Water is up and the Fish are?

[ScottPugh]

The water is up another 6? or so from Wednesday (8/23), which makes it up at least 12? in a week.? As Andy (Andy) and I went out Saturday afternoon (being the river novices? that we are) we figured the fishing would be slower, as the fish had more places to hide and the water was very dirty with all the recent rain.

Well as we learned real fast (my 1st cast) the fish were still active.? Andy started by tossing small spinner baits, but after seeing me miss that first fish on the first cast on topwater, he changed also.? We pulled a few fish from our first spot and then moved on.? A few fish from each of our next three spots, all of which were bigger in size then our last trips, we were off up river some more where Lance and I hit on Wednesday.

One of Andy's Smallies


Andy?s first cast in this area something big blew up on his top water popper.? My first cast in the same area with a 5? Zarra Spook with props, brought the same fish (or another big fish) flying out of the water, just to drop the bait before I could even feel it.? We tried for 30 minutes to get that fish tossing everything we had, only to pull a few more fish from that spot.? I got an OK fish on a Kick ?N Craw behind the boat on my clicker.? It felt bigger then it was as it had about 75 feet of line out before I could even get a hold of the rod, after the clicker went screaming.? We thought maybe a catfish, but yet another smallie.

Scott Kick N' Craw Smallie


The wife?s were getting antsy for dinner at Andy?s house so we only had a few more minutes.? Those last few minutes had the most action with the biggest fish since we started running the river.? We hit some extreme slack water where it drops to 7+ feet deep 10 feet off the shore.? Andy?s first cast in this area resulted in a nice ~16 1/2? fish with some shoulders.? Another cast and he had a fish come 3 feet out of the water for his popper, just to loose it half way to the boat.? A few more decent fish from this area but not the biggen we were looking for.

Andy's 16 1/2" Smallie


Scott Popper Fish


After trying for a few minutes to get that big fish to corporate, we started off downstream only for a few seconds, when I decided to cast the Zera Spook behind us.? As it hit the water, it was instantly gobbled up by something big.? This time the fight was on and it wasn?t getting away.? I made sure to use the net on this one and it measured out at ~ 17 ?? also with some shoulders.? A few more fish pulled in while drifting down to the landing and we were gone.
?
Scott's 17 3/4"

Andy Shallow Fish


To say these fish were active was an understatement.? Many times we struggled to get the poppers out of the mouths, as they had the entire popper (with the two trebles) inside their mouths.? Sometimes you never know how the fish will react to recent weather / water levels.? ?4 trips to the river in 14 days I think I can officially say I am hooked.? We definitely thought it was going to be slow, but we were wrong.? I hope next time I say it?s going to be slow I am wrong again?

I call this one INHALE


Till Next Time

[Outdoors Junkie]

Great pictures!  It looked like a beautiful day to be on the river.