Final Countdown 1 Week to go

[Jig-fisher]

Im looking forward to the start as well.  I have purposefully not fished the big river in fear of catching a monster before the contest opens.  (Not likely that it will happen this early). I guess I need to ride out and take a look and see how it is flowing.

Seems like the better fish like to bite just before or just after the contest, but I want to catch'em even if they don't count...  I'd love to find a true champion fish.  However, started doing the motor switch over on my boat and it's going to be a bigger job than I figured... So I probably won't be fishing in the boat to start the contest out... Kept me off the river last night too...

Hey what are your secrets for getting carp and suckers to bite this time of year?  Is it a location thing, or what can I do to catch some fresh bait?  My frozen carp minnows don't seem to excite the cats as much as the fresher cut bait I was using before I ran out...  Guess I need to find some worms and fish them, then I have the chance of getting a carp or catfish while I'm soaking bait...  Do you ever fish the eyes up around the dam?  Guess it's getting that time of year again... I haven't tried since I was young and didn't have a clue what I was doing, still don't much, but I think I do, so I'm dangerous now days...  Anyway good luck and six days... Later Jeff

Tugs are tugs and if the big ones bite early, then you have to after them.  As far ss carp and suckers go, I think it is a location thing.  I have a few sweet spots on the Malad river that seem to always produce something, even when the water is really cold.  I catch them all on pieces of crawler.  I've noticed that just enough worm to cover the hook works best, especially for suckers.  I caught 2 suckers last week in one of the places so I already have several trips worth of bait saved up.

As for the eyes, I have tried up and down the river and have yet to catch one on purpose.  The only ones I've caught have been while soaking bait for cats. I know there is a healthy population in the river, but access to good spots is very limited.