Fish Catching Travel
After not hitting the salt for the last couple of weeks it was time to get back to the bay. As I have been fishing somewhere different the last 4 or 5 times when i have hit the salt, I decided to hit the Powderhorn.
Low tide was first thing in the morning, with high tide set for 6:30 p.m. Perfect conditions with the water running most of the afternoon. I got there about 11:00, and it was low and off colored at the ramp. The wind was blowing pretty good out of the south, and I decided to throw some spinnerbait for reds in the back. The back end near the bridge was stained and very low. I fished for reds for about an hour, but with no water in the grass or the small cuts, I had no success. I then headed to the other side near those back ponds to give it a try with topwater, and though the water was calm and super clear on that side, it was way to low. That did not work any better.
I moved all the way back near the mouth and started drifting for trout. I made the first drift in 2 foot of water throwing a paddle tail in the electric chicken a long the boat lane, and managed one small one. That was my first bite in almost 4 hours. I tried one more drift, letting the wind take me a little deeper without success until I got even with the last post going out. Several hit the paddle tail, a couple of them were alright, but I just wasn’t getting the bites though I could tell the fish were there. I switched to a Tsunami white and chartreuse swim bait, and they hit that a little better. At that point it seemed a heavier bait to get a little deeper was best, but that turned out to be just the opposite of what they wanted.
Here is number one. I took a picture of him because it was the first bite I had in about 4 hours and I wanted at least one picture for the blog.
At this point I was drifting back towards the Powderhorn on the north side, along the stakes. I picked up the paddle tail and tossed it out and one hit it immediately. Several more did that, and I caught 2 reeling it. At this point my pea brain figured out they were right near the surface, or at least the bait was, in 3 to 3 1/2 feet. So out came the popping cork and a pink shrimp.,
From then on it was consistent, a bite every couple of casts for the next 2 hours. None were big by any stretch, but I easily caught a limit. Most were 14, and the biggest was probably 17, but they were plentiful and willing. It was one of those times when you had to wade through a bunch of fish to get the better ones, but who is complaining. So basically I would get up wind and drift along the stakes. I was popping it pretty good with the wind and I missed way more than I caught. It would have been a lot better if I had braid on the reel, with the wind and the stretch, I missed a ton.
But it was nice to catch some trout. It has been nice fishing different places each time, and finding the trout willing. And like a lot of winter fishing, when you find them, you find them. So next it will be off to Keller Bay. I have not fished it in a while, and hope they are co-operating there like they have been everywhere else.
Tomorrow it is off to Fayette County with my brother Shoedog. He has been tied up lately and not able to fish, so hopefully it will be a good trip. So keep stopping in, this is going to be one of those 5 different places in 6 day things, so surely something will happen. And as usual, thanks for reading my stuff.
(Note: I have a video and when it is loaded I will get it up later today.)
And here it is:
Good Luck and Tight Lines
