04-22-2024, 02:50 PM
Disclaimer up front: I fished two trips that were less than two hours each, so not a large sample size.
Friday I launched at 7:30 PM, headed to my number one spot, casted out first rod and before I got the second rod baited I had caught my first 18" channel. The night continued about the same way, every time I'd try to work on the second rod I'd get a bite. I had issues hooking them again and missed a lot of hits, but did finally get the second rod out. I was using night crawlers, but they were sort of rotten, can you smell it? Anyway the fish didn't care, it was the best trip I think I've had in a long time. I landed a 22.5" channel that was the biggest one landed for the night and all the fish are really fat and healthy looking... For my last bait up of the night about 8:30, It took a little longer to get a hit, but that fish was crazy it ran from the front of the boat to the back and turned around and did it again, I couldn't even slow it down. I got to see a huge tail way behind where my line was coming out of water, so this one was probably 28 +, but I never got it landed, the hook pulled out and I lost the best fish I've had on this season... Very fun night even if it did end with a little disappointment, guess I tried to horse it in too fast when I should have played it out... (I think I landed 6-7 fish and missed or lost at least that many more)
Saturday I launched at 7:15 PM, headed to the same spot, but didn't have any crawlers and was fishing carp chunks. It was much slower. I started the night with a 14" channel and then pulled the hook out of about 3 fish in a row and then caught another 22" fish and finished up the night with a 17" channel. Some big fish in the area tonight, but they would get up to my bait and spook and take off in a big swirl. They were definitely recognizing something wasn't right, even though I was rigged the same as I was with the crawlers, except for the bait. Funny the carp filled the hook much better than the worms, but they didn't like something. Anyway I didn't plan on getting out either time, hench my poor bait conditions, but I was glad I ran down for those two quick trips... I need to plan ahead better for my next unplanned trip... Later J
Friday I launched at 7:30 PM, headed to my number one spot, casted out first rod and before I got the second rod baited I had caught my first 18" channel. The night continued about the same way, every time I'd try to work on the second rod I'd get a bite. I had issues hooking them again and missed a lot of hits, but did finally get the second rod out. I was using night crawlers, but they were sort of rotten, can you smell it? Anyway the fish didn't care, it was the best trip I think I've had in a long time. I landed a 22.5" channel that was the biggest one landed for the night and all the fish are really fat and healthy looking... For my last bait up of the night about 8:30, It took a little longer to get a hit, but that fish was crazy it ran from the front of the boat to the back and turned around and did it again, I couldn't even slow it down. I got to see a huge tail way behind where my line was coming out of water, so this one was probably 28 +, but I never got it landed, the hook pulled out and I lost the best fish I've had on this season... Very fun night even if it did end with a little disappointment, guess I tried to horse it in too fast when I should have played it out... (I think I landed 6-7 fish and missed or lost at least that many more)
Saturday I launched at 7:15 PM, headed to the same spot, but didn't have any crawlers and was fishing carp chunks. It was much slower. I started the night with a 14" channel and then pulled the hook out of about 3 fish in a row and then caught another 22" fish and finished up the night with a 17" channel. Some big fish in the area tonight, but they would get up to my bait and spook and take off in a big swirl. They were definitely recognizing something wasn't right, even though I was rigged the same as I was with the crawlers, except for the bait. Funny the carp filled the hook much better than the worms, but they didn't like something. Anyway I didn't plan on getting out either time, hench my poor bait conditions, but I was glad I ran down for those two quick trips... I need to plan ahead better for my next unplanned trip... Later J
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!