Early June on the big muddy river
space inwaders 06/16/2009 - 09:36 Trip Reports
Fishing has been tough in May and June where i've been going. The river has been high, muddy, and inconsistent with thunderstorms popping up, but it hasn't stopped me from going out.
I've fished Lake Frederick a few times when the rivers were too high to fish, no luck there, although i saw a couple nice largies.
I love to fish the flowing rivers, thats where i think i know where to toss my lure, so i've decided recently to try and figure out what works, and where, during these higher flow times.
Obvious hints- bigger, brighter, more vibration, scent, and find clearer calmer water if possible. Many of the calm pockets i fished at first were larger calm areas that were shallow, flatter, with minimal structure and cover, and some of my favorite large back eddys where i had my luck in the fall. Annie did catch one evening wally on a shoreline flat using a orange floating bomber long-A, and had a follower musky upstream of a major obstruction, but i couldn't repeat this on many trips.
Not as obvious- the night bite has been DEAD for me, well into the morning or earlier in the afternoon/evening has been best. I guess even the wallys cant see well in stained/muddy water at night.
Bright cranks/sjbs have worked for me around dusk/dawn, but during brighter times I've had best luck on the smaller, 3" or so, natural colored soft plastics.
I had a good numbers afternoon last weds with lots of sunfish, smaller bass (2 around 12" were the best of the day) and even a crappie, about 25 fish in all.
After so-so luck in the larger calm bits, no walleyes, I told myself to forget my known spots, get out there and approach it as a new river, as if i didnt know the water was high. I looked at familiar spots that i typically pass by, I found fish in small pockets in rough rocky areas.
I had the first descent evening in a while last friday. I was covering areas that i typically consider too shallow to fish, but lots of boulders and ledges to create small calm pockets. I had a couple small smallies and a rock bass/bluegill or two in the afternoon. About 7pm using a orange long-a floater, right between two ledges, in a turbulent spot along side serious flow, i hooked into something, then i feel that familiar head shake and off it goes into HEAVY CURRENT, pulling alot of line out with it. From shore to about 15' out was serious flow, all along the shoreline where i was. I knew i would not be able to land a big fish here, but luckily this one wasn't so big. Eventually as i held tight and cranked up the drag (glad i had fireline 6/14) eventually the fish skipped on the surface where i could gain line between dives. It was a wally about 21" or so and fat, i figured the hook would pull out, but i was able to land it, only to fumble and drop the fish in the water before measuring or photo... Still it was the first wally i've gotten since early may so i was very happy, and this was a spot unlike where i've caught them before.
I continued fishing close to the big rocks in the rough stuff, and soon after another nice one on the line, this one was a fast swimmer and a hard fighter, also got into the heavy current flow and it was a serious battle to land this chunky 17" smallie.
I fished each of these 2 places well, but only 1 fish per spot. I kept moving, as the light was fading. Soon in another similar pocket a 15" channel cat slammed the long-A. I've caught more cats on lures in the last month than my entire life prior!
The water is dropping and clearing, the storms are away for now, I have 2 weeks off, more to come!
-steve
I've fished Lake Frederick a few times when the rivers were too high to fish, no luck there, although i saw a couple nice largies.
I love to fish the flowing rivers, thats where i think i know where to toss my lure, so i've decided recently to try and figure out what works, and where, during these higher flow times.
Obvious hints- bigger, brighter, more vibration, scent, and find clearer calmer water if possible. Many of the calm pockets i fished at first were larger calm areas that were shallow, flatter, with minimal structure and cover, and some of my favorite large back eddys where i had my luck in the fall. Annie did catch one evening wally on a shoreline flat using a orange floating bomber long-A, and had a follower musky upstream of a major obstruction, but i couldn't repeat this on many trips.
Not as obvious- the night bite has been DEAD for me, well into the morning or earlier in the afternoon/evening has been best. I guess even the wallys cant see well in stained/muddy water at night.
Bright cranks/sjbs have worked for me around dusk/dawn, but during brighter times I've had best luck on the smaller, 3" or so, natural colored soft plastics.
I had a good numbers afternoon last weds with lots of sunfish, smaller bass (2 around 12" were the best of the day) and even a crappie, about 25 fish in all.
After so-so luck in the larger calm bits, no walleyes, I told myself to forget my known spots, get out there and approach it as a new river, as if i didnt know the water was high. I looked at familiar spots that i typically pass by, I found fish in small pockets in rough rocky areas.
I had the first descent evening in a while last friday. I was covering areas that i typically consider too shallow to fish, but lots of boulders and ledges to create small calm pockets. I had a couple small smallies and a rock bass/bluegill or two in the afternoon. About 7pm using a orange long-a floater, right between two ledges, in a turbulent spot along side serious flow, i hooked into something, then i feel that familiar head shake and off it goes into HEAVY CURRENT, pulling alot of line out with it. From shore to about 15' out was serious flow, all along the shoreline where i was. I knew i would not be able to land a big fish here, but luckily this one wasn't so big. Eventually as i held tight and cranked up the drag (glad i had fireline 6/14) eventually the fish skipped on the surface where i could gain line between dives. It was a wally about 21" or so and fat, i figured the hook would pull out, but i was able to land it, only to fumble and drop the fish in the water before measuring or photo... Still it was the first wally i've gotten since early may so i was very happy, and this was a spot unlike where i've caught them before.
I continued fishing close to the big rocks in the rough stuff, and soon after another nice one on the line, this one was a fast swimmer and a hard fighter, also got into the heavy current flow and it was a serious battle to land this chunky 17" smallie.
I fished each of these 2 places well, but only 1 fish per spot. I kept moving, as the light was fading. Soon in another similar pocket a 15" channel cat slammed the long-A. I've caught more cats on lures in the last month than my entire life prior!
The water is dropping and clearing, the storms are away for now, I have 2 weeks off, more to come!
-steve
