Mantua on 20 August

[dubob]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]I decided that catching all those bluegills last week was just too much like fun, and I needed another shot at it. A buddy and I were on the water a little after 8 AM. There were only two other boats there before us. The water was like glass.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]We headed over to the northeast bay again and found a hole with about 14 feet of water and put down our single hooks with a meal worm attached. Well, it took a very long time for the first fish to be hauled aboard the boat – maybe 5 seconds. The count was 10 each before the first 15 minutes had passed. Then it really did die down, so we moved.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]This time we went out towards the middle and were west of the point in about 16 feet of water. The bite would come and go and when we quit at Noon, we each had boated over 50 fish each. There was one bass (maybe 12 inches) and one perch (also almost 12 inches) caught along with all the gills. These were also caught early on the meal worms.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]We ran out of the one container of meal worms in about 90 minutes and then started using crawler pieces. The meal worms were better producers. Next time I’ll be sure to have 3 or 4 packs of them.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]I tried several different lure and bait combinations and had success with some, but not all, of them. The best combination was a single hook and a meal worm.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]I even put out a curly tail plastic worm out on a second pole and watched the tip dance all morning long. It was hit so many times that the curly section was gone and the last one inch or so was chewed to shreds. However, nothing was big enough to take it and the hook and it went fishless.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]The wind came up about 10:30 and there were small whitecaps. It was very tough to get my small anchor to hold. We were dragged along for at least 30 minutes before it got hung in some very thick weeds. But we were catching fish and didn’t worry about it too much.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]We kept 17 fish for the skillet. It was a good day. Life is good.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[bassrods]

Thanks for the INFO on the bite I will be up there with the DWR Monday and Tuesday...
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[wiperhunter2]

Nice report Bob, what size hooks were you using and where did you buy your meal worm? Last question, how deep were you catching the fish? Sounds like you guys had some fun[].
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[dubob]

[quote wiperhunter2]Nice report Bob, what size hooks were you using and where did you buy your meal worm? Last question, how deep were you catching the fish? Sounds like you guys had some fun[].[/quote]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]I have no idea what size the hooks are - small, but not too small. I just know that a meal worm fits nicely on them.
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As far as where I got the meal worms, again I don't know. I've had them in the refrigerator since ice fishing season. When left out to warm up, they became very active and caught lots of fish.
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We were fishing in 14 to 16 feet of water and were drop shoting about 2 feet off the bottom give or take.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Almost any pet store carries meal worms as feed for small reptiles and amphibians. Usually better quality...and cheaper...than tackle shops.[/#0000ff]
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[wiperhunter2]

That is what I was thinking also but you rarely hear of anyone using meal worm this time of the year[:/], from the reports I have read anyway. Since Bob doesn't know, maybe you can help answer my question. What size hooks do you think would be the best for those gills?
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[Kent]

Curt go small. Size 10 or 12 would be about right.
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Kent, I'll give that a try when I get out there.Do you know if the catching gets better in the fall, maybe bigger fish?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Curt, the bitty size 10 hooks are fine, but the fish tend to swallow them more. I mostly use the little bait bugs I make...in size 6. Those same ones you use for ice fishing...the red head and chartreuse body...are great in Mantua. And, just a half of mealworm helps seal the deal.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In truth, once you find the fish in that pond it is hard to find something THEY WON'T HIT. But, there are always days when they show a preference. That is why it is good to go with an assortment of small jigs in different colors...and to have crawlers, meal worms and perch meat all available. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have found that if I want to catch the larger fish, and more perch, I do better with a piece of perch meat on a light colored jigs...white or chartreuse. For big bluegill and for bass, I go darker...black, olive, brown or purple...and use crawler.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the fish are active, they will hit just about anything. I have pictures in my archives of 9" bluegill caught on 4" plastics with a 1/0 hook. I had a "honey hole" in the weeds when all I had to do is drop that straight down...and it never did reach bottom. I would have a bass, perch or bluegill when it stopped falling.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, when the fish have been hammered or there is a lot of boating activity that has them more cautious, it is hard to beat mealworms. That natural insect aroma gets them to open their mouths when they just swim away from anything else.[/#0000ff]
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Pat, hopefully I'll get a chance to get out there and give it a try[:/].
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[Kent]

Curt, on another thread I posted some GPS coordinates for the area that we fished that was literally non-stop catching if one used crawlers. And almost non-stop action one day with perch meat and much slower the next trip when we tried perch meat.
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Kent, the cords I wrote down from that thread are, N41* 30.350'
W111* 56.201'
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