Redundant Question but imma ask it...

Ok Team

I got a tip on some big blues on my local lake.

I am going to go after them in the kayak this Sunday! The spot is fully exposed so wind not getting to strong will be critical. So far forecast looks good. Under 10mph I should be fine.

Now, the question; I cannot net deep shad from the kayak, too dangerous to stand up and throw a net in cold water and pretty sure they wont be on the banks lol.

What is the best bet for "store bought" bait for blues? I am 90% sure the right answer is chicken breast with some dead red on them. But want to check to see if you agree or have other suggestions.

Thanks yall!

I catch some perch and cut them up. Works great. Easy to catch

Get some bluegill...you can also use chicken breast. You might be able to get some bait around the Lake Park ramp early Dan. Or off the end of the floating dock. I plan on being in that area early Sunday.....I will look for ya and throw ya some bait if I can get it. Flood gates are open so gizzard are gonna be tough to get and the fish will be scattered. Probably gonna be some tough fishing but you can’t catch em if ya don’t go! I plan on scanning that entire area I showed you so I can tell ya exactly where the fish are if they are still there. I’d love to see you hang a toad in that Yak. Wind should be fine for your yak with the dam blocking it.

Good to know Gato!

I have caught them off the end of that dock in the summer early. I will give that a go and bring some breast in case of no luck there.

I have some bluegill in my Koi pond I netted in fall for this purpose... but now I like them, I and named them, they are my homies, lol so I just cant...

if you were near my job in Irving you could catch plenty of perch/bluegill in the pond right by my job

Quick follow up on the bluegill, I like using those, in my limited experince they work as well as shad most the time and stay on the hook much better.

However 8 months out of the year, super easy to net them, throw a net near the bank you will catch some. But in winter?? They seem to drop of the face of the earth for me.

Where do you net those guys at in winter?

And I am NOT netting them from my Koi pond lol

They work just as good as shad on Lewisville and someday better. I got my gills out of my neighbors pond but he moved recently and I haven’t asked the new owner if I can chunk my net. I used to keep a bunch in my koi pond but I used em all. Caught some absolute toads on those pet gills...they are easily replaced.

They move out in deeper water too. If you can find some docks that are in deeper water drop a live worm down and see what you find. Also sunny afternoons (like Saturday) are better than early mornings in the winter.

I hear lotta guys say bluegill is really good in the winter, not so much in late spring through early fall.

I can tell ya from personal experience that bluegill work great year round Jerry. Time of year makes no difference on my lake.

Gotcha yeah I've also heard some lakes it works better than others. When I was a kid that's pretty much all we used on Lake Travis and caught a lot of fish.

I saw a post. Where wet rooster Fishing store had the gizzard Shad for sale

Also, I've had luck with netting them from the bank at night in the cold Sometimes they come in especially with this sunny day. You may just luck out. If you need to get into Stewarts Creek. I can drive you in there and help you try to throw for some shad. Just let me know.

Chicken breast!

Apprecite the offer Serj! I will keep it in mind.

On another note, this is going down! Stopped at Wal Mart on the way to work this morning and got some new line to spool up the old cat rods.

25lb big game. Got the bright green color...because it looks cool! I was using 17lb Stren because that is what I had handy from my bass gear, but I think I need to up my game. The girl is going to stop by Kroger later for you know... stuff, and get me some chicken breast.

Think I will soak those over night with some Dead Red... let the juices get all up in there.

So I got that going on.

I got a tip on some toads in another part of the lake Dan so I’m gonna head North to fish but I will be out there early getting bait and then I’m gonna go pick up my wife at Lake Park and go fish. I will look for ya and try and get ya some bait when I go pick her up. I will also scan your area real quick for ya.

Man I appreciate that! Dont go out of your way though! Not trying to put no one out.

I plan to fish from about 730/8am to noon. I have a white and gray "camo" type of color yak, I will be rocking the Orange flag on it as well #safety first.

Should not be hard to find me... I will probably be the only damn fool in the middle of the lake, on a yak, in the dead of winter, trying to catch something to big to hull into a kayak... sounds like just my game!

I think Lake Park opens at 7... Lewisville websites blow. Can anyone confirm its still 7am in the winter?

If I struggle to get bait then your on your own amigo but if it’s plentiful I will drop you some off when I pick up my wife. My buddy fished yesterday and he said it took him 2 hrs to get bait and he’s a heck of a fisherman. Doesn’t sound to promising.

Opens at 7

Damn son! Two hours is a long time net throwing.

Hey no worries amigo! I am feeling pretty confident about my chicken Not as much as a big old gizzard or better yet a 5 inch gill with his belly slit open.... Good thing about chicken is if I dont catch anything I and bring bait home...stir fry.

Thanks for confirming the opening time. I will throw my net around the dock and ramps... if I hit the jack pot by luck I will hook you up with some... unlikely but stranger things have happened.

Bluegill cut bait is great year around. Also use em live. Flatheads love em!

Nice meeting you Gato!

I had zero bites but did learn a lot. Bait was plentiful just of the drop into the river channel. Saw some schools of larger fish I thought might be gizzard shad. Dropped down a slab to check. 8 inch sandies. Caught five on as many drops and went back to drifting the chicken breast.

Saw some bigger fish, around 35 fow, but there was no bait around them and they did not seem to be doing much.

Beautiful day to be on the lake though!

Blue catting ain't easy.

I also noted that the bigger fish seem to be in small packs or schools. I'd not mark any solo. There where always 5-6 fairly close. Never saw them slashing through bait though.

They were just chill.

Glad you were able to get out there buddy and thank you for the report

Saw a lot of this near the main channel.

The bigger fish I saw where away from bait and just sitting there.

Good to finally meet ya Dan. main lake fish were hanging in 35-40 ft mostly. I was on the north end of the lake in 22 ft and it was loaded with big fish but no bait around in the morning. Went back over em after the water warmed up and it was loaded with gizzards but the fish were gone. Go figure. My buddy went shallow where the water was coming into the lake and he said it was a ghost town up there.