10-22-2011, 11:26 AM
I fished two days last week on CJ which only netted me 6 bass with only 2 being keepers. I was planning on taking my dad fishing this week and given my recent 'success' I didn't think things looked promising.
Tuesday the 18th we got to the lake before daybreak. Got the skunk off our backs early with some dinks. I proceeded up the Snake Arm just trying to develop a pattern. And we developed one heck of a crankbait pattern. The smallies were schooled up big in the shallows and a crankbait was the key to an amazing day on the water with dad.
Here's an early one:
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSC_0545.JPG" />
We decided to keep a few for a picture. Found a huge school and together we caught 11 keepers on 14 casts. We had caught 10 keepers and culled 5 times when we took this picture. Please ignore the goofy
.
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_1482.JPG" />
After releasing these guys we found another school farther up the river. I was also greeted by a very aggressive 19" trout that hit right at the boat with only about 4' of line out. For the day, we caught about 40 bass with 30 being keepers. All fish were caught on minnow and crawfish colored shallow running crankbaits in less than 10ft of water.
Wednesday we greeted by a beautiful sunrise.
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSC_0546.JPG" />
Headed back out with little expectations of repeating the previous days catch. We never found the big schools like the previous day, but still managed to catch some good fish.
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_1505.JPG" />
We managed 15 keepers for the day and several dinks. Same pattern as the day before. It was great getting out and fishing with dad. Some great smallmouth fishing to be had if you can fight through the morning cold.
Chris
[signature]
Tuesday the 18th we got to the lake before daybreak. Got the skunk off our backs early with some dinks. I proceeded up the Snake Arm just trying to develop a pattern. And we developed one heck of a crankbait pattern. The smallies were schooled up big in the shallows and a crankbait was the key to an amazing day on the water with dad.
Here's an early one:
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSC_0545.JPG" />
We decided to keep a few for a picture. Found a huge school and together we caught 11 keepers on 14 casts. We had caught 10 keepers and culled 5 times when we took this picture. Please ignore the goofy
.<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_1482.JPG" />
After releasing these guys we found another school farther up the river. I was also greeted by a very aggressive 19" trout that hit right at the boat with only about 4' of line out. For the day, we caught about 40 bass with 30 being keepers. All fish were caught on minnow and crawfish colored shallow running crankbaits in less than 10ft of water.
Wednesday we greeted by a beautiful sunrise.
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/DSC_0546.JPG" />
Headed back out with little expectations of repeating the previous days catch. We never found the big schools like the previous day, but still managed to catch some good fish.
<img src="http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_1505.JPG" />
We managed 15 keepers for the day and several dinks. Same pattern as the day before. It was great getting out and fishing with dad. Some great smallmouth fishing to be had if you can fight through the morning cold.
Chris
[signature]