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2 trips in the boat.

1K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  nlcatfish 
#1 ·
Aug. 22nd. I went in my boat tried to net some shad at 4 different spots as I worked my way down river. I was checking for catfish with my fish finder, when I did spot a group of them I then tried to drift fish. It seemed like I was not moving at all so I started using my trolling for the first time. I was sitting back by my steering wheel and could NOT hear the beep of the remote, so I could not tell it the prop was on or off. I just could NOT control how the boat was moving. I then gave up and headed down river to check out a deep hole a guy told me about that he always fished. After a long run with the boat I got there, checked out the hole NO fish showed up with the fish finder so started the long run back up river. I stopped one more time when I did mark some cats, fished for about 30 minutes, then headed for the ramp and home. Nothing for the effort again, did learn I needed to learn how to use that remote with the trolling motor.

Aug. 23rd. I got the boat in the river after netting 1 decent shad at the ramp. I had my lines in the water up river this time at 08:45. A gar ran my reel at 08:50, thought it was going to be a good day. I fished there for an hour nothing so moved down river to my second spot. My suspended rod got hammered, I had a hard time getting the rod out of the rod holder, reduced the drag and the fish was running hard. I finally got the rod up and felt the BIG fish. 3 cranks later it dropped the bait. I had a head and chunk of creek chub; i tore off the chunk piece. I am sure it was a big blue cat the way it nailed that rod and as strong as it felt staying deep. I then went to my next spot as an up river wind kicked in. I did get a tap there at 11:08 on “red hot smokies” but that was it. I went to my last spot and I marked fish there, so I anchored up. No action so I called it a day and head home at 12:15.

Two trips; 1 bite and 3 taps for the effort, very frustrating. I just am not marking fish that often either just not sure where to try next time. . Only bright spot is the temperature was great to be on the river, and the motor worked fine.
 
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#3 ·
agree with Who... also when you find them in a certain depth, keep looking for similar depth, so when you had the nice fish on Id for sure check the depth and keep working the same area, with several drifts through the area, typical in a tourney to only get 1 bite an hour so if your looking for numbers, the heat of the summer is NOT the time to do it. there are times where they stack up but those places are few and far between. ( and heavily guarded too I might add) LOL I tend to find some nice deeper water this time of year and will drift at .3-.5 mph for a half to a mile before I pull up, start again if we got a decent fish on the drift. i
 
#8 ·
Norb, today I fun fished with Tin Guppy, fished between Cinci and NorthBend, was testing out my new to me boat, and TM was having power issues so we just drifted downstream at the speed of the current, .6 mph ( nice cathing the river on a slow rise BTW that always helps the bite) and we landed 9, had 11 hooked, drop bait to bottom, reel up 1 full crank and start drifting. used cut fresh shad, we were in depths of 24 all the way to 57 FOW, found a few fish in about every location and had a bite every 30 minutes or so all day. nothing huge but with one small dink Blue, all others were from 4-11 lbs, a fun day for sure, half blues, half channels. only problem is the occasional snag that's a problem but either break off or use trolling motor and go back to get them. its not hard, we had 8 rods out today. just takes a few times practicing, if I ever get some time Ill try to get you out there for a demo.

Salmonid
 
#10 ·
Thanks Saloons I was pleased to see the current so low for I had thought of just going with current My plans are on hold since O have yo deal with car trouble that pop up thickening. Hopefully that will get cleared up by mid week. I will only try with 2 rods until I get used to what I am doing with the drift fishing.
 
#11 ·
I too never depend on my "depth finder/fish finder" to actually find fish.
I use it to see how deep the water is that I am in, what the bottom structure is, and what is the water temperature.

Often the screen will be full of fish and I don't get a tap, whereas many times I've fished successfully while the screen is barren. Especially trolling for walleye in Canada, it is cause for conversation when a fish shows up on the fish-finder, yet the live well houses a limit.

Now fishing for stripers 60-80 feet down, I absolutely depend on it to find
A) Schools of bait fish
B) Groups of Stripers

Fish where they are and you will put some in the boat.
 
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