Been fishin’…….. and not doing too good…….

Say, the part of the Chip I’ve been fishing has weeds down to 4 feet, plenty of chopped weeds to interfere with your presentations, and water that will get to 30′ deep. I spent yesterday morning and all of last Friday out there and all I can find along the shorelines in weeded cover is pike. Yes……. that’s my favorite but I’m chasing muskies and have usually stumbled into bass when I do this, but I haven’t come across anything! Are the fish scattered right now, reacting to colder temps, or have they left the shallows? It’s hard to top water with my rig set up and all the debris so it hasn’t been tried. Any thoughts?

Well in fishing information I have, it says when it is cold, the fish go deep. So topwater, which is easy-strugling food which they should go for, might not work. It also says to use live strugling bait. Maybe shiners or something for your Musky?

I figured if I couldn’t find them shallow, top water wouldn’t be any better but sometimes having it in front of them longer is the key so I thought I’d ask about it.

As for live bait, I’m just a stubborn cuss….. I hate using live bait. I seem to have no problems teaming up in a boat with someone using live bait but I’ve been so spoiled most days by just driving to the landing, throwing the gear in the boat, and getting down to business that I feel like I’m wasting time and money if I stop and get live bait. This is a little “self issue” I think I need to work out! Is there a doctor in the house?

Haha same here about the bait, except worms. I only use shiners for ice fishing.

I was out last night on the mighty Chippewa just south of where the Red Cedar meets the Cippewa. I was fishing some drop offs and caught a ton of bass on crawlers. I was using a lindy rig and also tried a 1/2 oz lime green jig. I was having a tough time hooking the fish at first. They were only biting off the tails of the crawlers. I started using trailer hooks and started catching them. They were stripers. I started using a storm worm and caught a few doing that too. I was really happy I only caught 2 mooneye. NO SHEEPHEAD AMAZING!!!! Everyone had been telling me they haven’t been catching anything, I didn’t do bad at all. I had caught 8 stripers 12-16″ ers and 6 smallies 13-18″ and two largies 16″ and 14″. I’m heading out again tonight to see what damage I can do.

Krisko Ill have to tag along with you sometime. I cant seem to catch a dang Striper.

You can tag along anytime. I went out last night again in and near the same holes. Me and a friend caught several bass, a few nicer 16″er’s but nothing too special. The guy I was fishing with caught a bunch of mooneye. I really hate those things. It got pretty dark and we started to get stripped. I finally caught what I thought was doing it. I caught a 16″ walleye. I’m sure there were more down there. We retrieved several crawlers that seemed to have some teeth marks in them. By the time the night was over we had caught a lot of fish in 2 hrs. The way back to the landing sucked. I had several miles to go in fog. NOT GOOD! In the Chipp there is too many things to hit. I’ll try to get some pictures on here soon. I finally have remembered my camera. Seem to forget or get in a hurry when trying to get out after work.

Thanks for the input Krisko!

Krisko, you just using crawler? You boat there to I imagine?

I’ve mostly been doing lindy rigs. seems to work best. I use a good sized sinker and floating jig head. Crawlers work best, but we caught fish on leaches and minnows too! I use mostly crawlers though cause they stay longer.

Joe a couple of the places I’ve been fishing you can get to by walking to. If you have a 4 wheeler it is even better and you can get to several nice spots. Check your PM’s too you have a message.

Thanks alot Krisko.

I finally have some pics from last week and some from a month ago. Don’t make fun of the glove on my hand. I had a northern on before the bass and didn’t take the time to take the glove off. My girlfriend on the other hand didn’t want to touch them at first. She loves to fish and isn’t afraid to take off a crappie or a gill but will not put her fingers in a bass’ mouth. Enjoy the cookie cutter smallies.

Another 14″ Smallie

and another….see what you keep missing Joe

Ahh, yer makin me jealous. When were these taken? With school startin this week, I feel a pause in the fishin for me, but this weekend is the Sturgeon fest, and you betcha Ima fish it. We will git out soon Krisko.

These were taken about a month ago. I have some more on my film camera from last week. I’ll get them developed soon. I catch these pesky little 14″ bass all the time. I’m lookin for big papa.

Yeah im gittin alota 13 and 14”ers. My buddy got a 17”er by the Hobbs Ice Rink in EC the other day. But im also lookin for the biguns. YOu got any stripers pictures?

Nope….I don’t take the time usually to take pictures of them. I will though, just for you. I’ve caught some big ones lately.

Whats with the crazy walleye’s. I was down by the tressel tonight with Jackie and fish were just a jumping or maybe not really jumping but hitting something on the surface or near it. I thought smallies or whities and tied on my favorite little rattle trap and threw it out past the fish and cranked it right back through the area just under the surface and guess what. WALLEYE’s Not big ones but I saw a couple of dandies that didn’t hit. Usually it’s the other fish. This was less than an hour ago so if you get out and see a commotion on top it may be eye’s. I lost my bait to a tree that’s just under the surface at the the end of the pilings. Know where I’m talking about? Steve

Yep I know what tree your talking about I think. I was out tonight too. I caught 6 eyes on crawlers trolling some rip rap just down from the railroad bridge. I also seen the fish hitting the surface like you said. I couldn’t get any of them to hit a popper. I tried a fat rap and kept is really shallow and near the surface and boom an eye too. I couldn’t believe it. I watched for a little bit and saw they were chasing minnows. That is just unreal.

Man, I just have a fear for popping some times, I have had pike swallow it and taker off. Ive had to keep them and cut the popper out. WOuldnt do them any good, haveing a big lure caught in their mouth. But it is a good bass weapon.

Well I made it out yesterday afternoon to see what I could catch with the river levels up and all. I didn’t think I would be too sucessful but I was wrong. I ended up hitting a favorite walleye spot when the river was down it was producing some good fish. It continued. I caught 3 smaller eyes and 1 20″er. They were just picking the crawler and jig up and not really doing anything with it. I had to use a fairly light action pole.

I moved down river and caught a few bass on the the rip rap just above Durand near the mouth of the Bear Creek. I did better than expected. I like this river level. I’m not nuts about the amount of flow or current. Some of my favorite spots the current is going so fast I can’t float and cast without trying to run the trolling motor a lot.

All in all it is pretty good out there. Fall here yet? I want some crappies and sunnies from the Ol Miss.