Whats been working for everyone here? I’ve been dragging a 1/4″ hair jig and crawler through current seams and breaks with limited success – two 14″ers today. No luck with crankbaits.
I hear of people really killing them, especially the guides and wonder what they are doing?
Confidence has been working well!
Confidence has been working well!
bass-fishing-memes-double-tap-1.jpg.bf97755b2a67a6d769b2e4653b99ff6f.jpg
What area of the river are you fishing?
I would use something a little more aggressive and less subtle than hair right now. The water is warm and fish are looking for food.
Burning cranks(mostly #7 jointed shad raps) over rock has been the best for me, especially on the more isolated rock. I’ve been looking for rock that tops out in 4-10′ of water. The more contact you can make with the rock the better. The fish really seem to be keyed in on that perfect amount of current and they seem to be moving a lot to find it. Even the spots I caught them at good on Friday weren’t necessarily good Saturday, or I found them in slightly different locations on the structure. Hit the key spots, and move on if you don’t contact fish. As a bonus I’ve been catching a couple of these monsters each time out!
20190621_161853.jpg
Covering water. Fish are spreading out. (trolling cranks, pulling bottom bouncers, 3 ways in current areas)
Keep in mind that for a lot of people the bite does start to slow this time of year. There are always people on the fish, but July and August can be tough. I’d assume a sizable mayfly hatch will be taking place in the next couple weeks as well. That coupled with a long hot stretch coming is going to change current patterns on a system that already changes with every day.
Thank you for the replies.
DaveB, I’ve been concentrating on current seams created when east-west cuts empty into larger north-south flowing backwater sloughs. Kind of a water right angle of sorts.
Typically there is a sand bar built up on the inside of where the two currents meet and then the current seam. A bit further down where the current slows is where I’ve been jigging. Throwing jig and crawler up into the current and working it back through the current seam to where the water slows.
1/4oz jig and crawler.
Pool 8.
Pretty slow! Four walleyes the last two days out.
Thanks again.
Tough to say, it changes daily along with the river conditions. Pulled crawlers one day right along a very defined current seam and caught walleye, perch, smallies, etc. Went back to that same spot but the river had dropped a foot, fish were in a completely different location (more out into the current as it was weaker) and much less frequent. We left and ended up doing better the rest of the day by pulling cranks, along rock shores and flats.
Best way to find what pattern works is to try them all, until you find the one that works. If I say dragging crawlers worked yesterday, it doesn’t mean it will tomorrow. Biggest thing I’ve learned when spot-fishing on the river is if you don’t get into fish within 10 minutes, leave and go elsewhere. If its a spot worth fishing, you’ll know quickly.
It sounds like a big bug hatch has happened.
How is everyone changing there presentations to get those full stomach walleyes to go?
Thoughts?
We were out yesterday (not fishing just on a cruise) and didn’t see any evidence of a fresh bug hatch that was large.
The trolling bite has slowed dramatically for me. I really think the food sources are everywhere and with the warm water fish really scatter in the lake. The flow is still really rolling over wingdams, but they seem to be producing the bigger fish I’ve heard of in the last week. If you can hold on a productive one with willowcats fish will be there.
Does anyone have the full top to bottom Schneider Tournament results from yesterday? It sounds like 33# was the winning 5 fish bag. That’s pretty impressive in mid July. Most of the guys I’ve talked with were on fish, but it was tough to get consistent big fish to commit.
We were out yesterday (not fishing just on a cruise) and didn’t see any evidence of a fresh bug hatch that was large.
The trolling bite has slowed dramatically for me. I really think the food sources are everywhere and with the warm water fish really scatter in the lake. The flow is still really rolling over wingdams, but they seem to be producing the bigger fish I’ve heard of in the last week. If you can hold on a productive one with willowcats fish will be there.
Does anyone have the full top to bottom Schneider Tournament results from yesterday? It sounds like 33# was the winning 5 fish bag. That’s pretty impressive in mid July. Most of the guys I’ve talked with were on fish, but it was tough to get consistent big fish to commit.
Scratch that on the big hatch. It’s looking like the upper end of P4 and up through the cities had a substantial one last night
The hatch started here in Pool 2 last Tuesday night. 7/9. Still seeing some out as of last night on pool 3. Would assume were at the tail end of it now.
Jig with a half crawler has been pretty good for the walleyes if you find them shallow.. One of my buddies ran into a good crankbait bite this weekend also that we usually see in early June. Was good to see. The high water still has them up in some shallow water… Really shallow.
Plenty of may flies out Saturday night on Pool 2. Anything with lights was covered with them.
Jig and a crawler shallow was the ticket with most of my fish also, not great size but good numbers.
Tim,
i haven’t been out by my network of buddies have and basically they are burning cranks 2-4 mph and doing very good. some are also pulling crawlers across the
a good buddy of mine is a jig fisherman its all he wants to do typically. I set him up with a denver rig a few years ago because he likes to have a rod in his hand and he also is doing well dragging that rig around with a big ole 7 flickershad.
Crawler and spinner on bottom bouncer. Working the lips and bottoms of shelves/dropoffs where the current allows.
How fast do you guys generally run the Denver rigs?
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
