Fishing reports

[ncboman]

:)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/ncboman/Fishing%2006/7906006r.jpg

List your fishing reports here for comparison to the 'best days' almanac predictions.

My reports are mostly from inland northeast NC tidal freshwater rivers and creeks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/ncboman/Chowan%20River/albesat.jpg

general area (http://www.carolinaliving.com/coast/nenc.asp)

Since we live within sight of the Chowan River with a boat ramp 1/4mile away, we fish a lot. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/ncboman/Chowan%20River/chowanpoint.jpg



5 3 09
poor pm
weather - seasonable

5 8 09
excellent fishing all day
weather - seasonable

5 9 09
poor
weather - full gale winds

5 10 09
fair pm
weather - calmer but coolish

5 11 09
good am
weather - cool

5 12 09
poor pm
weather - unseasonably cool

5 13 09
poor am
weather - coolish

ncboman

[ncboman]

5 15 09

poor am
weather seasonable, warming

Aaron went out this morning early and only caught two small bass in 4 1/2 hrs.

ncboman

[ncboman]

5 16 09

good pm which matched the almanac for today.
weather showers and sun

Casting a black worm powerbait I caught a couple of small bass but I had trouble today settin the hook. I doan know how many I either missed or lost.

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

I think I'm finding that at least in this area, at this time of the year, it depends on how the spawn is going, and what phase of it is occurring when you are fishing, more than the phase of the moon.
I've been out 3 times this month, and up to the last time I was on Erie, the spawn hadn't started, and fishing was poor.
Now It has though, and I'll be going out tomorrow. My friends were out this week while I was away, and they did real well. Over 100 fish with 3 guys in the boat :p :p

The moon phase may come into play more in June and July when the spawn is over and the fish are more into a neutral state where eating is their main concern.

Actually it almost sounds "Human" except we also like a beer and a smoke after sex :o ;) :p

[ncboman]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/ncboman/weather/untitled.jpg

I'm on the river just north of Edenton, where the blue and green meet.

Had that boxed in feelin all day. ... rainin right along out there now. :rolleyes:

I'm hoping it'll pass before long. ( I got my seat cushions inside the truck. ;) )

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

Yesterday, which is rated as a "Good" day I got 16 perch, 7 gobies, one white bass, & a small mouth.
Had to work hard for them, I consiter 25 to 30 perch a "Good" day. It was very cold and a bit windy outside.

[ncboman]

What is a gobie?

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

They were brought into the Great Lakes in the holds of cargo ships as water ballast.
At first they spread like wildfire, and "THEY" said it would be the doom of the fishing in the great lakes.
Now the walleyes, bass and perch eat them like crazy, so I don't know what the final verdict will be.
They get about 7 or 8 " long, run from jet black to camo color and slimy, slimy, slimy. They are in a fight with mud puppies to be the ugliest thing in the water in Lake Erie (not counting me :o ).

The biggest problem I see is that there are so many of them, one study by the University of Michigan said there were 10 billion in Western Lake Erie alone. I would think they eat a lot of game fish eggs.

http://www.fishbase.org/images/thumbnails/jpg/tn_Nemel_u8.jpg

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=713

[ncboman]

5 24 09

fair pm
weather part sunny/warm and threatening although it didn't rain here.

mixed bag pole fishing with red worms.

bass, bream, english perch, shellcrackers, couple of cats. The big one got away. I hooked a big catfish along the river shore and he straightened the hook on his first run. I shoulda let him have the pole. :rolleyes:

I wound up keeping 10.

ncboman

[ncboman]

5 25 09

poor pm
weather, mixed sun and clouds

This was the worst fishing I've had this year. Only caught a few bream and they were small. 5 or 6 other boats out today and all reported the same ... very slow.

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

Same here, and it was a "POOR" day.
I was out on Erie all morning and only got 4 perch. Everyone out there was looking hard for them, and the most I heard anyone say they had was 2 (out of about 40 boats in an area of 3 X 15 miles).
Everyone else already left by the time I got tired of it at about 2:00.

My neighbor was out on Ontario, and got skunked on Salmon, and trout.

Another friend was out on Ontario 2 days ago (on the 24th, another "POOR" day) , and he did barely OK, got 3 king Salmon and a steel head. Everyone else he talked to did poor.

Now we got thunder, lightning and rain 'till Saturday.

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/1527241/365370043.jpg

Wouldn't you know Wed., and Thu. are rated "BEST" :rolleyes:

The really bad part is I got a cold over the weekend from my grandson, it feels like I'm swallowing a rat tail file every time I swallow :(

[ncboman]

5 27 09

poor pm
weather, partly sunny, mild

Fished the river shore for a couple of hours before dark. Only had one bite and didn't hook that one. Beautiful evening though.

ncboman

[Altjaeger]

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From: Hirsch Hunter
Subject: Some Days You Can't Buy a Bite
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:56 PM


I headed out to the upper end of Stillhouse Lake/Lampasas River this morning. Quickly getting the Heritage Red Fish kayak in the water and loaded I shoved off about 8:00. The sun was shining and not a cloud in sight. Recent rains had brought down logs as big as 48" in diameter. The lake was full of logs, sticks and even an old refrigerator. Even the power boats were nor running more that 5-10 MPH.

Having a Bagley shallow running jointed minnow, a Berkley Gulp worm in tequila and a Berkley blade runner in bloodshot rigged I alternated rods as I worked along the shoreline. After about an hour working a bit more than a quarter mile up the shore along the rocky beach, under the cliff and across the mouth of a small creek without a nibble it was time to move on. The map showed one big stump field upriver.

I trolled the blade runner behind me for the 15 minute paddle. My drag screamed once for what turned out to be a snagged log. Back tracking to get it loose I hit the stump field shortly. Working the blade runner and worm through it for about 45 minutes was an exercise of the arm. By now it was about 10:00 and the sun was warming up.

Deciding to head back down to the bridge and work its pilings with baits I the blade runner was placed in tow and paddled 25 minutes back own. Arriving back one rod was rigged with a slip bobber and a wad of lively worms. The other I would bait alternately with frozen shad and shrimp trying each about 10 minutes before moving a bit further down the rows of pilings. By noon I had tried about half the pilings on its half mile length hitting both the flats and the 25' channel with never even a hint of a nibble or bait thievery. At that point I decided I really had things that needing doing and paddled the 200 yards back to the ramp and called it a day.

I did not have fish for dinner but still a quiet and enjoyable morning.

[Bill Gunn]

Recent rains had brought down logs as big as 48" in diameter. The lake was full of logs, sticks and even an old refrigerator. Even the power boats were nor running more that 5-10 MPH.

Sounds like Lake Erie in the spring after "Ice Out". We see Deer, Dogs, Coyotes, Otters, and there's always a few Ice Fishermen that also fell through the ice in winter that warm up and float, out there in the spring time.
The size of the logs go from twigs, to whole trees, root system and all 30' in diameter, and the size of some of the debris fields goes for MANY miles.
It does 'tend to slow down everyone on the lake :o .

I'm still waiting for this cold I got to clear a little before I go out again. Looks like Saturday the weather may cooperate.

[Altjaeger]

In January I found a buck floating. Saturday I plan to do an overnighter on the Brazos about an hour from here.

Get well and hope Saturday works for you.

[Bushman]

Does that mean that you guys look at a fishing report or solunar table to help you decide if you are going to go fishing that day? I've seen those kind of days as we all have where you could catch fish on anything that you put down there. Then just as quickly it is like someone flipped a switch and the whole lake shuts down. What happened? The thing that gets me is a cold front. How do those fish know that it is 5 degrees cooler up top where their water temperature has not changed at all?

[Altjaeger]

I go when the time and mood strike simultaneously, then check the predictions for chuckles. As soon as I log off I am gone for about 24 ours on the Brazos. I am taking the Heritage Featherlite for its first camping trip.:)

[Bill Gunn]

I go every time I possibly can, weather, wife, and health permitting.

We're just reporting our success just to see how the predictions line up with actual success.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Good luck Paul. We had a "Lineman's Challenge" contest this morning (We won) Cooking pork loin this afternoon and trying to appease #1 wife who is stressing and obsessing about graduation plans for #3 son. Fortunately #2 son's girlfriend is here and they are making a "scrapbook" which is taking considerable heat off of me. I am going fishing after June 6th (State Track Meet in Austin). I may go stay at the ranch and go fishing for a few days over at Choke Canyon. That Idea is sounding better and better all the time! I have some House repair projects to do but maybe they will have to wait until after R&R time! You guys are provoking me to get out onto the water!

Alan

[Altjaeger]

Another I got skunked, but it was a great trip story. That makes it one skunk on a "best" day and one on a "poor" day.

Arriving at the Hwy 7 ramp on the Brazos outside Marlin about 1:30 I offloaded the kayak and gear. Sorting and loading I developed my load plan as I went. This was not the Featherlite's first cruise, but was its first camping trip. The fastest of my 3 kayaks I was not sure it would hold under load due to its lower capacity rating. I am happy to say it was still the fastest and served admirably.

As I was loading Bowgarguide (Ron) pulled up. As the last touches were underway Stryder (Kim) and Seashell arrived. Having been up that morning Kim filled us in on the situation upriver. After a short, but pleasant visit they headed out. I pulled up to the parking area while Ron backed down. Off loading his craft we got underway.

The launch is full of hazards from concrete, logs and steel with limited clear passage. I was happy to have Ron along to pilot me through that first 1/2 mile ( and really the whole day). As we worked along we visited getting to know each other. He is a man with an interesting past and much to share. A six mile run upstream it was a lengthy paddle with a bit of swift water. Much of the way was steep bluffs often planted in corn or containing weekend homes. Along the way we passed a young fellow paddling a Pelican kayak with a large lab in his lap.

Reaching the end of the run we stopped Ron relaxing as I cast a variety of lures in the vain hope of a strike. After about 45 minutes we dropped down about 1/4 mile and I began unloading on a white sand beach for camp. As I did we visited with a farmer on the bluff across the river and the other kayaker. Turned out the kayaker was the farmer's nephew and a local boy. After a bit Ron had to leave as it was almost 8:00. Wishing he could stay the night I watched him around the bend.

As I set camp the kayaker came over to visit. A family man with two young kids the Pelican was a result of some serious savings on his part. He had become excited about kayaks while fishing at Matagorda and watching others. I let him take the Featherlite for a test run as I set up the tent. He was impressed with the difference from his yak. Talking a bit more I learned he was hooked onto internet. He was unaware that Temple had a kayak dealer. On a 3x5 card I wrote both H.O.T. kayaks website and Texaskayakfisherman.com. As I started supper he was dragging his yak to the top of the bluff across the way. I heard him and his uncle talking until almost 10:00 when they drove off.

Finishing off my sausage, beans and rice I rigged three lines baiting with worms, salted shrimp and salted shad. No matter how I adjusted lines or locations a bite was not to be had. Finally tiring of feeding the mosquitoes I headed for the shelter of the Bivy.

This was the first test of a Bivy for me. A Eureka brand I was satisfied, though it may be of limited, specialized use. It is definitely small and cramped. It's attributes are the compactness and weight. The small space may make it warmer in winter also. Flipping the tarp to the front I used it as a mosquito net with no problems. The white sands lit that sandbar up like a dimly lit room despite only half a moon. As I lay waiting for sleep to come I could clearly see my camp gear and across the bar. When I awoke about 2:00 the moon was down and the milky way was showing all its wonders.

Waking again at 6:30 I grabbed a sparkling water and headed to the beach. Again rigging three baits I played and adjusted until 8:00 with no more success. Calling it quits I headed back up to brew coffee. While sipped my java I prepared a sausage wrap. dried apricots, prunes and yogurt. Eating my fill it was time to begin packing it in.

At 9:30 the boat was loaded and lines pulled in. Launching for the run back I did just a little fruitless casting on the way. Things I found different on the Brazos were the shallow waters, high number of snags and almost continuous sandbars.

Arriving back shortly after 11:00 I began loading. As I neared completion I looked up to see Ron's jeep pulling up. With two craft on top, he and his son-in-law climbed out it. Again visiting as I finished he told me he had passed numerous camps on his way out, but I passed only one. He felt that many pulling out early indicated poor fishing for others as well. After another short but pleasant visit I pulled up and finished as they unloaded for an afternoon on the river.

It was fishless, but successful trip. I had seen new waters and got to know friends from online better. For now I had promises at home to keep.

[Altjaeger]

Good luck Paul. We had a "Lineman's Challenge" contest this morning (We won) Cooking pork loin this afternoon and trying to appease #1 wife who is stressing and obsessing about graduation plans for #3 son. Fortunately #2 son's girlfriend is here and they are making a "scrapbook" which is taking considerable heat off of me. I am going fishing after June 6th (State Track Meet in Austin). I may go stay at the ranch and go fishing for a few days over at Choke Canyon. That Idea is sounding better and better all the time! I have some House repair projects to do but maybe they will have to wait until after R&R time! You guys are provoking me to get out onto the water!

Alan


The pork sounds great and the graduation will pass soon. :D

One of may milestones that stress mom's.

[ncboman]

5 30 09

poor pm
weather, mostly sunny. thunder in the distance

pitiful poor fishing. I went around the river shore casting and pole fishing with worms. Caught only one keeper English perch and a couple of very small bream.

Beautiful out there but one of those rare days that I came in before dark because it was just that slow.

ncboman

[dave-t.]

I fished Sat evening at Truman. The lake has come down 3-4' in the last week. Minnows and jigs for crappie, fishing flooded timber in 20-30' of water. Slow fishing for scattered fish, very lite bite. Pick up a couple at one tree, and it was better to move along, never caught more than 3 off of one tree, and most of those were caught in the first 5-10 minutes of trying a new spot.

The week before on Sat evening, the lake was up 13' or more over normal pool, and we were up in the willows in 8-12' of water, catching them on minnow only, no action on jigs at all. Agian a lite bite. They had to mouth the bait for a long while before it was safe to set the hook. Even then none were hooked deep.

[Bill Gunn]

June 3rd is supose to be a poor day, but I did well on Lake Erie this morning.
Between 5:30 and 11:30am, I boated 80 to 100 perch to end up with 50 good keepers.

Yesterday my buddy was in the same spot with 2 other guys, and they got 145 by 10:00am.

Took about 45 Min. to clean 'em, and their in the fridge now :p

I might go back out tomorrow..

[ncboman]

nice. :)

our's have a good bit more red on them right now but we doan have those numbers.

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

Ours are kind of funny, first you'll catch one that is very dark green and bright yellow, then the very next fish from the same spot will be very pale in color.

[dave-t.]

Male and female spawning colors still on maybe?

Our crappie were still in spawning colors the last weekend of May, and the spawn had been over for 3-4 weeks. Those males were still practically black.