How Good Will the Salmon Run Be This Year On the Salmon River

Full Swing On The Salmon River

from The Fishing Wire

Every year the anticipation for salmon season is high and as we inch closer to the “big run” we always wonder how good of a year its going to be? In early June I took a charter out of Oswego, NY with our good friend Captain Kevin Keller of Fish Chopper Charters. We had nonstop action from the moment we put the first rod in the water until we called off the trip by late morning with sore arms. Typically, when you have great numbers of salmon that early and throughout July and August it tends to lead to an above average return year in the river. Since then the lake reports from charter captains around the eastern basin of Lake Ontario have been incredible, with large numbers of fish and larger than average fish size. Although there are many tributaries to find salmon throughout September and October we consider our home water to be the world famous Salmon River in Pulaski, NY.

Each year the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation stocks both King and Coho salmon, which will return to spawn 3-4 years later. The wild card on how many fish will return to the river can also depend on the natural spawning that occurs each fall. In my opinion this is one of those years where we had a high rate of successful natural reproduction from 3-4 years ago. There are many factors that lead to great natural spawning years and high returns, many of which are hard to pin point. Typically, higher than average water flows during the spawning timeframe leads to less angling pressure. When you combine less angling pressure and higher than average water flows when the smolt swim back to the lake you have a recipe for success. Predation from other fish and birds play a large factor in this equation, but when everything works out in favor of salmon spawning and smolt survival you have big numbers of returning fish!

Many people associate salmon fishing with crowded, shoulder to shoulder rivers using barbaric tactics to fight these fish. However, over the last couple decades I’ve seen a great transformation in the way anglers respect the space of each other in addition to their angling methods. There are always a few bad apples in the bunch that ruin the experience for some but you can say that about most anything in life. Having fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY for over 30 years I can honestly still say I look forward to the return of these fish in the river and everything that goes along with fishing for them. My advice to you if you are inexperienced or have never done this is to take a walk away from the crowds and carve out your own little piece of salmon fishing paradise. Personally, I would rather fight or land a few fish or nothing at all than be crowded amongst hundreds of other anglers. If you are experienced or a veteran of this fishery take a couple minutes out of each trip to educate and help others be successful.

Continue reading at www.cortlandline.com

Shark Fishing: A Beginner’s Guide

If You Want To Go Shark Fishing here Is A Beginner’s Guide To Get You Started

from The Fishing Wire

With Braided Line And Relatively Small High-Performance Reels That Pack A Punch, Learning How To Shark Fish Is Easier Than Ever Before.

Big fish, big teeth and big gear all conspire to make shark fishing an intimidating pursuit. But you don’t have to be Captain Quint, strapped into a fighting chair with a coffee-can-sized reel and a pool-cue rod, in order catch sharks. In fact, with braided line and relatively small high-performance reels that pack a punch, learning how to shark fish is easier than ever before.

Shark Fishing Tackle

Big game tackle has really evolved over the last few years. The size of the equipment that we used to use for striped bass, we now use for school bluefin tuna, and what we used for school bluefin tuna, we can now use for sharks. This is primarily due to today’s thin-diameter braided lines and the changes tackle manufacturers have made to keep up with the braided line. PowerPro 80-pound-test is the same diameter as 18-pound-test monofilament. We can spool 600-yards of 80-pound test braid onto reels that would only be able to hold 150 yards of 80-pound-test monofilament. This allows us to use smaller reels but have the same amount of line that we had on larger, heavier reels.

The advancements in fishing lines have pushed reel manufacturers to produce lighter, stronger, smaller and more powerful reels. The tackle manufacturers have beefed up the drags on the smaller reels to accommodate braided lines and powerful fish. On the Insufishent Funds charter boats, we traded in our large 50-wide reels for much smaller Shimano Talica 25s loaded with more than 600 yards of 80-pound-test braided line with a 50- to 100-yard topshot of 80-pound-test monofilament. This is a difference of almost 3 pounds in the weight of the reel alone! This not only cuts the weight of our outfit in half, but it also gives us the ability to set the hook with much more control and a lot less stretch than when we used straight monofilament. Now my anglers are fighting the fish and not the rod and reel.

The rod advancements have changed dramatically, as well. We are now able to use much lighter rods that have the same line ratings as the older, heavier rods. We use Shimano Terez TZCX66XXH rods which are designed specifically for braided line. These rod and reel combos, partnered with a good fighting belt and harness, have drastically reduced our fight times. That is good for the angler and good for the shark, especially if you plan on practicing catch and release.

Our standard shark rig on the Insufishent Funds is fairly simple. We use 15 feet of 480-pound-test American Fishing Wire multi-strand cable connected to a 500-pound-test AFW Mighty Mini Swivel with 10 feet of AFW 240-pound-test single-strand wire connected to the hook. For our weighted rig, we add a 3-ounce weighted swivel in between the multi-strand and single strand. If drift conditions are faster than 3 knots, we add additional weight to the rig with a rubber band. Mustad 7699d hooks work the best in sizes ranging from an 8/0 for small baits, all the way up to the 11/0 for our largest strip baits.

Where To Fish

Finding the right place to set up your chum slick is critical. When we are looking for a good place to set up, I find it to be a lot like hunting. First, we start with areas of structure – ledges, holes, and wrecks.

Once in these areas, we start looking for rip lines or any disturbances or changes in the surface waters. These can even be slick lines from a feeding frenzy that may have happened before we arrived or may be happening under the surface. Sometimes they can be small pockets of baitfish or flocks of birds in an area. We like to see any of these signs coupled with water temperatures between 65 and 68 degrees.

On the Insufishent Funds, we always drift, in order to cover more ground. Once we set our slick, we are constantly looking for sharks to engage. Sometimes you see the birds that are sitting in the water all of a sudden take flight, or you notice that the bluefish that were hanging out in the slick have all of a sudden disappeared. The birds and bluefish both know not to stick around when a shark comes to visit.

Chum Slick

Once we have located a place to fish, we set up two buckets of chum. Typically, we tie one bucket off of the bow and one bucket off the stern. This helps jumpstart the slick and gives us a constant flow of chum. After we go through the first two buckets, we switch over to one bucket set off the midship cleat for the remainder of the day. We use chum bags that are specifically designed for a 5-gallon bucket of chum. In an 8-hour day of fishing, we usually bring six 5-gallon buckets of chum. During tournament time, we bring eight 5-gallon buckets because we chum a little heavier then.

We also bring a 75-quart cooler full of bluefish or bunker to use for chumming. We add in some fresh cut bunker and bluefish chunks to spice up the slick, but are careful not to overdo it. The goal is to attract the sharks, not feed them.

Carp Are A Blast To Catch On A Rod

Carp: A ‘Golden’ Opportunity?

from The Fishing Wire

Reputations Aside, Carp Are Still A Blast To Catch On A Rod. In Fact, Carp Are Considered A Premier Sportfish In Europe And Asia, And They Support Valuable Fisheries There.

Any angler who recreates in and around the Snake River has likely come face to face with a common carp at some point. Built like a tank and equipped with large scales, serrated fins, and whiskers, these golden-colored fish don’t look like they belong around here. Given their large size and tendency for feeding in shallow backwaters, they are also hard to miss. While they are generally criticized or outright disregarded by anglers, they do present a “golden” fishing opportunity for those looking for a new challenge.

Common carp can grow to a very large size

Common Carp are a fish native to Eurasia that can reach impressive sizes, some over 50 pounds! Carp were originally introduced to the United States by the U.S. Fish Commission in the late 1800s to provide a readily available source of protein to a growing nation. Since their introduction they have become widely distributed throughout the country and are commonly found in almost every state.

Carp are a highly resilient fish and their ability to adapt and thrive in almost any habitat has led to their widespread success. This success has also led to conflicts and competition with other more desirable game fish species like bass and panfish. Due to these conflicts and their association with dirty backwaters, many anglers have labelled this species as invasive. Carp can cause a lot of damage to ecosystems, and in some cases Idaho Fish and Game has used methods to reduce their numbers or eradicate them from certain waterbodies.

Reputations aside, carp are still a blast to catch on a rod. In fact, carp are considered a premier sportfish in Europe and Asia, and they support valuable fisheries there. In addition to reaching large sizes, Idaho angling record for Carp is 34 pounds, carp are very wary, and those that have hooked one know they fight hard. These qualities have earned them the nickname “poor-man’s bonefish”, “suburban salmon”, or “mud marlin”.

Common carp are an exciting fish to catch on a fly rod.

Regardless of what you call them, carp are an abundant and challenging target for the adventurous angler in the Magic Valley.

Carp can be caught all year long using a variety of tackle. The best places to target carp are usually in the shallow backwaters of lakes and rivers where they prefer to feed. Bait anglers can find success using a simple weighted swivel and hook tipped with nightcrawlers or corn. Find where carp are feeding and cast in the direction they are heading and wait for them to find your bait.

Fly-fishing for carp is also an option that has gained popularity in recent years. Sight-casting to feeding carp with small leech patterns as one would to Bonefish on tropical flats can be very productive in the right conditions.

For those of you that prefer hunting to fishing, common carp make a fantastic target for archery equipment. Given a target-rich environment and no limitations on carp harvest, bow-fishermen can bank tons of practice with their bows while having a great time doing it.

Regardless of your preferred method, target carp in the morning and evenings when they are actively feeding and be prepared to spook a lot of fish. Don’t be afraid to eat what you catch as well. Carp caught from clean, cold water can be delicious. A quick Google-search will show a multitude of recipes meant for carp to suit anyone’s taste, but batter fried carp nuggets are always a safe bet. These fish aren’t going anywhere soon, so why not try your hand at catching one? You may find a new favorite pastime while you’re at it.

For more information about fisheries in the Magic Valley Region call (208) 324-4359.

How and Where To Catch September Smith Lake Bass with GPS Coordinates To Ten Spots

September Smith Lake Bass

with Rex Chambers

Night time is the right time most of September for catching the big spots on Smith Lake. But if you don’t like fishing at night, the good news is September is also the end of the summer doldrums of daytime fishing. As the days get shorter and the water starts to cool a little, those bass start schooling more and you can catch them on ledges and points in the daytime, too.

Smith is a 21,200-acre lake an hour north of Birmingham, near Cullman and Jasper. It has more than 500 miles of mostly steep, rocky shoreline and has a good population of largemouth. But it is becoming famous for its big spotted bass. Since the introduction of blueback herring the spots have grown fast, with many quality fish.

Rex Chambers has lived near Cullman all his life. After a 25-year career with the Cullman Police Department, the last three years spend as a water patrolman on Smith, he retired and started guiding full time. He has been guiding part time for over 35 years, helping other guides on corporate trips even before he was a teenager.

In addition to guiding Rex has fished tournaments on Smith since his teen years. He won his first tournament as a teenager and has fished many charity and pot tournaments on the lake over the years. Now he fishes many of the Tuesday night three-hour tournaments as well as both North and South divisions of the Alabama Bass Trail and some BASS Opens.

“In the three hour, three fish limit Tuesday night tournaments, often with 100 people entered, it usually takes at least nine to ten pounds to win,” Rex said. In five fish tournaments if you have less than 17 pounds it usually will not get you a check. The lake is full of three pound plus fish.

“Smith is a horse of a different color, you have to be able to do it all to be consistent,” Rex said. It has it all, both largemouth and smallmouth and all kinds of structure and cover. If you aren’t versatile you can’t consistently catch quality fish here.

In early September the big fish are still deep on their summer holes. Early in the month they feed mostly at night but start responding to changing conditions by feeding more during the day, chasing schools of baitfish on top and setting up in more shallow water. But they are still close to very deep water and hold deeper than most fishermen like to fish, even later in September. Early and late in the day is the best time to catch them.

Rex relies on a variety of baits to catch September Smith bass. For schooling fish and to draw them to the top he will use a walking bait like a Spook, Sammy, Sexy Dawg or Gunfish. And the Whopper Flopper will draw some vicious strikes. Some fish can be caught on crankbaits like a Black Label Balsa in shad colors as they move up and feed.

The staple bait is always a shaky head for numbers of fish and it will catch quality fish, too. Rex likes a one quarter ounce head with green pumpkin worm on it. A Carolina rig with anything from a four inch lizard to a Baby Brush hog, three feet above a half ounce sinker is good. But a V and M jig with a Wild Craw trailer in greens and browns will usually catch bigger fish than the other two bottom baits.

Rex showed me the following ten places to catch September bass in late July. As he predicted, fishing during the day was very tough. We did see a few fish chasing shad on top. But the weekend before we went, Rex and his partner had won a night tournament with some quality fish. Daytime fishing has improved now and will get better and better all this month.

1. N 34 04.760 – W 86 57.758 – If you put in at Smith Lake Park all these places are close by, and the first one is right at the park. Going downstream from the ramp there is a small cove just past the open field at the park on the left. A point runs out in the middle of it and has a big tree near the water. The point splits and runs out on both the left and right when you are facing the tree. These points drop fast into very deep water and have brush piles on them.

Keep your boat out in 30 plus feet of water and cast a shaky head or jig and pig up to eight or nine feet of water. Work both with short hops between sliding them along the bottom. You will catch more fish on the shaky head but get fewer bites and bigger fish on the jig.

Work both points from the ends, casting up on top of them. Work your baits out to at least 25 feet of water. When you hit brush work it carefully with both baits. Watch your electronics for brush under the boat and fish it even if it is 30 feet deep.

This point and others are good both night and day. Fish them any time but in early September night fishing is best, followed by low light conditions early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

2. N 34 04.282 – W 86 57.970 – Across the lake the Ryan Creek channel hits Goat Island, runs along the upper side of it and turns at the end, creating a long channel ledge. There is a sycamore tree on the point and a shelter on the point in the trees. The channel is 50 feet deep just off the point.

Keep your boat out in deep water and cast a topwater bait over the point from a couple of feet deep out to 25 feet deep. A walking bait will pull bass up from brush on the point as well as draw strikes from suspended fish. Then work a crankbait over the same area for fish that don’t want to come all the way to the top.

Probe the bottom with your jig and pig, working from shallow to deep. Watch your line and feel your bait carefully and let if fall straight down when it comes off the ledge where it drops into the channel. Work the jig from a few feet deep out to at least 25 feet deep.

3. N 34 04.059 – W 86 57.511 – Back across the lake and a little downstream Devil’s Den is deep cut going back from the outside bend of the Ryan Creek channel on the left. On the downstream side of it is a riprap point with no house on it. The riprap drops down then flattens out to a ledge that runs out to about 22 feet deep before dropping into 70 feet of water in the channel.

Stay out in 70 feet of water and cast both a shaky head and a Carolina rig up to 10 feet deep. Work them back until they drop into the channel. There are rocks and brush piles here to hold both daytime and night time fish. Probe the brush carefully when you hit it.

4. N 34 03.436 – W 86 58.775 – Further down this same bank you will pass Nip-I-Diddy Slough then the bank turns into more of a bluff bank. Watch for a for-sale sign near the water on a tree and start fishing here. A small point runs out to the channel that is not far from the bank. Rex said there is all kinds of timber on the bottom here and we could see the logs lying on the bottom on his Hummingbird side imaging unit.

Along this bluff the point forms a small ledge that holds a lot of bass. There are rocks and brush along it. Fish it both night and day with shaky head and jig. Rex will also fish a big spinnerbait here and in other places at night, slow rolling it close to the bottom just over the brush and other wood cover.

5. N 34 03.224 – W 86 59.107 – A little further down the bluff bank there is a small point where the bank turns a little and goes back into a small pocket. The channel runs along the outside of this point forming a good ledge that is loaded with timber, rocks and some brush piles on the bottom.

Stay out on the end of the ledge and throw up onto it shallow. Rex almost always fishes his baits from shallow to deep on these places. Work your shaky head, jig and Carolina rig along the bottom, bumping the cover out to at least 25 feet deep.

6. N 34 02.350 – W 86 59.030 – Just downstream Simpson Creek joins Ryan Creek, forming the “T” area. Going up Simpson Creek a long narrow creek is on your right near the junction. The upstream point of this creek drops off fast and is good topwater spot all month long.

Keep your boat in 40 to 50 feet of water and cast up to the bank, working your bait back to the boat. Rex caught a small spot here as we talked about this place. Although it was early for schooling fish we did see a little activity on top during the morning. Fish all around the point from deep water with topwater.

7. N 34 02.176 – W 86 59.137 – Going into the narrow creek on your right is a small double cove. The bank on the point between the two coves has been cleared and there are docks on either side of the point. The ditches coming out of the coves makes this point drop fast on both sides and the end drops off into very deep water.

There are rocks on this point that hold fish. It is a good place to find fish moving in and out of the small creek following bait as they hold here. Stay out on the end of the point and fish your shaky head and jig from 10 feet deep out to 30 feet deep.

8. N 34 02.148 – W 86 58.723 – Going up Simpson Creek a small cove has a house up on the hill on the upstream point. There is a wooden staircase going up to it and a red roof docks is in the water on the point. The creek channel runs parallel to this point and it comes up to a few feet deep out from the dock then drops back into deep water on the cove side. The point drops almost straight off into 90 feet deep on the creek side.

Sit on the creek side and cast to the top of the ledge. Move bottom bumping baits very slowly to follow the rocks down the sharp drop. Keep them in contact with the bottom down to 30 feet deep.

Smith Lake has very little current so it is usually not a factor, but wind blowing in makes these places better, especially for top water. Rex says the more wind the better for topwater so don’t let the wind keep you from fishing these places.

9. N 34 01.599 – W 86 58.130 – A little further up Simpson Creek the next bigger creek on the right had Mallard Point Marina on the upstream side near the mouth. The marina has been torn down and houses are being built on its old site. There is still an old no-wake buoy off the old marina boat ramp.

A big flat run out near this buoy along the left bank going in. There are stumps and rocks on it and it drops off into 35 feet deep water on the edge at the creek channel.

Go in near the old buoy and idle over the flat to see how it run out then drops. Fish your jig and Carolina rig, keeping your boat out in the creek channel and casting up onto the flat. Work your baits all over the flat to the edge, probing for the rocks. This is a big flat so take time to fish all over it, fish feed here.

10. N 34 04.344 – W 86 58.790 – Back up Ryan Creek behind Goat Island, on the left side going up the creek, Church House Point is the upstream point of the second narrow cut on the left. There is an old wooden church almost completely hidden in the trees on this point. The point has a steep rock ledge with brush on it.

This is a good spinnerbait hole at night. During the day fish your shaky head, Carolina rig and jig and pig on it. Fish will hold in the rocks and brush here and feed both day and night. This is also a good place to fish a crankbait. Get it down as deep as possible, bumping the rocks and brush.

All these holes are good day and night. Give them a try with the baits Rex likes or the ones you prefer. They will show you the kind of places you need to find to catch Smith lake bass this month.

To book a trip with Rex to see first-hand how he fishes Smith Lake, call him at 256-736-3763, email him at rex@smithlakebass.com or visit his website at https://www.smithlakeguideservice.com/

What Is Deep Drop Fishing and How Do I Do Deep Drop Fishing

Deep Drop Fishing Explained

from The Fishing Wire

Deep Drop Fishing Involves Targeting Fish That Live In The Deeper Parts Of The Ocean, Often At Depths Ranging From 400 To 1,500 Feet.

Deep Drop Fishing is the key to an exciting world!

Deep beneath the ocean’s surface is a world teeming with mysterious and elusive creatures that few people ever experience. Deep drop fishing is your key to this world. It’s far from your typical day on the water. Deep dropping requires advanced equipment, keen intuition, and a willingness to take on the unknown. This guide will cover what deep drop fishing is, what you can catch, and how to fish with metered color braid, an essential for getting the best results.

What Is Deep Drop Fishing?

Deep drop fishing involves targeting fish that live in the deeper parts of the ocean, often at depths ranging from 400 to 1,500 feet. This technique requires specialized equipment, including heavy-duty rods, reels, and metered color braid to handle the extreme depths and pressures.

Deep drop fishing lets you catch species that few anglers ever see because these fish live in the ocean’s depths. They often inhabit specific underwater structures, seamounts, or trenches.

What fish do you catch with deep drop fishing?

Tilefish: Including golden tilefish and blueline tilefish, both sought after for their flavor
Groupers: Including warsaw grouper, which can weigh over 500 pounds, and snowy grouper, with light spots and wonderful taste
Snappers: Including yellow eye snapper, named for their distinctive yellow eyes, and queen snapper, a bright red species of tender fish with a mild flavor
Swordfish: Highly prized sport fish known for their long, sword-like bills and intense fights
Wreckfish: Often found around deep underwater wrecks and structures, they’re known for their firm texture
Oilfish: Known for its oily texture, this species is often found in very deep waters
Sablefish: Also known as black cod, sablefish inhabit deep waters and are prized for their rich flavor
Orange Roughy: A deep-sea species that can live for over 100 years, known for its delicate taste

Finding the Right Spot for Deep Drop Fishing

Finding the ideal deep drop fishing spot requires combining technology, experience, and understanding of the marine environment. Modern GPS and fish finders equipped with sonar are essential tools for locating promising spots. GPS allows you to save coordinates of productive areas, while fish finders provide real-time data about the underwater terrain and potential fish presence.

Fish often gather around features that provide cover, a break in current, or abundant food sources. This includes rock formations, deep-sea trenches, and underwater mountains. As you gain experience, you can identify these spots on your fish finder.

Preparing Your Bait for Deep Drop Fishing

Different deep-sea fish are attracted to different types of bait, and the correct bait can greatly influence your success. Knowing the species you’re targeting helps in selecting the right bait. For example, snowy groupers prefer cut fish, while tilefish are more drawn to squid.

Fresh bait emits a stronger scent that can attract fish, so it’s often the best choice. However, quality frozen bait is also widely used and can be highly effective if properly thawed and prepared. Common bait options include squid, mackerel, bonito, and other fish that reflect the natural prey of deep-sea dwellers.

Deep drop fishing requires bait to withstand extreme pressure and be able to descend to significant depths. Cutting the bait into the right size and shape to fit the hook properly will help. Whether you use live or cut bait, it must be attached securely to the hook to resist the pull of the currents and the nibbling of smaller fish on its way down.

Equipment for Deep Drop Fishing

Because your equipment will need to hold up to extreme conditions — and hopefully heavy fish — all of your gear needs to be durable, strong, built to withstand the most aggressive fish, and specialized for deep water.

Rods and reels

Deep drop rods are designed to withstand the intense pressures and demands of this specialized form of angling. Deep drop rods are usually constructed from a combination of fiberglass and graphite. This blend of materials ensures that the rods are both strong enough to handle the heavy weights required for deep-sea fishing and flexible enough to fight large, powerful fish.

Despite their robust build, deep drop rods must have sensitive tips so you can detect subtle bites, often through hundreds of yards of line. Deep drop rods are designed with a heavy to extra-heavy action, meaning they bend less and have more backbone. This stiffness enables them to handle the demands of heavy weights and substantial fish without breaking or losing control.

The Blackfin Rods Fin 154L is ideal for deep drop fishing due to its high-quality construction, strength, and sensitivity.

Regarding reels, many anglers prefer conventional models with high line capacity and robust drag systems, while others prefer the convenience of electric reels. The drag must be smooth and adjustable to manage a fish’s powerful runs. Deep drop reels must accommodate a substantial amount of line, often several hundred yards, to reach the targeted depths. The reels must be constructed with materials resistant to saltwater corrosion and capable of handling the constant pressure exerted by heavy weights and large fish.

Metered color braid

Metered color braid, also known as multi-colored or segmented braid, is the best deep drop fishing line for catching tile and many other deep water fish. Metered color braid consists of different colors that are repeated at specific intervals along the length of the line. It’s typically constructed from synthetic materials such as polyethylene, which provide high strength and low stretch.

The primary purpose of color coding is to allow you to gauge depth or distance without relying on electronic equipment. By knowing the color sequence and the length of each colored segment, you can accurately determine how much line you’ve deployed by counting the color changes. You can precisely position the bait at the desired depth or distance from the boat.

In deep drop fishing, metered color braid provides a significant advantage in targeting specific depths where fish may lurk. Its low stretch ensures you can feel bites and set hooks more effectively, even at great depths. FINS metered color braid provides superior performance for deep drop fishing.

Hooks and rigs

You’ll need robust and sharp hooks that can penetrate the tough mouths of deep-sea fish. Circle hooks & Circle Hook Rods are widely used due to their design, which promotes secure hooking without gut hooking the fish. J-hooks are also common but require a more aggressive hook set. The hook’s size, shape, and strength must align with the targeted species and bait used.

Your rig should be tailored to the conditions and species. Glow beads, deep-sea fishing lights, or luminescent skirts can be added to the rigs to mimic bioluminescent prey and attract fish in the dark depths.

Single-hook rigs are straightforward and used when targeting a specific species that requires a particular bait presentation. The hook is often attached to a heavy monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.

Multi-hook rigs are more complex than single-hook setups, but they allow multiple baits to be presented at varying depths simultaneously. These are popular for targeting different species or when the exact depth of the fish is unknown.

Weights and sinkers

Deep drop fishing requires significant weight to get the bait down to the desired depths quickly. You can use bank or pyramid sinkers. The weight must be heavy enough to overcome underwater currents but not so heavy that it makes detecting bites difficult.

How to Fish with Metered Color Line

When you fish with metered color line, you’ll use the color-coded segments to accurately measure and control the depth of your bait. This precision and control can significantly improve your success rate.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

Select your line: Choose a metered color line with appropriate color segment lengths and pound test for the specific type of fishing you are planning.
Spool the reel: Spool the metered color line onto your reel, ensuring it’s evenly distributed. The line should be wound tightly and without twists to prevent tangles during deployment.
Attach the leader: Connect a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to the metered braid using a suitable knot or connector. The leader provides a clear connection to the bait and adds some stretch as a shock absorber.
Rig the bait: Attach your bait or lure to the leader. In deep drop fishing, you may use a multi-hook rig with heavy weights to reach significant depths.
Deploy the line: Begin letting out the line, pay attention to the color changes. Each color change indicates a specific distance or depth based on the length of the color segments. Use the color segments to accurately gauge how much line you’ve let out and the depth of your bait. The count of color changes will tell you the exact distance from the reel to the bait.
Find the right depth: Once you’ve reached the desired depth, engage the reel and wait for a bite, keeping a keen eye on the line and rod tip for any signs of activity.
Strike and retrieve: Set the hook with a firm but controlled motion when you detect a bite. The metered line’s low stretch will help with effective hook setting. Reel in the fish, being mindful of the weight and the resistance. The color changes on the line can also help you gauge how far the fish is from the boat.

Safety Considerations

Deep drop fishing involves venturing into deep ocean waters — often miles offshore — and presents unique safety challenges. Always check weather forecasts and sea conditions before heading out. Deep-sea conditions can change rapidly, so knowing what to expect and having contingency plans is essential.

Before you head out, make sure your boat is in proper working order and equipped with the necessary safety equipment, such as life jackets, fire extinguishers, flares, and a first aid kit. Wear suitable clothing, including non-slip footwear, sun protection, and potentially foul weather gear if conditions warrant.

Finally, use gloves and protective eyewear when handling hooks, rigs, and other sharp equipment. As long as you’re well prepared and use the right equipment, deep dropping will be the adventure of a lifetime.

Where and How To Catch January Lay Lake Bass with GPS Coordinates for Ten Spots

How To Catch January Lay Lake Bass with Matt Herren

Its cold outside, the rut is making it a good time to go deer hunting and you might not be thinking much about fishing. But the big spotted bass at Lay Lake are on a very predictable pattern and you can catch some of the biggest spots of the year right now.

Lay Lake on the Coosa River east of Birmingham is known for its big spotted bass. The Alabama Power Lake dammed in 1914 produces three and four pounds spots consistently and bigger fish are caught each year. There is also a good population of largemouth but in the winter the spotted bass fishing is more consistent.

Matt Herren grew up fishing Lay Lake and other Coosa River lakes in the area. His father took him fishing in ponds and on Lay Lake as a kid and they watched some tournament weigh-ins and got interested in tournament fishing. They started fishing wildcat tournaments on Lay Lake in 1988.

From his success there he entered the Redman tournaments in 1989 and came in second in the points standings in the BAMA Division that first year. By 2003 he was fishing the FLW Tour and now fishes the BASS Elite trail.

Since turning pro, Matt has qualified for six BASSMaster Classics, including the 2016 tournament, and six FLW Championships. This past year he tied for 10^th place in the Angler of the Year point’s standings in BASS. In his career he has won over 1.2 million dollars in tournaments.

“In January the shad are moving up the river an into the creeks and the big spots are following them and feeding,” Matt said. He prefers to go after quality spots up the river if possible rather than fishing further down the lake. He said you can catch fish any day in January further down the lake but for the big ones he wants to fish up the river from the Locust Creek area to the Neely Henry Dam.

The day we went in early December the river was not fishable. We checked the Neely Henry Dam and all floodgates were open and all generators running. The river was three or four feet high and the current extremely strong. When it is like that the fish hunker down and are very hard to catch since you can’t even control your boat very well. So we made lemonade, fishing from the Highway 280 Bridge downstream, and Matt caught some fish under very tough conditions.

No matter which way he goes Matt will have the same baits rigged. His prime bait is a three eights to one half ounce Santone Lures Texas Finesse Jig tipped with a Reaction Innovations Petite Twerk or Smallie Beaver trailer. He goes with browns and greens if the water is clear or darker colors like black and blue if the water is stained.

A Santone three eights to one and one half ounce white or chartreuse and white spinnerbait is good for covering water faster, and he uses heavier baits the deeper he is fishing. A DT 6 or DT 10 crankbait in shad colors is also good for covering water and finding fish.

A Megabass 110 jerkbait and a Santone Piglet Shaky Head round out his arsenal of lures. The shaky head will have a Reactions Innovations Pocket Rocket worm on it. With those lures fished on a Kistler Rod with the action for that lure, teamed with Gamma fluorocarbon line, covers all the types of cover and structure he wants to fish in January.

The following places give you a variety of kinds of spots to fish, no matter what the conditions. If the river is high and fast fish the first six and similar places downstream. If it is normal, with some current but not so fast you can’t fish effectively, fish upstream from the Highway 280 Bridge.

1. N 33 17.626 – W 86 21.462 – We put in at Pop’s Landing in Tallaseehatchee Creek in Childersburg and started fishing at the mouth of it. When the current is strong the fish will often hold in the mouths of sloughs and creeks like this and feed in the eddies there. Start by casting a spinnerbait right to the rocks on the riprap bank on the downstream point since the fish will often be right on the bank.

As you get out into the river work downstream on the same side and fish all the way to the Highway 280 Bridge. If the current is strong point your boat upstream and let it drift downstream holding it as slow as you can with your trolling motor. Cast at an angle upstream, letting your bait work back to the boat with the current. Fish a crankbait and spinnerbait here, then follow up with a jig and pig.

Cast the jig right to the bank and use a heavy enough jig to keep it on the bottom in the current. If the water is high try to get your bait down to the rocks along the edge of the normal full pool channel. Bass will often hunker down behind those rocks and feed on baitfish and crawfish washed to them.

When you get to the bridges work the eddies behind the pilings on both the railroad and highway bridge. Matt got a keeper spot on his jig behind one of these pilings when we fished.

2. N 33 16.711 – W 86 23.289 – Running down the river the houses and docks stop and you will go a good ways down to the mouth of Bailey Creek opening on your left without seeing any docks. There is a picnic pavilion on the point and a dock just inside the upstream point, with riprap around it.

Stop on the upstream side of the slough and work the point as you go downstream. Cast into the slough and work a spinnerbait, crankbait and jig and pig back out to the eddy of the current. Also fish the downstream point of the slough.

If the current is real strong you can position your boat inside the mouth of the slough and cast your bait out, working it into the eddies on both points like a baitfish coming from the river into the slough.

3. N 33 16.353 – W 86 24.664 – Running down the river just before it starts a bend to the right you will see some big rocks on the bank on your left. This marks the start of a bluff outside bend of the river and is an excellent place to catch spots in January.

Start at the first visible rocks and fish downstream, keeping your boat in about 25 feet of water and casting to the edge of the water. Work your bait back out to about 15 feet deep. A jig and pig and a shaky head worm are both good here.

You can fish a long way down this bank since it is a sweeping outside bend and the rocks run all along it. Rocks are the key this time of year, if they have baitfish on them. Watch your depthfinder and if you are not seeing balls of bait don’t spend a lot of time in the area.

It is good to fish your bait with the current no matter how fast the current is moving. Some current is good and will make the fish bite better, even if the water is very cold. If the current is normal work upstream, casting ahead of the boat at an angle as you work into the current.

4. N 33 16.976 – W 86 25.636 – Across the river and downstream Deer Lick Creek enters the river as it starts a big horseshoe bend to the left. This big creek has a house trailer on the downstream point well back from the river. The upstream point of it has a defined underwater point coming off it and bass will feed on it in all current situations.

Stop upstream of the slough and fish the upstream point as you go past it. Then swing around into the slough and fish across it, casting your jig and pig and jig head worm out into the river and bringing it up and across the point. There are some stumps on the point that hold fish so probe for them with your baits.

5. N 33 14.547 – W 86 27.443 – Run on down the lake to the power plant on your right. This coal fired steam plant discharges warm water into the river and that warmer water draws shad and bass to it in January. Stop just upstream of the discharge and fish downstream.

Cast a spinnerbait or crankbait into the discharge and let the current carry it downstream as you fish it back. The river current and the discharge current will make eddies here that the bass hold in to feed so concentrate on them.

Also, fish a jig and pig or jighead in the discharge and downstream of it, too. The warmer water will say near the bank going downstream, making it better this time of year.

6. N 33 13.382 – W 86 27.840 – Further down the river the channel splits into three parts with islands separating them. The main marked channel is to the left side going downstream. Just upstream of the first marker where the channel goes to the left is a bluff bank. There is a house trailer sitting on top of the bluff upstream of the channel marker.

Stop out in front of this trailer and fish downstream, letting the current take your boat downstream backwards. Fish to the shallow gravel point where the bluff runs out and there is a small cove.

Fish the bluff bank and the big rocks on it with a jig and pig and jig head worm. Your boat should be in 25 feet of water a short cast off the bank. The current was almost too strong to fish here the day we went, even this far downstream, but Matt got a good keeper spot and we both missed fish in the current.

When you get to the shallow gravel point near the channel marker fish all over it with your jig and pig and jig head worm, too. Fish will run in on this point to feed.

7. N 33 19.766 – W 86 21.839 – The following places are all upstream of the Highway 280 Bridge and you can fish them for big spots as long as the floodgates are not open. One or two generators running produce enough current to improve the fishing but more than that makes it tough.

Go to the water intake tower on the right going upstream. It is just downstream of the golf course. This big structure breaks the current and bass will stack up on the downstream side of it as well as in front where pipes or indentions create an eddy.

Keep your boat downstream and cast a spinnerbait and crankbait up past the building and let them come back with the current. If you can hold your boat on the downstream side just downstream of the structure cast a spinnerbait to the wall and let if flutter down it. Also fish your jig head worm and jig and pig down the walls in the eddies.

8. N 33 20.157 – W 86 22.112 – Across the river and a little upstream is the mouth of Locust Creek. If the current is very strong you can fish it like the ones downstream but if the current is right start at it and work upstream.

Matt likes to slowly work up the river bank, casting at an angle ahead of the boat, all the way to the powerlines. He will work a crankbait or spinnerbait from the edge of the water back to the boat. If the fish are holding deeper along the bank he will go to a heavier spinnerbait to get down to them. He will also work a heavier jig and pig or jig head worm to keep it on the bottom deeper.

9. N 33 22.176 – W 86 20.567 – Something different that is always good in the winter, no matter what the conditions, is the back end of Flipper Creek where there is a big spring. The spring keeps the water a steady temperature, must warmer than the river water in the winter, which draws shad and bass, and it will be clearer if the river muddies up.

Go in the mouth of Flipper Creek and to the very back of it. You will be right beside the road and railroad that are in the back end of it just up the bank. Fish all the way around the area in the back, working all your baits around the wood cover here. Also cast right down the middle of the area to cover the bottom there.

10. The following spots are between the upstream railroad bridge and the Logan Martin Dam. Most of them are very similar and they are easy to find. The first is the railroad bridge itself. Matt says to fish all the pilings on it with spinnerbait, crankbait and jigs. Work the eddies caused by these pilings, just like at the downstream railroad bridge and the Highway 280 bridge.

Rateliffes Island is a big island that splits the river upstream of the railroad bridge. Just upstream of it is the mouth of Kelly Creek on your left and you can fish the mouth of it like the other creek mouths if the current is strong. If the current will let you, Matt says fish the banks on either side of it for a half mile both ways. Work up the current casting ahead of the boat and fishing all your baits back with the current.

Just across from Kelly Creek and a little upstream the right bank going upstream is an outside bend of the river Matt says fish it for a mile going upstream, as long as the rocks hold up on the outside bend. This is a typical bank that drops off fast and has rocks that you need to fish. Baitfish in the area makes it much better.

A little further upstream there is a small island not far off left the bank. Fish the banks on both sides of it and behind it, too. As in all places, look for current breaks to hold fish.

Matt warns that you should always wear your life jacket when up the river. The current is dangerous and the cold water can make you lose control of your muscles fast. Don’t take chances.

You can catch some quality spots right now on Lay Lake. Follow Matt’s suggestions for baits to use and kinds of places to fish and you will soon forget it is winter.

Matt does not guide but he is setting up an on the water electronics school. He will show you how to set up your Hummingbird electronics like his boat is equipped and show you how to use them to find fish. He can do the same for Lowrance units. You can contact him through his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/matt.herren.52

Fight to Stop the Banning of Lead Fishing Products – Protect The Use Of Traditional Tackle

Protect The Use Of Traditional Tackle – Stop the Lead Ban

from The Fishing Wire

Efforts are underway to prevent the use of lead tackle for fishing despite scant evidence that using lead has a harmful impact on wildlife populations.

Please use the resources below to learn more about this important issue and how to engage your company and consumers to protect our industry.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced plans to prohibit the use of lead tackle in several national wildlife refuges. Banning lead tackle will deter fishing participation and, given the lack of scientific basis for the ban, sets the stage for future unwarranted restrictions. We need people to reach out to USFWS to support the use of traditional tackle by August 22.

While we are hoping to work in consultation with USFWS, recent legislation was also introduced in Congress to address this issue. The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, was introduced in both chambers of Congress. If passed, this new bill would prohibit federal land management agencies from banning the use of traditional lead tackle and ammunition on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science and has state wildlife and fish agency approval.

What’s the issue

The recreational fishing community fully supports conservation, and we have a long record of making changes and sacrifices that help the environment. However, conservation must be rooted in sound science. The USFWS provides no evidence that lead fishing tackle is harming any specific wildlife populations in the proposed areas. This proposal is a proverbial “camel’s nose under the tent” that could escalate to much broader and equally baseless restrictions on your ability to fish.

Why it matters

Anglers and hunters are America’s original conservationists. The nation depends on their continued ability to fish and hunt to maintain public lands.

Anglers around the country depend on the performance and affordability of lead, especially in sinkers and jigs. While alternatives exist, they come with tradeoffs in cost and/or performance. Protecting traditional tackle from unwarranted bans is critical for ensuring that anglers can enjoy the sport. Banning lead will also potentially impact fishing license sales and ultimately reduce funding available for conservation. It is important that our industry makes a compelling case to the USFWS that anglers should be able to continue the use of traditional tackle.

What ASA is doing

In addition to the hard work of the ASA Government Affairs team, ASA has been engaging KAF supporters nationwide urging them to submit comments to the USFWS during the open comment period which closes on August 22. We have also asked supporters to write letters to their Members of Congress in support of the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. In addition, we are actively promoting the issue widely through podcasts and social media.

On June 22, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) made an announcement to proceed with prohibitions on lead fishing tackle throughout several national wildlife refuges in which hunting and fishing opportunities are being expanded. ASA issued a statement in response the USFWS announcement.

On August 22, 2023, ASA submitted a letter on the 2023-2024 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations for the National Wildlife Refuge System, expressing our concerns with the proposed bans on lead fishing tackle in seven refuges.

What you can do

Write your Members of Congress

Write your Members of Congress urging them to support the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. Click here to see sample letters and text

TAKE ACTION

Share on Social Media

Post about this issue on your social media platforms and direct your followers to our Keep America Fishing action alert.

Send an Invitation to Policymakers

Invite your policymakers to your facility to help them understand the importance of our industry and your contribution to the industry. Please reach out to Mike Leonard at mleonard@asafishing.org for help.

Where and How To Catch March Lake Demopolis Bass

with Will Ayres

Grass and bass go together in March like liver and onions on Lake Demopolis. Longer days and warming water both draw bass to the shallows to feed and get ready to spawn. They chase bait in the grass and you can catch them with a variety of baits.

Demopolis is a river lake with its dam just downstream of the junction of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers. It is the second largest lake in the Black Warrior-Tombigbee system and runs 48 miles upriver on the Black Warrior River and 53 miles up the Tombigee River. Both rivers have creeks, sloughs and ditches running out from them. These calm waters are where largemouth head to spawn so they can be found in or near the mouths of them this month.

There are spots in the rivers, too, and you can catch some big ones, but you need to have rocks for spots. So you have two good patterns in March, grass for largemouth and rocks for spots. Some baits are good for both and some are better for one or the other, but your bait choice is controlled more by the cover than the species you seek.

Will Ayres grew up in Demopolis and has lived there all his life. When he was 12 years old he got his first boat and his dad would pick him up from school towing the boat and take him to the river where he would fish until dark. He knows it well and fishes as many tournaments on Demopolis and Millers Ferry as he can.

When he was 16 Will joined the River City Bassmasters. He also fishes the McNider Marine trail, Bass Addiction team trail and other local and pot tournaments. Since he has a young son with a daughter on the way, Will sticks with his local area. When the kids are older he hopes to move up to bigger tournaments but last year, fishing just two lakes, he won $26,000!

“Baitfish are the key especially early in March,” Will said. Warmer days kick in the largemouth pre-spawn feeding spree and the bass want a lot of food. And they will be near the spawning areas. To catch them you need only a few baits. Will rigs a Rat-L-Trap, a spinnerbait, a jig and pig and a Texas rigged worm to cover all his fishing bases.

For spotted bass fishing Will with have a 5XD crankbait in sexy shad color and a Davis three eights ounce shaky head jig with a green pumpkin or Junebug Trick worm on it. He likes to dip his worms in clear JJs Magic to give them a strong garlic smell and sometimes dips the tails in chartreuse for a flash spots love.

Will took me out the first week of February. The weekend before we went, he and his partner landed a limit of bass weighing 17.6 with a 5.5 pound kicker. The fish were already on the pattern they will be on in March and were feeding when we went. We caught about 40 keeper bass on the following holes and the best five weighed about 16 pounds.

N. 32 32.081 – W 87 51.192 – Going upstream the Black Warrior River splits to the right and the Tombigee River goes straight ahead. Go into the Black Warrior and just a couple of hundred yards upstream on your left sawgrass starts lining the bank. In the middle of it a slough opens behind the grass. There are two ditches coming out of the slough with the one downstream much wider.

Stop just downstream of the lower opening and fish upstream. While fishing watch for birds feeding along the edge of the grass and baitfish action against it. If either are present it means bass are likely to be feeding or holding just off the bank waiting to feed.

The morning we fished there were a couple of birds on the bank and we saw baitfish dimpling the surface, and a few swirls as fish had breakfast. In the next hour we landed at least a dozen keeper largemouth. The fish were hitting a red Trap for Will but he said the weekend before his spinnerbait worked better here, so try both.

Throw your Trap and spinnerbait right against the edge of the grass as you fish to the first opening. At the opening throw into it across the points on both sides. Fish on up to the mouth of the second ditch and a little way past it. Some current moving here helps.

Watch back in the slough, too, for baitfish, birds and bass activity. The water is very shallow but it is the kind of place bass spawn so they will be back in here, especially later in March. Go into it and work all three of your baits in here, fishing the grass edges in the slough.

2. N 32 31.088 – W 87 48.981 – Running up the Black Warrior you will see a big cement plant on the right bank. It is on an outside bend of the river and there is a barge landing there. Downstream of the landing a tall bulkhead wall rises from the edge of the river. Just downstream of the bulkhead is a small ditch and on the right side of it you can see an old railroad causeway.

This is a good place to catch spots but some largemouth feed here, too. There are rocks on the bottom and current hits the bulkhead and old railroad causeway debris in the water, moving baitfish along the bank and drawing in bass.

Stop just downstream of the ditch and cast a crankbait or Trap right to the edge of the water around it. Work up to the bulkhead and get you boat in close to it and fish crankbait and jig head parallel along it. There are rocks and other cover along the base of the wall. Will stops when his boat gets to the upstream end of the wall, making a few casts to the bank past it.

3. N 32 31.430 – W 87 48.302 – Run upstream to French Creek on the right and go into it. It is a huge creek but the opening is very small with a no wake buoy in the mouth of the ditch and another one back where the ditch opens up. Idle past the second one then go to the point on the right side just downstream of where the houses on the bank start.

This point has grass along it near the bank and some stumps out on the flat bottom. Will says this is a good place to catch big largemouth and spots in March. They move in off the river and stop on this point as they work into the creek to spawn, holding here and filling up on baitfish.

Keep your boat out a long cast from the edge of the water and cast your Trap and spinnerbait close to the bank. Run both baits by any patches of grass out from the edge. Keep your bait moving slowly all the way to the boat since there are scattered stumps off the bank to hold fish. Fish all the way around the point to the bank of it near the fist house.

4. N 32 31.546 – W 87 48.097 – Across the creek one docks floats way off the bank. Go across just upstream of it. Be careful until you lean this creek, it is shallow. Just upstream of the dock a flat anvil shaped point runs out and has big oak trees on either end of it.

Start out from the upstream end and fish downstream around that end of the point. Throw your Trap and spinnerbait against the bank and run them past clumps of grass just like in Hole 3. Bass hold and feed along this bank, too, as they move in to spawn.

5. N 32 31.403 – W 87 47.725 – Carefully going up French Creek, you will come to where it splits into two arms. The left arm goes back under a powerline. Go into this small creek and stop on the outside of the first point in it on your left, before you get to the powerlines. It is covered with grass and is a good stopping point as the bass move into this creek to spawn. The point is fairly deep and has some rock on it, too.

This point is better from the middle of the month to the end. More and more fish will move back as the water warms and you can catch numbers of fish. But fish it early, too, since the bigger bass often move in to spawn earlier than the majority of bass. You may not get many bites on your Trap or Spinnerbait but could be grown one.

6. N 32 31.320 – W 87 47.720 – Go across the mouth of the small creek to the upstream point of it. This flat point runs out to a small island and has grass all along the point, gap between the bank and island, and the island itself. Fish the point and out to the island and around it with Trap and Spinnerbait.

Some wind blowing in on places like this helps move baitfish to the area and position bass to feed on them. A gentle wind will also move the warmer surface water to banks like this, warming them a little deeper than the main lake or points out of the wind. That can make them even more attractive to bass.

7. N 32 33.422 – W 87 47.580 – Go back out to the river and head upstream. You will go under a set of big powerlines over the river then a straight before it makes a right bend. While you are running up the straight stretch, when you see an orange roof house and dock ahead of you in the bend on the left bank, slow down and watch to your right. You will see a small ditch that leads back to a big oxbow lake just off the river. We had to go through the ditch with the trolling motor since the lake was down a little. Go through it and when it opens up the water will get deeper. This oxbow runs way back along the river and is a big spawning area.

Go in and ease to the point on the right where the oxbow bends to the right. A lot of standing timber starts at this turn and bass will hold in it. The point on the right is a prime feeding place for big fish and numbers of fish this month. We caught several keepers along this point and on the bank across from it, too.

Fish the whole area with all your baits. Work the grass as well as the stumps sticking out of the water. You can fish all the way to the back and Hole #8 or fish around the point, the key area, then idle through the stump field to the point in the back.

8. N 32 33.329 – W 87 47.542 – Almost in the very back, where the oxbow makes a left then right bend, there is another very good point on the left. It is one of the last feeding areas before the bass bed, and they will bed all over this area. Fish all around it on both sides and the outside bend across from it with all your baits.

I caught a couple of bass in here on a black and blue jig and pig. Will makes his own jigs that come through the grass and he gave me one. I put a blue Zoom Fat Albert twin tail on it but Will prefers a black or blue Little Critter Craw. He fishes the jig or a Texas rigged green pumpkin or June Bug Trick worm behind a three sixteenths ounce sinker

Both jig and pig and Texas rig are fished around the grass and wood cover, moving them slowly along the bottom until you hit cover, then shaking them before hopping the baits over the cover. Feeding bass will hit both as will bass already on the bad that you cannot see due to the stained water.

9. N 32 34.342 – W 87 47.004 – Run up the river and watch on your right for red channel marker 226.8. The numbers are on a small, faded sign near the red marker and hard to see. Upstream of the marker a ditch goes out on the right and opens up into creek that is an excellent spawning creek and fills with feeding bass in March. Will says it is a great place to catch numbers and size.

This creek is small enough to fish all the way around it, and we did. Start on the left at a cut going back – there is a matching ditch on the other side. Fish the grass all the way to the back and out the other side. You could stay in this protected creek all day.

Will picked up an individual fish as we worked around this creek on both Trap and spinnerbait, then we hit a small pocket behind a little point on the left going out. The wind was blowing into the creek and the calm area behind the point held a school of fish.

Will caught fish after fish on spinnerbait and I caught a couple on a Chatterbait. We would see baitfish dimpling regularly and a swirl of a feeding fish every so often. We sat in one place and caught at least a dozen keepers without moving. You can hit a school like that at any time on any of these places.

10. N 32 35.169 – W 87 46.844 – Way up the river the Alabama Power Green County Plant sits on the left side of the river. There is a canal going off the river on the left running up to the plant, and it has an outflow of warm water from the plant. The right side of the canal is natural rock and the left side is riprap up to the barge unloading piers. The plant changed from coal to gas so there are no longer lines of barges with coal waiting to unload along this side.

Start on the downstream point of the canal. Spots love this point and the canal itself. Will says so many tournaments were won with limits of big spots from this area the canal was put off limits by some groups.

Fish the point with Trap and crankbait if current is moving, then fish it with your shaky head. Work into the canal, fishing up all the way to the plant. Stay in near the bank and cast a crankbait up ahead of your boat to make it come back with the current as you go upstream. The current and warmer water both attract fish.

Will caught a couple of small spots here on a crankbait, but there was no current moving when we were there. If the current is not moving you can stay in the area and wait on a discharge to turn on the fish, then load the boat when it happens.

All these places were already holding bass a few weeks ago and will be better now, and get better and better as March progresses. Check them out and you can find many similar places on Demopolis to fish this month.

Offseason Targets for Freshwater and Saltwater Fish

Bass Pro Anglers Offseason Targets for Freshwater and Saltwater Fish

from The Fishing Wire

Switching gears to crappie

Bass Pro Tour angler Mark Rose loves bass fishing, but fishing for crappies is a true passion he’s had since his teen years. It also offers a nice change of pace and off-season target after the tournaments wrap up.

“I love crappies because I don’t compete in tournaments for them – it’s my joy,” he said. “I take it just as seriously as bass fishing for my preparation. I still get up at 4 a.m., make a thermos of coffee, put on my coveralls, and make sure my gear is ready to go. Plus, I don’t think anything in freshwater tastes as good as cold-water crappie.”

While he can catch them anytime around his Arkansas home, October and November are when things are about perfect.

“Crappies are like bass as they are always following the baitfish,” he said. “When the surface temperatures drop and we get the cooler nights, the shad will migrate to deeper water. That’s my favorite time to fish for crappie, and I spend my time searching and hunting for them with my forward-facing sonar. It could be over brush or standing timber, just somewhere over deeper water where the shad are.”

His approach is straightforward and he utilizes either a 1/16 or 1/8-ounce Strike King Mr. Crappie Jig Head with either a Strike King Lightning Shad or Shadpole on the back. He uses a 6-foot, 6-inch medium-light spinning rod and size 100 spinning reel spooled with 4 lb Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon.

Instead of the normal braid-to-fluorocarbon that he uses for bass fishing, he likes the feel of straight fluorocarbon when targeting crappies.

“The thin line cuts through the water better with small baits and you don’t have any draft so that you can get right to the fish quicker,” he said. “You also want a little stretch from the fluorocarbon and if you use braid without stretch, you’ll pull the hooks from the crappie’s mouths. I choose Tatsu because of how manageable it is. You don’t get line memory as easily, even on a tiny spinning reel.”

Seaguar and MLF Pro Gerald Spohrer likes chasing saltwater fish in the Gulf

Offshore with Spohrer

Just about any time Gerald Spohrer is home from tournaments, off-season or not, he’s likely either on his 33-foot Encore catamaran or preparing for a trip. It’s a significant part of his life and his location is in the heart of excellent saltwater fishing near Venice, Louisiana.

“We are constantly switching it up and pretty much going after what species is good at the moment,” he said. “If we hear tuna fishing is on fire, then we go. We alternate between grouper, snapper, and tuna and go after swordfish. This year, I will spend a lot more time targeting blue marlin because I’d like to start entering tournaments for them.”

The marlin bite is something that has captured Spohrer’s passion. Similarly to bass fishing, it’s a very technical approach, where they either troll surface lures and teasers or use live bait that’s a size that would be a great catch for someone.

“We’re using live baby tuna that are between 5 and 25-pounds and have specialized ‘tuna tubes’ on the boat to keep them alive and in moving water,” he said. “We fish them on 80 lb Seaguar Threadlock braid with a top shot of monofilament and then crimp it to either 150 or 200 lb Seaguar Fluoro Premier leader for the marlin.”

angler — Bass Pro Anglers Offseason Targets 4

When chasing other species, he also uses the same line combination, just altering the sizes based on the quarry. “That’s the theme with all of my saltwater gear: Threadlock and Fluoro Premier,” he says. “Threadlock is a hollow-core braid that is great for splicing your leader, but you can also use it with an FG Knot and it’s an excellent braid that casts well and goes through the guides easily,” he said. “Fluoro Premier is our choice because of how abrasion resistant it is. We use it for everything out there.”

Seaguar and MLF Pro Luke Clausen looks forward to caching trophy walleye on his days off

Walleyes when it’s cold

Washington’s Luke Clausen is blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest, a region with excellent fishing and many different target species. Bass is his primary target during the fall, but it’s walleye time as the water continues to cool.

Washington has excellent walleye fishing with both numbers and world-class-sized fish. It can be done all year long and since the Columbia River and other moving waters rarely freeze, it’s sometimes the only option for anglers looking to launch their boats in the winter months. The bite heats up every year when the temperatures plunge.

Clausen is a fan of walleye and catches some monsters every year while also filling his freezer with smaller fish. He employs many techniques to catch them on large flats in the river, from small jigs and grubs to metal blade baits.

“A blade bait like a black and gold Jackall Keeburn is my top bait because of how well it works and because you can fish it relatively fast,” he said. “It catches them quickly and big ones will bite it, too. I fish it on the same setup I do for drop-shot fishing for bass, with 15 lb Seaguar Smackdown Braid, but I will use a little heavier fluorocarbon leader.”

Clausen opts for a 10 to 12-lb Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon for his leader material for blade baits for one reason: efficiency.

“It’s a lot stiffer than the other Seaguar fluorocarbon lines and that makes a big difference with a blade bait,” he said. “The baits tend to twirl on the cast and get hung up and the stiffer line prevents a lot of the fouling and you don’t have nearly the amount of wasted casts. I will go to Gold Label for other techniques for walleye since they can be line shy and will use it anytime I’m fishing slower and they have longer to look at the bait.”

Even though professional bass anglers fish constantly, they still spend their free time fishing for fun. While the target species may be different, their love of fishing keeps them on the water all year long.

Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon mainline is available from 4 to 25 lb test on 200 and 1,000- yard spools

Seaguar Big Game Fluoro Premier is available from 100lb to 200 lb test in 25, 50 and 110-yard coils.
Seaguar Threadlock braid is available in blue and white in 600 and 2500-yard spools with 50 to 200 lb test lines

Seven Reasons To Use Braid For Fishing

Seven Reasons To Use Braid For Fishing, but how many can you come up with for not using it?

from The Fishing Wire

The reason anglers turn to braid over mono are countless, but there are times mono is better.

Here’s the top seven reasons to choose braid over mono:

Braid does not stretch like mono, allowing the angler to feel everything touching the lure or bait. Mono lines can stretch well over 100% causing many bites to be unnoticed.
Braids typically offer 4-6 times smaller diameters than Mono of the same tensile strength (pound test).
Braids being smaller in diameter allows the angler to cast further with light lures, giving the angler the opportunity to reach productive spots not available when fishing mono.
Braids also allow the angler to use lighter reels as the braid diameter will allow for more yardage in smaller volume, at the end of the day your arms will thank you.
Braids do not develop memory like mono will so they cast without the coiling associated with monofilament which will slow down your presentation and reduce casting distance.
Braids do not deteriorate with exposure to UV light thus there is no need to change out braid until it shows obvious signs of wear which takes a lot of use. Mono must be changed more often as UV sun exposure breaks down mono lines.
Braided lines are more resistant to abrasions, making fishing easier around rocks, structures, and underwater obstacles.