Pickwick 6-22-2012

[Alphahawk]

Had one of the best days of fishing I have had in a long time. Arrived at Pickwick at 2:00PM and was fishing by 2:15:PM. I had just received my replacement light action rod back from Fenwick as I had sent the old one back for warranty claim....I broke the old one in half. So I thought surely the big Gills would have to be stacked up in the corner where the dam and bank meet...and a shaded area to boot.....and would have a lot of fun until almost sundown then go down below the dam and try to catch some Stripers. Only made a cast or two and found out the Gllls were not there. But I was more interested in all the top water action going on along the wall and corner of the dam. Fish were raising cain. Tied on a 1/12 Kastmaster gold spoon and the fight was on! Landed a nice chunky large mouth. For the next 5 hours I would catch...or hook and lose....a fish on darn near every cast. It was a mixed bag of Large Mouths and White Bass. The White Bass were mostly in the 2 pound range and the Large Mouth were between 2 and 3 pounds....with some occasional smaller...and larger fish from time to time. After I lost two of my 1/12 Kastmaster spoons trying to land a 4 plus pound bass went to the car and got my M/H rod spooled with 10 pound test. Put on a 1/2...1/4...3/8 ounce but the fish wanted nothing to do with them. I don't have much bass tackle. Went back to the light rod with the 3# test NanoFil and started catching fish again. I fished until 7:30PM. The reason I left then is I was out of lures they wanted....LOL. I lost seven 1/12 ounce Kastmasters....three 1/8 once Kastmasters and two 3/16 ounce Pin's Minnows. All of these were lost to big bass that would get in the brush that is sunk between me and my casting location. Never once thought about going below the dam for the Stripers....the old adage came to mind "Never leave a place you are catching fish". Will be going to Nashville today to restock my Kastmaster spoon supply. Also will look for some tiny..shallow running crank baits that have some weight too them so I can go after the bigger fish that are hanging around there. Anyone with any recommendation as to a good bait that is small...around 1/4 ounce or bigger...and runs right under surface please let me know. All fish were released and even the large White Bass with the blood running down the side was OK. Will be back there again Monday.......that is for sure. Oh...the box in the pic I use for frame of reference is 11 inches long by 7 1/4 inches.


Regards

[Travis C.]

http://www.basspro.com/Manns-Baby-1Minus-Crankbaits/product/31148/89257

Dives to 1ft

http://www.basspro.com/Manns-Waker-Elite-Series-Crankbaits/product/98366/124473

They run 1-3 ft deep.

You can even make the run shallower with a little heavier mono line but keep in mind if you tun them on small 4-6lb then it may run a little deeper. Everything is test depth wise on 10lb I believe so a 12 would keep it just under the surface.

[Alphahawk]

http://www.basspro.com/Manns-Baby-1Minus-Crankbaits/product/31148/89257

Dives to 1ft

http://www.basspro.com/Manns-Waker-Elite-Series-Crankbaits/product/98366/124473

They run 1-3 ft deep.

You can even make the run shallower with a little heavier mono line but keep in mind if you tun them on small 4-6lb then it may run a little deeper. Everything is test depth wise on 10lb I believe so a 12 would keep it just under the surface.


Much Appreciated....

[Travis C.]

You ever use the Lil George style baits in those situations?

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4518452249887780&id=f7901222c9583cb7c1dd44b7000c7e5b

They are small compact and can cast a mile. That is what we used to get after whites in the Cumby on.

[Alphahawk]

You ever use the Lil George style baits in those situations?

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4518452249887780&id=f7901222c9583cb7c1dd44b7000c7e5b

They are small compact and can cast a mile. That is what we used to get after whites in the Cumby on.

Yeah but it has been years ago.... four years ago I gave my son over a grand worth of Bass Lures. I was through targeting Large Mouth...or so I thought...LOL. I am going to buy some lures for Bass but I don't want to get out of hand with it. Ultra light fishing is still my bag..but...I need some new baits. So I will haves to pick and choose carefully as I don't want to get back to having all those different lures. In the Fall...when I do go after Bass....the Zoom Flukes and Kastmaster's worked fine....but now I need something more. Thanks for the suggestion...I had forgotten all about those....and you are right.....they are small and you can cast them a mile.



regards

[Travis C.]

Yeah but it has been years ago.... four years ago I gave my son over a grand worth of Bass Lures. I was through targeting Large Mouth...or so I thought...LOL. I am going to buy some lures for Bass but I don't want to get out of hand with it. Ultra light fishing is still my bag..but...I need some new baits. So I will haves to pick and choose carefully as I don't want to get back to having all those different lures. In the Fall...when I do go after Bass....the Zoom Flukes and Kastmaster's worked fine....but now I need something more. Thanks for the suggestion...I had forgotten all about those....and you are right.....they are small and you can cast them a mile.



regards

PM me what you are looking for or wanting and I will check my bins before you go buy a bunch of stuff.

[Alphahawk]

PM me what you are looking for or wanting and I will check my bins before you go buy a bunch of stuff.

Thanks for the offer Travis...and I may take you up on it. But I had the bug bad and went to Bass Pro yesterday and re-stocked my lost lures from Pickwick and picked up some bass lures. Didn't think I would be back into buying Large Mouth baits but here I am again...LOL. Took your advice and picked up the Little George...Mann's Baby 1-Minus...and some KVD 1.0. Going to spend today changing the trebles out on all the Kastmaster's with singles. Will leave the trebles on for the crank baits...but may change out the trebles on the Little George. Got plenty of lures that I can cast with some 8# test NanoFil to reach where they are busting the shad. Will probably hit Pickwick again tomorrow. The temps will hit 96 there tomorrow and the fish should be busting the shad hard. I can get in the corner and be under the bridge that crosses the dam and stay in the shade nearly all day.


Regards

[Scott715]

Nothing better than a Little George when those fish are busting the surface. They've been around for years.

[Alphahawk]

Nothing better than a Little George when those fish are busting the surface. They've been around for years.

Yeah..I have used them in the past. I started fishing almost exclusively ultra light around 4 years ago and gave all bass gear away. Will stock up on some but my main fishing will still be ultra light. Large Mouth and Striper are the only two specie...that I care to fish for.......that ultra light just does not get it done. Going to have some coffee...load up the vehicle...get some extra ice...and head to Pickwick. I may be wrong but I think the fish will still be in same location and I could have better day than the last one....the only way it would be better would be to get in some of those 4 and 5 ponders. With the new lures and being able to cast them to the strike zone it should happen.


Regards