was the water temp today?

[DRY]

...What was the water temp today?

Two days ago when I took the mud bath it was 40F

Today it was just under 38F when I started

Should be good when the river crests just so the temp doesn't fall to far with the cold nights.

Bill

[Phil Sweeney]

Awesome!!
On the willie wannabe?

[Heavyduty]

Couple beauties, way to go!! Hooked my 4.2 a couple years ago and had the same experience. When I took up slack from setting the hook, maybe 2 seconds, I'd swear he was 30 yds away from the hook set spot and headed to China! That rush is what I fish for!

[DRY]

...On the willie wannabe?

I mounted the Willie Wannabe to a Ned Rig Hook 3/32 oz that I got from Fitt lures. A friend of mine showed me his Ned Rig that he was using but he had this huge fat worm on it. Not right for cold water. The Ned Rig hook positions the Willie in a tail up position.
All the bass caught today were with the 3/32 oz Ned Rig hook

...That rush is what I fish for!

Yep. Even at my age, when I realized it was a bass, the adrenaline started pumping. 

Bill

[Phil Sweeney]

I mounted the Willie Wannabe to a Ned Rig Hook 3/32 oz that I got from Fitt lures. A friend of mine showed me his Ned Rig that he was using but he had this huge fat worm on it. Not right for cold water. The Ned Rig hook positions the Willie in a tail up position.
All the bass caught today were with the 3/32 oz Ned Rig hook
Bill

Good info. I pour those heads. I mostly use 1/16 oz and 1/2 Zinker Z.  I thought they perform much like a stand up. Is the lightest stand up jig you have 1/8 oz?
Phil

[DRY]

... Is the lightest stand up jig you have 1/8 oz?
Phil

Here is Willie Wannabe on the 1/8 oz stand up football jig (top)...

and the 3/32 oz Ned Rig jig (bottom)...

either of them seem to present the bait in a tail up position that mimics something rooting in the bottom or a crayfish in a defensive stance (that is just my human assumption...I don't know what the bass thinks really  )

But they do eat it     

[Phil Sweeney]

Here is Willie Wannabe on the 1/8 oz stand up football jig (top)...

and the 3/32 oz Ned Rig jig (bottom)...

either of them seem to present the bait in a tail up position that mimics something rooting in the bottom or a crayfish in a defensive stance (that is just my human assumption...I don't know what the bass thinks really  )

But they do eat it     

If you poured your own Neg heads would you paint them black? I am going to pour some today and I am thinking using olive. Phil

[DRY]

If you poured your own Neg heads would you paint them black? I am going to pour some today and I am thinking using olive. Phil

Yep...Olive, green pumpkin, black...some earthy color.

P.S. - Are you having problems with slow opening of the posts? I am having to wait 30-60 sec for a post to open.

Bill

[Phil Sweeney]

Yep...Olive, green pumpkin, black...some earthy color.

P.S. - Are you having problems with slow opening of the posts? I am having to wait 30-60 sec for a post to open.

Bill

Thanks! Always slow here Bill. I have the slowest DSL there is and cannot upgrade (I am told too far from nearest telephone hub to get "enhanced DSL"). 10 years ago cable wanted $1800 to run up the hill - not! Phil

[1iarrowking]

Yep...Olive, green pumpkin, black...some earthy color.

P.S. - Are you having problems with slow opening of the posts? I am having to wait 30-60 sec for a post to open.

Bill

I've been lurking on you guys.

I'm operating at light speed ever since I finally convinced Service Electric to run a line to my house.  I think they got tired of me calling.  I had Verizon DSL and it was mostly slow except when it didn't work at all, which was often and took between 3 and 10 days until they would get it fixed.  I know the repair men in this area by name.  They told me all the equipment here is 50 years old and worn out but there aren't enough people using it so Verizon won't replace it.  They're only interested in populated urban areas.

[Phil Sweeney]

I've been lurking on you guys.

I'm operating at light speed ever since I finally convinced Service Electric to run a line to my house.  I think they got tired of me calling.  I had Verizon DSL and it was mostly slow except when it didn't work at all, which was often and took between 3 and 10 days until they would get it fixed.  I know the repair men in this area by name.  They told me all the equipment here is 50 years old and worn out but there aren't enough people using it so Verizon won't replace it.  They're only interested in populated urban areas.

It does not bother me. Though it does appear these websites have more to load these days. My grand children probably do not like it. Phil

[zelmo]

Hey Bill, I have a question for you.  I know you like rising/higher water for the shoreline eddies that are created.  When do the bass leave the shoreline - as soon as the water starts to drop or do they hang around as long as the eddies are still there?

[DRY]

Hey Bill, I have a question for you.  I know you like rising/higher water for the shoreline eddies that are created.  When do the bass leave the shoreline - as soon as the water starts to drop or do they hang around as long as the eddies are still there?

Clearly, the higher the water...the better...up to a point... where it's just too high and muddy to fish successfully.
But there are many other variables. If the water gets warmer...they seem to move out even in high water and I don't find as many hanging in the eddies.
Once the eddies are gone...it depends on other factors such as density of fish population in the area (which has been getting progressively worse), water temperature, food availability (I see many fewer schools of livebait or crayfish along the shoreline than I did years back).
For the last several years I haven't got my boat out and I don't fish much after the water warms and gets low. Just can't find fish and getting the boat out gets harder physically every year.

Bill