Texas Fishing Forum

Tried a New Spot on Athens

Posted By: Flags

Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/17/17 08:30 PM

Took my tube over to Athens this morning. I wanted to try a cove that had a couple boat houses. Never fished the cove before but figured today was as good a day as any to do so. It was about a mile paddle in the tube (that's a long way when you have to move via flippers)and I decided I'd toss out a lure and troll my way along the edges of the lily pads. Originally I was going to use a Rapala but I could find my floaters and with weeds just below the surface I didn't was to use a countdown or a sinking plug. So I dug around and found a green plastic bait that kind of looked froggy. Put it on the 1/64th oz jighead I use with bait and tossed it about 40 feet behind me. I swam right along the surface. I guess it was a good choice because this decided it would make a tasty breakfast:



I got to the cove and found one of those high dollar bass boats in it. Looked like an advertisement for BassPro with all the gear and decals. I decided there was enough room for all of us so I tipped the jighead with a piece of crawler and began probing the weeds and pads. I overheard the bass fisherman complaining about not catching anything just about the time I latched onto these:





I thought it was pretty funny that these guys who were obviously serious bass fishermen with all the gadgets and gear were not catching fish while this old retired navy guy in a float tube who doesn't even fish for bass was catching them! grin All told I took 6 bass for the day.

I expected to find sunfish in the pads and around the boat houses and I wasn't disappointed. They bit pretty steady when I wasn't having to get a bass off my hook. Most of them hit the bait on the bottom, but I did get a few on the drop. Most of them were like this fellow:



But I did get a couple really good ones. This was the biggest sunfish of the day and it went slightly over 10 inches. It was a real thick fish and I'd be surprised if it didn't weigh close to an honest pound:



I also hooked something under a boat house that wrapped my around a piling. From the way it hit and ran I'm pretty sure it was a channel cat but I never saw it. I fish with 4 lb line so if I have a fish wrap that is the end of the fight. Everything today was released to fight another day.

Cheers Y'all
Posted By: doctorxring

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/17/17 08:41 PM



Great report Flags. Makes my fish blood boil ! I need to go bad !

I've discovered the same thing as you. The smaller the boat the better the fishing.
I use my pond boat whenever I can.

.
Posted By: banker-always fishing

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/18/17 09:58 AM

Nice post and fish. cheers Good job. thumb
Posted By: Laker One

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/19/17 12:40 PM

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing. woot
Posted By: Gitter Done

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/26/17 04:49 PM

Always a good thing fishing new spots. Nice fish and post. Good job.
Posted By: Dfitz

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 09/28/17 01:22 PM

Are you catching any Redspots or warmouth?

The Bass look skinny, they better hurry up and fatten up before winter.
Posted By: Fishbonz

Re: Tried a New Spot on Athens - 10/03/17 11:09 PM

Originally Posted By: Flags
Took my tube over to Athens this morning. I wanted to try a cove that had a couple boat houses. Never fished the cove before but figured today was as good a day as any to do so. It was about a mile paddle in the tube (that's a long way when you have to move via flippers)and I decided I'd toss out a lure and troll my way along the edges of the lily pads. Originally I was going to use a Rapala but I could find my floaters and with weeds just below the surface I didn't was to use a countdown or a sinking plug. So I dug around and found a green plastic bait that kind of looked froggy. Put it on the 1/64th oz jighead I use with bait and tossed it about 40 feet behind me. I swam right along the surface. I guess it was a good choice because this decided it would make a tasty breakfast:

PM sent

I got to the cove and found one of those high dollar bass boats in it. Looked like an advertisement for BassPro with all the gear and decals. I decided there was enough room for all of us so I tipped the jighead with a piece of crawler and began probing the weeds and pads. I overheard the bass fisherman complaining about not catching anything just about the time I latched onto these:





I thought it was pretty funny that these guys who were obviously serious bass fishermen with all the gadgets and gear were not catching fish while this old retired navy guy in a float tube who doesn't even fish for bass was catching them! grin All told I took 6 bass for the day.

I expected to find sunfish in the pads and around the boat houses and I wasn't disappointed. They bit pretty steady when I wasn't having to get a bass off my hook. Most of them hit the bait on the bottom, but I did get a few on the drop. Most of them were like this fellow:



But I did get a couple really good ones. This was the biggest sunfish of the day and it went slightly over 10 inches. It was a real thick fish and I'd be surprised if it didn't weigh close to an honest pound:



I also hooked something under a boat house that wrapped my around a piling. From the way it hit and ran I'm pretty sure it was a channel cat but I never saw it. I fish with 4 lb line so if I have a fish wrap that is the end of the fight. Everything today was released to fight another day.

Cheers Y'all
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