I spent some time banking it off our point at Twok yesterday and came up with one ~4 pound channel on garlic powdered chicken breast. The bite was bizarre, I thought for sure I had a turtle. Large float in 3-4 fow just goes under with no drama and stays under. Doesn't go anywhere, does not tighten slack in the line or even make the rod quiver. After 30 seconds or so, I gently reeled up the slack and set the hook, and presto, a very feisty channel:
Up through Thanksgiving or so, blues were hitting in shallow water like a freight train. This is the first I've seen this type of bite. A cold water thing?
No interest in chicken gizzards or cut carp on the same day, this was it for action. I've not had a hit on a bottom rig in the shallows since September or October, under floats only.
I've gotten to the point where my average cat is 4-5 pounds but the bigger guys are still elusive.
