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What I Look For WHEN I HIT THE LAKE To Land Bass Hog

 

 
I am going to use the last week trip I did to Pick Wick Lake.
 
When I hit the lake what I am looking at is.
 
1. What are the shad doing.
2. Where are the shad bunched up.
3. Water temp.
4. Air temp
5. Is it overcast or a clear (Blue Bird) day.
6. See if the fish are talking to me.
7. Check out more than just one spot.
8. Fish Grass, Rock, and Wood
 
O.K. when I hit the lake I started off in Indian Creek (J.P. Coleman), I noticed real fast I was not seeing the shad as I did this same time last year.
 
The water temp was about 68 degrees on the surface and we have had no freezing temps that have lasted more than a day. The outside air temp was about 72 degrees and no wind.
 
It was a clear day and I started off with a Rattle Trap that would look like a shad (Chrome and Blue) and this is what the bass should be feeding on very heavy right now.
 
 
 
I started in the back of Indian Creek and still was not
seeing any shad. I did manage to catch a small bass about 9 inches but the creek did not produce another fish.
 
I tried a worm, Shaky Head Jig, and a Spinner Bait
with nothing. The fish were not busting the top so that told me a Top Water Bait would not produce.
 
Proceeded to next spot State Line Island looking for the grass on the back side (East Side), did not see the grass like in the years past, but did see some skip jack paying on top of the grass, but nothing busting them. That pretty much took the afternoon and it was time to return to the ramp.

Day 2


Decided the next morning to go to Bear Creek in Alabama and look down there for the signs of fish activity.

I proceeded into the back of a cove and all three on
board my boat were catching small bass 11 inches.
 
We still had yet to find the larger fish, and as we were coming out of the cove I saw a point that had rocks
off in the water and it just looked to me like a prime spot for a big fish.
Little did I know then I was about to unlock the secret of the lake that would last all week.
 
I picked up my Top Water Rod with a Buzz Bait tied on at 1pm in the afternoon and threw it up close to the bank.
 
My fishing partner looked at me as if I had lost my mind throwing a Top Water Bait this late in the day.
 
 

 

Choose an image to begin

 

 
 
All of a sudden the water exploded and looked as if someone had flushed the toilet, I set the hook and knew right then I had a decent fish on. It turned out to be a 5
pound Small Mouth Bass and that is the biggest one I have caught so far in my life.
 
We spent most of the day in Bear Creek catching some nice Bass and then went back to the cabin.

Day 3


The next morning I decided to try another spot Dry Creek that is known to hold some big fish, and it paid off just as well as Bear Creek with Large Mouth Bass, and all were caught on a Buzz Bait fished all day.

My partner John did throw a 1/2 ounce white Spinner Bait and caught a 3 pound bass just as the Spinner Bait was falling next to the rock wall, but that was it and not enough to build a pattern.
 
The shad were up on top and every fish was feeding like crazy you just had to weed through the white bass with a Rattle Trap to get to the Large Mouth because they were there.
 
While throwing Rattle Traps, I saw across the cove some
activity along the bank and knew that the bass were pushing the shad up to the shallows then the water became alive.
 
I trolled over and threw the Buzz Bait and caught three nice Large Mouth right up against the bank.
 
Anglers got to admit I have never had a whole week of fishing a Buzz Bait all day and my shoulder let me know about if when I returned home.
 
Remember to fish the grass, wood, and rocks; I promise you one of them will produce.
 
I hope that this will help you zone in on the fish before the real cold stuff sets in and stop and think before you take off that all conditions are safe.
 
 
Hazard Often Overlooked In The Excitement Of Fishing 
 
These are days that will produce some heavy fog and the month of October took two anglers to fish the lake in HEAVEN, because they chose to take off anyway knowing they could not see.
 
DO NOT DEPEND ON YOUR GPS it does not show you boats in the water.
 
Keep The Hooks Wet!
 
 

Steve McGoldrick

 

 

 


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