09-22-2014, 04:28 AM
I usually fish Oneida several times a season, but for some reason it just didn't happen much this year. I first headed up there at the end of April, but it was a weekend, and I turned around and left as soon as a got to the dam parking lot. I wanted no part in that circus. I finally made it back up in June, but the cicadas were thick and the air was hot and still. I didn't have a fly rod with me unfortunately, and the fish were being very selective. They would rush my popper and turn away at the last minute. I caught a few subsurface, but it just wasn't worth the effort, so I left for greener (largemouth) pastures.
Well, last week I made myself forgo the sure thing with my little green friends, and I headed up along The Bear to my destination. Some unforeseeable events arose that led to me not getting onto the water until 1pm. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to find clear water with great visibility and temps around 63ยบ. I was hoping for a jerkbait bite, and I got it.
It didn't take long to start getting into the smallies. I covered about a mile of shoreline before returning to my car, and I managed 41 bass. The vast majority hit suspending jerkbaits, though I did pick up a handful on a lipless crank, and a few on a dropshot as well. I didn't find anything huge, but they were fat and sassy with beautiful markings.
[inline "smallie small.jpg"]
The biggest surprise though was that the walleye were really digging the jerkbaits too. I ended up with four of them, best at 21".[inline "eye 2 small.jpg"]
[inline "eye small.jpg"]
I keep hearing about the smallmouth eating the walleye fry in there, but this little guy took this smallmouth colored jerkbait with gusto.
[inline "hungry eye small.jpg"]
I'm sure there are a lot of smallmouth that end up in the gullets of the resident walleye population (not that I have a problem with that, they could use a thinning).
I also caught a green sunfish on the dropshot, and I lost a nice trout that looked to be in the 18-20" range when it death rolled on the surface and spat out my jerkbait. That was a first for me at Oneida. I knew they were in there, but I'd never hooked one until then.
While I'm anxious to get back up there,
ly work and home repairs are going to likely keep me away until October. Darn it [frown]
[signature]
Well, last week I made myself forgo the sure thing with my little green friends, and I headed up along The Bear to my destination. Some unforeseeable events arose that led to me not getting onto the water until 1pm. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to find clear water with great visibility and temps around 63ยบ. I was hoping for a jerkbait bite, and I got it.
It didn't take long to start getting into the smallies. I covered about a mile of shoreline before returning to my car, and I managed 41 bass. The vast majority hit suspending jerkbaits, though I did pick up a handful on a lipless crank, and a few on a dropshot as well. I didn't find anything huge, but they were fat and sassy with beautiful markings.
[inline "smallie small.jpg"]
The biggest surprise though was that the walleye were really digging the jerkbaits too. I ended up with four of them, best at 21".[inline "eye 2 small.jpg"]
[inline "eye small.jpg"]
I keep hearing about the smallmouth eating the walleye fry in there, but this little guy took this smallmouth colored jerkbait with gusto.
[inline "hungry eye small.jpg"]
I'm sure there are a lot of smallmouth that end up in the gullets of the resident walleye population (not that I have a problem with that, they could use a thinning).
I also caught a green sunfish on the dropshot, and I lost a nice trout that looked to be in the 18-20" range when it death rolled on the surface and spat out my jerkbait. That was a first for me at Oneida. I knew they were in there, but I'd never hooked one until then.
While I'm anxious to get back up there,
ly work and home repairs are going to likely keep me away until October. Darn it [frown][signature]
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