05-30-2009, 04:31 PM
Hit the lake at about half an hour before the sun came up over the mountain. My brother and I worked our way in and around the ramp trying for gills / perch. (In float tubes). We usually do fairly well straight out from the ramp at a drop off, but they were no where to be found. Caught a few very small bluegill.
I thought skunked at Mantua? How is that even possible? After a few hours of fishing with little success, we decided since the lake was flat it would not take us long to kick over to the point. (Probably the longest distance I've gone in the tube, but it wasn't too bad - luckily when we decided to head back across the wind died down for us!) Throughout the day we'd catch an occasional perch but nothing consistent. No pattern. When I was kicking back to the ramp from the point, I was slowly trolling a needle fish tipped w/ worm and If I kept it near the bottom it wasn't long before I'd catch a perch or weeds[mad] From looking at tubedude's map it looks as if they were at the deepest parts of the lake, right out in the middle.
Once at the point, I noticed large numbers of both bass and bluegill were up real close. I've heard the bass are done spawning, but they are still up shallow. The gills are definately spawning. Probably less than a foot of water out to maybe 3 feet, right up against the bank. They seemed to prefer submerged brush / trees. We probably caught 200 fish - rough estimate.. (Those that fish Mantua know how that can be). There are big gills, small gills and tiny ones. You really have to fight through the small ones sometimes to lang the bigger fish.
If anyone wants to get in on some great fishing, Mantua is pretty hot right now. It took us awhile to figure them out though, a lot of bank tanglers were trying to sight fish for the gills, by just placing a hook and worm or whatever right in front of them. This method was not very effective, 9/10 gills would ignore it after a close inspection. The key, is that you retrieve whatever you are using at a steady slow pace. For whatever reason they bite way better if you keep your bait moving. Anyways, to make a long story short great weather, great fishing. Only down side was that the few gills we kept had eggs in them.
I've been using small curly jigs for gills for years, but I recently started using ice flies for them. The hooks are a little smaller and I find them to be more productive than anything else. They are lighter than a jighead, so they sink sloooowly - deadly for those big gills. They are small, compact, and with a smalll dash for color they will find it. Didn't have any of them swallow a hook today.
Sorry for the long post as always - Tubedude, you think a gill could pop a fat cat's bladder? With their spines? I was bringing one in yesterday and one slapped up against my tube, it crossed my mind?
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I thought skunked at Mantua? How is that even possible? After a few hours of fishing with little success, we decided since the lake was flat it would not take us long to kick over to the point. (Probably the longest distance I've gone in the tube, but it wasn't too bad - luckily when we decided to head back across the wind died down for us!) Throughout the day we'd catch an occasional perch but nothing consistent. No pattern. When I was kicking back to the ramp from the point, I was slowly trolling a needle fish tipped w/ worm and If I kept it near the bottom it wasn't long before I'd catch a perch or weeds[mad] From looking at tubedude's map it looks as if they were at the deepest parts of the lake, right out in the middle.
Once at the point, I noticed large numbers of both bass and bluegill were up real close. I've heard the bass are done spawning, but they are still up shallow. The gills are definately spawning. Probably less than a foot of water out to maybe 3 feet, right up against the bank. They seemed to prefer submerged brush / trees. We probably caught 200 fish - rough estimate.. (Those that fish Mantua know how that can be). There are big gills, small gills and tiny ones. You really have to fight through the small ones sometimes to lang the bigger fish.
If anyone wants to get in on some great fishing, Mantua is pretty hot right now. It took us awhile to figure them out though, a lot of bank tanglers were trying to sight fish for the gills, by just placing a hook and worm or whatever right in front of them. This method was not very effective, 9/10 gills would ignore it after a close inspection. The key, is that you retrieve whatever you are using at a steady slow pace. For whatever reason they bite way better if you keep your bait moving. Anyways, to make a long story short great weather, great fishing. Only down side was that the few gills we kept had eggs in them.
I've been using small curly jigs for gills for years, but I recently started using ice flies for them. The hooks are a little smaller and I find them to be more productive than anything else. They are lighter than a jighead, so they sink sloooowly - deadly for those big gills. They are small, compact, and with a smalll dash for color they will find it. Didn't have any of them swallow a hook today.
Sorry for the long post as always - Tubedude, you think a gill could pop a fat cat's bladder? With their spines? I was bringing one in yesterday and one slapped up against my tube, it crossed my mind?
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