Hybrids and white bass
 

Hybrids can be caught on Priest now but ya gotta work for them.
Took some clients out today and it was tough for the first 2 hours.
Trolling back in Hong Kong/Pooles Knob, we managed to catch 12 hybrids and 8 white bass.
It should only get better the further we get into winter.

I tried 7 points today and nothing. I guess I need to go to the upper end.

None for me Friday. We found tons of bait and birds but no fish. We ended up with a couple bass and that was it.

That's good effort. My BIL and I trolled and cast around hong kong and the water intake yesterday from 2 til dark . . . zippo. Couldn't even catch bait with cast net. :(

Cold front days
 

These cold fronts really depress the catch rates.
The fish aren't hungry so you have to entice and/or provoke the hits.
And it isn't always a guaranteed thing.
Last week took clients out, caught 50 hybrid/white bass/largemouth. Cold front came through that night. I took clients out the next day, we caught ONE FISH.
Three days of stable weather, took clients out and caught 51 and I ended the trip. We could have caught 70+, cause we quit at 1:00.
Cold front moved in, took clients out the day after and caught 8 and was glad we caught those.
Yesterday was tough in the morning until I got on a pattern that produced 25 fish for us.
Today, Sunday, could be another tough day.
Glad I'm sitting in my recliner drinking coffee!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...de9acaa2be.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...23e5a5c04a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d5b97d58d9.jpg

good posts ageless, can you comment about what you do different when its sunny vs cloudy?

Looks like Happy clients Merv,,,,,,, and sweet gar also. LOL

Merv good to see you at Long Hunter ramp Saturday. Like I mentioned I found a lot of bait in Bryant’s grove and caught some white bass. Seen a lot of gar back there too. Glad you caught em with your client.


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Hamilton Creek/ Anderson Rd. 15' year after year.

Had another guide call me yesterday and asked where I was catching.
I told him and he said he was in Hamilton Creek and would try there for a coupla hours.
An hour later, he was fishing within a 1/4 mile of me.

I slow my trolling speed from 1.4 mph down to 1.2, switch from 3 inch swimbaits down to two inchers

I switch from 3" down to these 2".
You'll lose some fish due to the size and strength of the hooks.
I've had two out of the three hooks broken off during the fight but better to catch some rather than none.
When it's a cold front day, I'm scratching for any bite I can get.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f3930b54e2.jpg

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I order A-rigs out of China @ $4.00 apiece, and buy 20 at a time.
Then I replace three of the snap swivels with stronger split rings and snap swivel.
The snaps that come on these are not very strong and you'll lose a lot of fish by leaving them stock.
Now that I've told everything, I expect to see lots of reports about monster catches!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c11931a274.jpg

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I seen another guide leave the boat ramp wonder if that’s who your talking about?


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Did he have a deep Vee with a white or silver motor?
Bob Angello was out there, also Billy Flatt. He's got the boat that looks like it's got a cabin on the front, red and white I believe.

It was Bob


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Thanks for the update Merv. Was wondering if the fish has moved in down there yet

There is tons of bait and whitebass or hybrid in the creek channel by the little island between 7points and Vivrette. I couldn't catch any but they r there. They were in about 15 fow. Water was very stained in Suggs Creek

I feel better knowing I am not the only one getting skunked in there. There is so much bait/fish my graph wouldn’t show bottom.

Lol. It was frustrating.

4.5 is frustrating at times with all the bait and no fish too. Though have been catching some whites trolling A rigs out there

Why do the Shad move into the creeks when it gets colder? I never understood what happens and why.

Seems they can run up to warmer banks during the day before the deep freeze as I have noticed this on Ky . Lake

I do not recommend fishing with Billy Flatt at all. That’s all I’ll say at this time.


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Hoping to find a few when they make there way up river from the bank...We shall see

Hey Merv. Curious, do you usually use any additional weights with those? Or are those heads already weighted? If so, how heavy are they?

The heads are not weighted nor do I add weight .
What I do is use different weight jig heads on the swimbaits. I make my own jigheads, using mustad hooks from a 1/0 to a 3/0 anywhere from 3/16th oz up to 1/2 oz.
I'll have out 4-6 Arigs with four different weight jiginheads, all set at 80 feet back. Whichever rig gets hit the most is usually the depth the fish are holding at that day.
And that can be anywhere from 15-30 feet.

I can personally attest that when Merv has weight and depth and bait nailed down, its almost comical the amount of fish he boats. Last year on different trips i was either in front, on the side or behind him, trolling A-rigs....same speed, same area and he would boat 4-5 fish to my one at least. Lol. I dont have line counter reels so if i was a few feet off high or low that was making the difference. I just stood in my boat, little tear in my eye every time i heard him holler "fish on" and i look at my rods and they were just as still as could be. Lol.

That was probably because you had skillet on the boat with you.
That's an albatross for sure!

I was thinking the same thing Merv, but i just didnt want to say it....you know how girly and emotional he can be...i didnt want to see a grown man ugly crying in my boat.