Heading out to Lake Athens for late afternoon fishing today

I'm going to try something I have never used for bluegills: a tiny drop shot rig.

I know others use drop shot rigs, I just have never used one for anything other than bass.

I rigged up an Aberdeen hook, long a skinny, via a Palomar knot, passed the line back through again and got the hook standing out like a flag. Then, I attached a small split shot and crimped it down on the tag end of my 2 lbs. braid hanging down about 12" below the hook.

Chris at finesse-fishing.com carries these tiny little thin worms with adjustable lengths . . . you just snip off a bit to get a desired length. I think I'll start out with the drop shot and give it a whirl, then revert to the black and chartreuse jig-head if the drop shot doesn't perform.

No replacement camera, yet, but I'll report back results.

Or, anyone nearby, come on!

Brad

Report:

Started slow, no takers on my mini drop shot rig. But, I'll try again one of these days.

I headed over to my favorite spot for large bluegills, caught 3 or 4, one was the largest in girth I have ever caught. It was built like a dinner plate. And, lovely colors with a red belly, a big red belly! Not the hardest fighter of these, by the way.

When I crossed back over the lake, I fished outside the lily pads and caught several more bluegills. They were all small.

Later, I ran into a local kayak fisherman, Larry, and I caught several more bluegills, one warmouth and 3 or 4 small crappie. I could actually see the chartreuse tail of my bait down in the shallow water I was fishing and I could see the crappie swirling around and then taking it. In one or two cases, I was reeling in and they chased it to the surface to grab it.

Now, where are the big crappie hiding on this lake? Hmm? I need to find the brush piles I think. Electronics???

Lots of fun and the weather was really nice.

Brad

The drop shot is a very good rig. I personally do not use it but friends I fish with do and they get super results. They use live worms for bait.




Side Note: Glad you got onto some fish. Good job.

Good report

Makes me want to get back out here

Nice post!

This afternoon, my neighbor and I took my canoe out and he caught several on a frog, missed quite a few as if he was just off a bit on his timing. He won the Athens Big fish tournament Tuesday with a 23.25", 7+ lbs. bass. I netted it!

This afternoon and tonight, I caught about a dozen bluegills including some large ones, several crappie (3 or 4), and I guess about 6 bass. They were all caught on the little 5 ft. rod and 2 lbs. test. One large bass shook me off, wow, I was so close to having him in the canoe.

A canoe is so very stealthy, fishes two large guys easily, I like to stand in it.

By the way, we launched from my new boathouse and never left the large cove in the NW corner of Lake Athens. Some of my very best luck came fishing in the creek channel just outside the lily pads.

Brad