Pickwick 9-17-2012.

[Alphahawk]

Headed to Pickwick early this morning to fish the tail race. The water has been flowing for several days at almost 80,0000 CFS. Thought the Whites would be up in there......I was wrong. Caught nothing but drum below the dam...as the others were doing also. Talked to a guy who fishes the tail race everyday and he told me that yesterday he caught a Striper on every cast...figures....one of those "You should have been here yesterday". I asked him about the Whites and he said they are still scattered. So packed up and headed to the point I fish on the lake side of the dam. Once again...same as last week...got into the Smallies. Caught around 50 of them with my biggest being a nice 2 pound fish. I lost a five plus pounder as it jumped and threw the hook....hard sometimes to get that number 8 hook in them. Most of the fish were 12 and 13 inches. Got into about a dozen of the chunky Gills and several 10 to 11 inch Spots. I am hoping my tungsten jigs come soon as the point is the ideal place to try them out. The Gills and Smallies are pretty deep. I had two size B splits shots up about 12 inches above the 1/64 Trout Magnet and was counting down 30 seconds. I am just going to wear this spot out until they quit. I am thinking in the next 3 to 7 weeks some really big Smallies will move in. But if not I am happy with the 12 and 13 inch fish on 2# test line......lots of fun. Before I left I checked out my Crappie hole next to the lock. Some Crappie are in there but only 10 and 11 inch fish...and they don't look too healthy. Looking down from the parking lot you could see huge balls of bait fish all over the area.


Regards

[Travis C.]

Nice job, its getting about that time of year to start seeing pics of your sink again... lol..

When you fish it that deep, how do you retrieve it?

[Alphahawk]

Nice job, its getting about that time of year to start seeing pics of your sink again... lol..

When you fish it that deep, how do you retrieve it?

Travis I get it into what I call a rocking motion.....just a slow rhythmic motion like you are in rocking chair. Big Gills are notorious for swimming with you when they hit it. You don't really feel the hit but you know something is not right with the line. When the Smallies hit it...they are just on....you don't feel any warning whatsoever. The line tightens and you have weight on it and the drag starts screaming.....LOL. When fish are suspended and only fishing it a few feet deep it is totally different. You feel a definite hit. The reason I started fishing NanoFil was for casting distance...but when you have the Magnet that deep you need all the sensitivity you can get. It is really too early to be into the good Crappie where I fish for them...and I know that but am getting antsy for them.


Regards

[MNfisher]

Well done again! I always look forward to your posts!

[Reel Tune]

Sounds like a fun time. What color Magnet is that? It looks like it would be great for clear water. I picked up a kit crappie&trout, and a few assorted packs, but don't remember seeing that color. One of the assorted packs was a crawfish imitation 1/2-3/4" long and it is a killer in rivers and creeks with a 1/64th head, and 4lb line. I also picked up some Nano Fil 4lb and 17lb, I put the 4lb on Sarah's 1000 series CI4, and she likes it. The 17lb hasn't gone on anything yet.

[nomad60]

You're killing me, Alpha! Each time I read one of your posts and look at the accompanying pics, I like my job a little less :).

Maybe I should set up a website where people can contribute to the "Nomad wants to retire so he can go fishing fund" :D

[Alphahawk]

Sounds like a fun time. What color Magnet is that? It looks like it would be great for clear water. I picked up a kit crappie&trout, and a few assorted packs, but don't remember seeing that color. One of the assorted packs was a crawfish imitation 1/2-3/4" long and it is a killer in rivers and creeks with a 1/64th head, and 4lb line. I also picked up some Nano Fil 4lb and 17lb, I put the 4lb on Sarah's 1000 series CI4, and she likes it. The 17lb hasn't gone on anything yet.

Jeremy that is black and gold in color and is called Bison. If I could only have one color of Trout Magnet that would be the one. Now having said that I need to clarify. Bison catches everything for me. All those Crappie that I catch at Nickajack don't seem to want any other color than Bison. But a while back I asked the owner of Trout Magnet to make it in a color he already had in his Crappie Magnet. He had some made and sent me a couple of hundred to field test. They had a contest and named it "Purple Redemption". It is an absolute killer for Smallies in clear water. I have fished it heavy at Center Hill and even at Dale Hollow. When the Smallies are up in shallow water...meaning 10 feet or less....50 fish days are not uncommon.....and I am not talking about 12 inch Small Mouth. I am talking about fish from 4 to 6 pounds. The trout Magnet catches them deep also but dang, it takes a long time to count 1/64 down to 30 feet. But as I said Bison catches everything for me and I would hate to have to give that color up. That crawfish bait you mentioned is a great bait..as you say for streams and really anywhere Smallies hang out. I don't use it too much as I don't fish that many rivers or streams...yet.


Regards

[Alphahawk]

You're killing me, Alpha! Each time I read one of your posts and look at the accompanying pics, I like my job a little less :).

Maybe I should set up a website where people can contribute to the "Nomad wants to retire so he can go fishing fund" :D

You know the old saying "If your job gets in the way of fishing you need to get rid of that job"......LOL. I loved my job and wouldn't mind going back to it....but those days are gone. All I do now is plan on the next fishing trip...where to go...what to fish for. I can tell you these cool crisp mornings we have had has got me pumped for the crappie at Nickajack! But it is really about 3 weeks too early.


Regards

[jaycee]

Alpha, just thinking, do they make the crappie magnet in a Bison? Would that be a good thing?

[Reel Tune]

Where can I get the Bison, and Purple Redemption? The only place I've seen the Magnets are BPS.

[Travis C.]

I totally agree with Alpha on the Bison. That color has caught me a ton of fish this year. I have a small box of maybe 14 colors but its the only one that gets used.

[MNfisher]

Where can I get the Bison, and Purple Redemption? The only place I've seen the Magnets are BPS.

I bought a panfish kit at BPS that has the bison in it. Haven't tried it yet. I have looked for purple redemption, but no luck yet. I imagine you could order them off their website.

[Alphahawk]

Alpha, just thinking, do they make the crappie magnet in a Bison? Would that be a good thing?

No jaycee....there is no Bison in the Crappie Magnet. I wish it was and Jeff gets a lot of requests for different colors to be made. But in the end I am sure that color has to sell. When I want a dark color in the Crappie Magnet I use "Midnight Blue".


Regards

[Alphahawk]

Where can I get the Bison, and Purple Redemption? The only place I've seen the Magnets are BPS.

Jeremy,
BPS has them but at times their stock can be not so good. Most just order from the website. Am sending you PM.


Regards

[Alphahawk]

I bought a panfish kit at BPS that has the bison in it. Haven't tried it yet. I have looked for purple redemption, but no luck yet. I imagine you could order them off their website.

I had a little input on the colors in that kit.....such as it was. My experience was that the Gills...which was the reason for the kit....preferred the darker colors. But the "Purple Redemption" is an awesome Small Mouth color.


Regards

[Travis C.]

I picked up my panfish kit and trout neon kit one day at K-mart of all places.