Priest 4/2

Met Matt at the ramp after work today and headed out on Priest. Went upriver and started in out traditional cove when vertical jigging. Hit the brush with minnows and slip bobbers. First plop in the water and BAM fish hits hard. Comes off though. We start casting to the stake bed because the wind is whipping and we are getting blown all over the place. Hung up quite a bit. Moved even further upriver and tried to get into the cut through behind the island. Any piece of wood we cast to had fish relating to it. Bam bam bam. Moved around the side of the island and out of the wind. This is when it got interesting. Matts reel literally locked up. Ended up taking it apart on the water, cutting line and putting it back together. Nothing really here.

Packed up and headed up to the trees up Stewarts Creek. This is where it got fun. We anchored off in the middle and started fishing 360 degrees around the boat. Every cast was hits. Ended the day with 27 boated and 6 keepers in 3.5 hours.

Side note: the boat ran like a dream. Matt backed me down and shot me off the trailer and it started right up, went into drive and even into reverse. The idle is much quieter and the engine is quieter. Awesome work.

Upcoming Product Review!

Driftmaster Tip Saver arrived yesterday so we will see how this does on storing and transporting the long rods!

Of course the boats in the shop having the carbs cleaned and trying to figure out the reverse issue!

Ill let you know something soon!

March Crappie Tournament / Woods 3/22

Better late than never and a little short.

Got to the ramp and there were a million trucks. Apparently there were three flights of a bass tournament and the Crappie tournament on Woods. Toby backed me down and I moved off to the side as the bass guys lit out like rockets. The water was churning and rolling like crazy by the last flight. We blasted off and several flew under the bridge heading for deep water. I trolled out, realized I forgot my vest, and trolled back. Went straight out from the ramp and set up the spider rig and lowered my lines all the way to the bottom of about 18FOW. Spider rigged until the rain started then went to long lining. Most of my fish were caught spider rigging. Ended up boating 34 with 9 keeper crappie. Caught a 16″ stripe and it hit like a freight train! Luckily it went away from the other 7 poles and didn’t make a huge mess. Weighed in and ended up 8th out of 14 with a 5.99 stringer and a big fish of 1.40. Next tournament is on Tim’s but not sure if ill fish it as it starts at 6am and that puts me leaving the house at 4am!

Who knows.

Woods 3/20

Ended up with 4 keepers long lining.

Caught 12 total.

Woods 3/18, Finding a Shed, NADeFA Convention

Went to Woods Reservoir this morning with Dad to pre fish for the upcoming tournament. Well, you can call it fishing. I called it burning gas and freezing my butt off! Put in at Morris Ferry ramp and as dad steps into the boat, the driftmaster rack on the left side slams down onto the dock. I look at it and its bent at a 45 deg angle. Cracked right at the stem. Thank goodness for made in the USA and a lifetime warranty. We started out and went under the bridge along the rip rap. Some fish seen but nothing major. Went up several different coves and found nothing. Went to a spot that has produced in the past, and all we caught was each others lines. Wind whipped up but nothing like the other day.

Went back to the other side of the bridge to where we have caught the small stripers last year. Nothing again. Put on a white curly tail on a 1/16th head and finally got a hit. An 8″ largemouth. Smallest little thing I have ever caught. Swallowed it too!

We start trolling across the lake looking for deeper water and long lining. Nothing. Come 11:30 we decide to pickup and head back. As I’m reeling in my line out the back, WHAM, a 9 3/4″ white crappie slams my line. Between the two of us we caught two fish all day. Depending on fishing Thursday and Friday is whether or not I fish the tournament on Saturday. Water temp ranged from 48-52 depending on where we were. Air temp was literally the same.

This evening Carisa and I are in Birmingham at the NADeFA conference. Stopped at the farm to drop the dogs off and as I’m walking up, I see something in the front yard. It’s a shed from this year that one of the dogs must have found. Great 5pt shed. Makes me feel good that I know a nice buck survived the guys leasing the farm next door.

Priest 3/15 With the Wife!!!!

Wife and I hit Priest this afternoon from 1200-400pm. Again put in at Fate Sanders and headed up Stewarts Creek. Was the ramp ever crowded today. Apparently there were two bass tournaments and a crappie tournament out of there today. Every truck and trailer spot, side of the road, ditch, anywhere a truck and trailer could go were full. Ended up parking in a ditch!

Stewart’s Creek was packed as well. Folks fishing from the bank, fishing from kayaks, loaded down with boats. Tons of people. Air temp was 65-68 F and water temp was 55-56F.

Went to the far end and started setting up the spider rig. Carisa threw out a minnow and bobber and started floating it out the back. Then we tied up a jig head and body for her to start casting with. Got the spider rig set up and started moving along the bank. Several bass boats flew up past us rocking us something fierce. Start catching fish here and there and one goes sideways on me again. Tangled two lines so not that bad. Carisa had line run off the spool of her reel so we had to straighten that out. As we’re working our way down, we come within 30 feet of a smaller boat and 50 feet of another, all crappie fishing. Here comes a bass boat, full on plane, and threads the needle between us. WAY TO CLOSE. Rocked us all so bad it was ridiculous. I’m sure he heard the other guys screaming at him. Pretty sure the old guy fishing by himself called him everything under the sun. Ended the day with 20 fish boated, 2 came off at the boat, and 5 keepers, 1 white and 4 blacks. Carisa’s big fish of the day was a yellow bass about 9″ long.

It was great having her out on the water with me. Here’s to many more trips together my love!

Priest 3/14

What to say about today? Dad and I fought the wind the entire time. That about sums it up. We went up Stewarts Creek again this time up to the trees. I didn’t even know there were fish attractors up there. Right off the bat we got into bluegill and stripers. Bunch of them. Red and chartreuse crappie magnets seem to be the favorite for Priest bluegill.

Started spider rigging and finally got into fish. Ended up boating 32 fish today with 8 keepers. Could have had more keepers, but several were right at the 10″ mark and not worth the risk. Had one good tangle but otherwise all went well with spider rigging this trip.

By the end of the trip we were blowing around something fierce. Winds of 15-25 mph. White capped waves. Put the drift sock out and used it to control the boat. Did much better than the last time I tried it. Kept the boat very steady. Right up until the 25mph gusts blew us aground. In the process of trying of trying to fight wind, watch poles, boat fish, etc, I didn’t pay attention to the depth and BAM, we’re sitting still and stuck. Needless to say, in the process of getting unstuck, we lifted the motor out of the mud, broke the net, and finally got freed.

Still a good day with dad. Next nice day with light wind I need to take mom. Thinking Carisa might go out with me tomorrow.

Best Day of Fishing Yet / Priest 3/11

Met dad at Fate Sanders at 630 this morning. First time I’ve ever been the FIRST persona at the marina. Literally was the first truck and trailer in the lot. Bought two dozen minnows to go with the few I had left over and we launched the boat into Priest Lake. Headed up Stewarts Creek and took into account the wind this time. We went all the way up and anchored down to get everything rigged up. As I’m setting my spider rig up, dad says got one! I turn around to him reeling in a 9″ crappie! I didn’t even have a pole in the water and he already has a fish! As the day progressed we ended up with crappie and a few striper. 24 fish total boated with 5 keeper crappie. Had one knot in the spider rig but its just part of it. All in all it was the best day of fishing dad and I have had since we started. A beautiful sunrise, calm waters and perfect temperatures. A day well spent with family.

Priest 3/10

Went out Monday afternoon and fished until dark. I’m thinking it was from 4-7pm. Again up Stewarts Creek. I fought the wind the entire time. It was starting to pick up so I put the trolling motor on 5 and took off……..to nowhere. Facing the wind on high setting kept me in one place all afternoon. Finally the wind died down and I headed to the far end. Got up there and turned around and wind drifted back to the mouth of the creek. Still probably 14 or 15 boats up there. One of the fish i caught went sideways before i coukd grab the pole and tangled 4 of my 6 lines. Talk about a horrible mess. It took a few minutes but i did end up getting it straightened out. Ended up taking 3 keeper crappie. Water temp was 55-56.

Priest 3/9

Put in at Fate Sanders this afternoon and went up Stewarts Creek. Fished from 1-4pm this afternoon. Ton of boats out. 17 up the creek when I got there matter of fact. Saw a buddy of mine and they had been there all day and had 14 keepers. Everyone was either spider rigging, pulling or single pole fishing. Couple guys bass fishing along the rock bluffs. Wind drifted along 10-16 feet of water for awhile. Nothing. Apparently the cold front last night / this morning shut the bite down. Went up, then back down. Marked several good structure points and hung up a time or two. Got turned back along the bluff and started casting towards the bank with crappie magnets. Had a few good hits but afraid I ripped it out of their mouths setting the hook. Then again it might have been stripers. I was at the point I was ready for ANYTHING to hit. 3:55pm and I’m about to pack up when BAM rod drops under the water. Figured I’ve hung up again so I look to my depth finder to see what type of structure I’m on. Perfectly flat bottom. Suddenly the line rips sideways! Grabbing the pole I set the hook and pull up the largest crappie I’ve caught to date. Boat the fish and started jumping for joy right there! 13.25″ and weighed 1.43# on my sale. Loaded up then headed home to make church. Water temperature was 56 deg. Good day overall, even though only 1 fish. I’m on brak for the next two weeks so definitely going tomorrow afternoon and ALL day Tuesday.