Nickajack 10-28-11

[Alphahawk]

I realize the pics are not up to standard but it was raining and I did not want to risk getting camera wet. There are 15 Crappie in the cooler-sink. Two of them are 12 inch fish. The rest are either 14 inches or so close you would call them 14 inches. It rained on me the whole time I was catching fish. I caught a lot of small Spots...7-8 inches....several 7 inch Shell Crackers and quite a few really big Gills. All of the fish were holding tight to cover....right next to a wall or right on the edge of a rocky drop off. After I caught my 15th Crappie I wanted to try and cull out the two 12 inch fish. It stopped raining and you immediately felt the air becoming cold and dryer. I fished for another hour and not another bite from anything. I decided to call it quits at 4:00PM. I was wet and my new Keen waterproof boots are not waterproof...so back to REI. I did not go to the hole that holds the really big Crappie. I keep telling myself I am going to fish there first but I am always afraid someone will get my other spot. I am really surprised at the quality of the Crappie coming out of Nickajack. They are every bit as good as the ones I catch on KY Lake...below Pickwick Dam. There was only one boat on the lake that I could see...and he must have been catching fish because he did not move the whole time. Sooner or later I am going to get around to fishing 3 more spots I have found on the map that I think might be good spots.


Regards

[Travis C.]

Nice job.

It looks like something was gained. I couldn't make it out to fish so I did the next best thing...took the little ones to Bass Pro.

That stinks about the boots. I have never had waterproof ones that actually worked. So, I just buy decent ones then spray them myself. If its a good shot a being wet bank fishing I'll wear my waders, wading boots and rain jacket. I get funny looks sometimes but I am not getting wet or cold. Then I take them off and get in the car dry.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Travis C.

Nice job.

It looks like something was gained. I couldn't make it out to fish so I did the next best thing...took the little ones to Bass Pro.

That stinks about the boots. I have never had waterproof ones that actually worked. So, I just buy decent ones then spray them myself. If its a good shot a being wet bank fishing I'll wear my waders, wading boots and rain jacket. I get funny looks sometimes but I am not getting wet or cold. Then I take them off and get in the car dry.

Thanks. I need to get to Bass Pro sometime soon. The only boot that leaked was the right one. How good does the spray work? I have thought many times about wearing my waders and wading jacket when it is raining.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

How good does the spray work?

It works well for me. I usually go above the required directions and give it extra coats but ensuring at least a day or so drying out between.

You should try your waders/jacket on those wet long days when the fish are biting. They are designed to keep water out. Some who fish are looks conscious but I am a functionality kinda guy. Things need to have more than one use for me.

I'll give you this tip I use on the Caney in really cold weather. I always layer my lower but since most time they are moving or in the water they won't get as cold as my upper does. For my topside I will layer with an under armour shirt, thermal, sweatshirt and jacket tucked in my waders then put my Frogg Toggs jacket on top of the waders. It's weather and wind resist as is my jacket but breathable as well as thin light weight material. It keeps water off and everything under keeps me warm and I never notice a bulky difference in not having it on or having it on. I have wade fished in Dec, Jan, Feb at night and day up there with that set up never get cold. Even getting water on my arms from fish or casting doesn't affect it because my outer jacket is just as water proof as my waders. I do carry several pair of water/wind resist gloves to change out as needed for my hands.

Buy Muck boots from CO-OP! They are some of the best boots made I think.I just got my daughter a pair for hunting and they are water proof!You can get them insulated or not.Have you fished the spot near the dam I told you about yet?

[master_cat]

one word frog togs i stay dry alll day great rain suite and boots wise i wear wolverines

[Alphahawk]

I have tried Frog Toggs...Gore Tex....Cabelas Dry Wear....bought more rain wear than I care to admit to....in all price ranges. I have never seen any of the so called breathable stuff hold up in an all day rain after a couple of times using. It all eventually saturates. I have talked to many fellow fisherman and many guides who will tell you the same thing. The only thing I know of that will keep you dry is the old fashion slicker type rain suits worn by commercial fisherman.....and oil skin jackets. But unless you are being pretty inactive or it is very cold you will really sweat in those two types of garments. I bought a nice OutBack oil skin coat from Cabelas that was on sale for 35 dollars...originally 165 dollars. I wore it all last year and it never leaked once even fishing in 8 hour downpours. I also have an oil skin hat that is also waterproof..as long as you wax it after each season. Waxing a hat is one thing..a whole oil skin coat is something else...so when the coat starts to leak I will no loner wear it in wet weather. As for the boots my feet are so deformed I can only wear Keens that have the wide toe box that lets me be half way comfortable. I have worn the Keen brand for many years and not had any problems....until now. That is why I buy at REI...I can take them back even after wearing them for a year and tell them I don't like them and get my money back...it is a great store. I may just try Travis's idea of using something like Tectron to spay on the rain wear I have now.

Regards

[bd-]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

After I caught my 15th Crappie I wanted to try and cull out the two 12 inch fish.

Sorry to ask, but how do you keep your fish? I see a yellow rope stringer in the right corner of the second picture. If you're keeping fish on a stringer, you really shouldn't cull them out once they're on the stringer. A fish that has been on a stringer for very long is likely to die even if released alive.

bd

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by bd-

Sorry to ask, but how do you keep your fish? I see a yellow rope stringer in the right corner of the second picture. If you're keeping fish on a stringer, you really shouldn't cull them out once they're on the stringer. A fish that has been on a stringer for very long is likely to die even if released alive.

bd

Ninety five percent of the time I keep my fish in a very large basket. When I catch a Crappie I know immediately if the fish is going home with me or not. Those fish always go in the basket. What the pics do not show are two buckets I carry with me. I have a seat on top of them as they are stacked together to keep me from sitting so low. If I catch a legal fish but think I will get a bigger one those fish will go into the bucket filled with water and I change the water out as needed. Depending on water temp I may accumulate 5 fish and if I think they are becoming distressed I will walk up to the car and go ahead and put them on ice. Culling fish on a stringer is darn near impossible without a lot of trouble...losing fish...fish mortality and so on. If I do not have my basket with me for some reason if it goes on the stringer it goes home with me. Many times I will just throw a fish back as I am fairly sure I will get bigger ones. What you do not see in that picture is the fish basket that stringer is attached to. There have been a couple of times I forgot to put the basket back in the car after taking it out and washing but as I said...if it goes on the stinger it is going home with me.

Regards

[bd-]

Ok. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to imply anything, I was just asking. At first I figured the fish probably were kept in a fish basket, since they had red jaws and shredded tails and that's usually a sign they've been kept in a wire basket for a while. But then I saw the stringer in the photo so I wasn't sure.

bd

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by bd-

Ok. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to imply anything, I was just asking. At first I figured the fish probably were kept in a fish basket, since they had red jaws and shredded tails and that's usually a sign they've been kept in a wire basket for a while. But then I saw the stringer in the photo so I wasn't sure.

bd

No offense was taken. bd believe me when I tell you I have looked at every conceivable way to keep fish....keep them alive. I am not going to bring home 2 Crappie to clean. If I am going to clean fish..well I am going to clean fish. My cut off is 5. If I get 5 they are coming home. Lower than that I release. An item that I like is a huge mesh like fish basket...but I am afraid it will tear in the rocks. It stays expanded and the fish have plenty of room. I saw my first one from a guy that came to Pickwick from Minnesota to fish.

Regards

[bd-]

You can fill a large cooler with water and put an aerator pump on it - I have done that to keep trout alive many years ago when I used them for striper bait. It works as well as a boat livewell as long as you keep the water fresh. It would be an extra thing to carry when you're bank fishing though.

bd

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by bd-

You can fill a large cooler with water and put an aerator pump on it - I have done that to keep trout alive many years ago when I used them for striper bait. It works as well as a boat livewell as long as you keep the water fresh. It would be an extra thing to carry when you're bank fishing though.

bd

Yeah I have the aerator but it is just too much to carry. This Spring all my posts on fishing trips....or most of them anyway.....I will be fishing out of a kayak. This is going to make it much easier for me...and a lot more comfortable.

Regards