Did something different today, I have a 10ft kayak that I salvaged from the lake. It is lightweight and bare bones simple. I parked close to the bridge and rolled the dice on a parking ticket. The kayak is like pulling a cooler with a bag of ice in it, and was easy to get down to the water. I went to the step that I have mentioned in several posts, the water is about 1ft higher than before the rain. There was a man, his son, and uncle fishing the step and they had a decent stringer of sandbass, couple catfish, and a decent gaspergoo. I fished below them but didn't do any good. I went above them to the next curve and found fish sporadically. With the 10ft kayak I was able to get unhung, and I didn't loose a single bait all day. Found several lures, and one nice "Fly". The scoop, fishing would be considered poor at best in this area, but I figured out they were there and were catchable. I tried the tint-trap but only caught one fish. I did better on a jig, and then upgraded to two jigs. I pulled some 20lb yellow line out of a tree, so I tied up a double jig rig. One was yellow/orange and the upper one was a white minnow looking bait. I caught fish on both about the same amount, no doubles. The trick is they are on gravel, and shallow. I didn't catch a fish in deeper than 5 ft of water all day. If I wasn't bumping the bottom I didn't catch anything. I will put a picture below, the circles are where I would tie up the kayak and cast to the shallow gravel side of the creek. I did this, and would move up and then back down. I fishing this spot from 12-6:30 and did well. I would just move up, then back down on the upper three spots. I caught fish down near the other people, but I wasn't keeping fish so I stayed away from their spot. I would have spurts of fish, then nothing. But I almost caught 100 fish but called it early, it was a grind and work. But, it was so nice being on the creek, it is so peaceful. I crossed paths with a new contact, and had a good visit with Mr. R. I gave him the fish I caught to donate to the fish cause. He and the other three boats that came up headed for the ramp as there is a storm expected at 8'ish. If you will stay on the shallow side and make sure you are bumping the bottom , you will catch fish in the areas I label below. If you have a small kayak, drag it down near this area, it is worth it. I was using 8lb braid, and I found that I could cast farther than Mr. R. and for some reason it made a difference. With all that said, water is stained and I would wait several days and then try it. Water is moving, and not worth taking a boat up there. Walk in, or do what I did, drag a small shuttle close to this area and save some time. Take care all..

The circle was where I would position the Kayak, and the line is the direction of the cast. If you don't feel the jig bumping your spinning your wheels.




Here is a picture of the two jigs I tied up together & the fly.

Went out 4/10 and it was rough. Against my better judgement, I put in at TC and headed towards the bridge targeting crapping in the brush piles. I talked to a few boats returning as I wasn't able to make it out there until 11:30; they said it was tough. Reluctantly, I slid the kayak down the hill anyhow.
Drowning minnows, I managed 3 whites within the first 10 minutes of launching. Only one keeper though. It was enough action to get me excited though! As quick as I found them, I lost them even quicker. Fished the middle of the creek for another mile or so looking for them. No luck. Decided to go back to my original plan and target the brush.
Pulled up to the first one and landed two 13''-14'' crappie. Again, I developed a false sense of confidence only to be blanked on crappie the rest of the day.
I ended up trying to fish the trees in the middle of the creek, but was pushed around pretty good by the wind. Made it dang near impossible to hold a spot for any amount of time.
Had one decent crappie buck me and had a 10-15 pound blue let me know that my ultra light was no match for him as well.
I was fishing blind with no electronics, and the water had next to no visibility. Seen quite a bit of bait working and running from the sea of gar that are in the creek at the moment.
Was my first time out there, and will certainly be going back. Conditions weren't perfect, but at this point I go when I can, not when I want.
Snakes were out in full force. Every brush pile or tree over hang seemed to have water snakes in them.

Also, to the guy driving the red and gray Skeeter, you are what some of us refer to as a rooster smoocher.
I was 10 feet off the bank and I hear him coming. All of the sudden, this he comes off plane as soon as he gets next to me. I let that slide and try to get out of his wash.
That's when I notice, he not only slowed down but decided to graph the middle of the creek right next to me at the exact same pace I was peddling causing a continuous wake.
I again, don't say a word and stop moving to let him pass. He notices this and then decides to jump back on plane and thus washes me out. Again.
Completely understand that no one owns the water, but it's clear you own no common sense.
Be careful, the next person you do this to may not leave the tires on your white suburban intact the way I did.

Glad you had a great day. I went yesterday and it was tough. Managed only a couple of decent sized sandies. I'm not sure why. The wind was definitely up and I did see lots of bait here and there, but just couldnt locate the fish. Also, the water was high with all the recent rains so not sure if this scattered the fish.

This was from a couple weeks ago. I am sure they are way up above this place now.

We were up at the Henrietta Hole and got there before first light. Caught a bunch in the deeper pools from first light to about 7:30am. After that, the fish were becoming very active in the swift water along the gravel (running your lure up the seam between the fastest moving water and slower moving seemed the key, as well as making sure you were hitting the gravel bottom). Had a double rig with a 1/8oz pink jig head and off-white grub on bottom and a small (1/32oz) red/chartreuse hand-tied jig with diamond collar. 2/3 caught on bottom, 1/3 on top lure. Key is to keep moving between the holes and the swift water because they are moving. All the water definitely has them further up creek then they have been all year.

Went back with the little 10ft kayak, water is up a little from two days ago. Water clarity almost looke a little worse, but I don't remember any rain yesterday. Fishing sucked, fished from 10-3:30 in the same area. Had a little time, and didn't want to go way up. With the slightly higher water you cannot see the current going down the step. Fish are scattered, and the big gar are in the hole above the step having a party. Caught about a dozen if I was lucky. Got some good video, caught a big gaspergoo and snagged the top fin of a carp. Only saw one boat, a swamp boat with the tiller motor. Told them to go up, nothing was happening there. Just want to get some time on the creek, im afraid we are going to get a big rain and flush it all down like we usually do in april. Take care all, if I were looking I would go way up and start checking the pools up in no-mans-land. Take care all..

Prosise

Planning to bring my daughter out in the kayak on Good Friday morning. She is little and likely wouldn't make the long paddle from TC to 377 (I paddled it a week back, but would be too much for her in the sun). Will likely troll some Rat-L-Traps looking for stragglers and fish some brush pile for crappie. She is just excited to see the beavers early in the morning. If you're out, I'll be in the lime green WS Commander.

Any body got up to the hole after the rain?

Want some action or exercise? Hit main lake points immediately.. any lake. super early…