The Big and Ugly

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Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 30, 2012 at 6:21pm

Great Tales, Allen. Just where the heck do you live, anyway?

Comment by Allen Morgan on April 30, 2012 at 6:03pm

I went out again today, targeting Sand Bass / White Bass.  I caught a couple small ones that I released.  I also managed a good, healthy LMB in the 4 - 5 lbs class, right where it should be, on the slack water side of the current seam.  I didn't get a pic of it.  Caught it on a Mepps Aglia size 3, which I promptly LOST on the next throw.

I tried a few other artificials, a beetlespin with a jig and a chartreuse grub, a Tiny Torpedo, and finally, a Rapala XR-6 X-rap in white/blue back.  That proved to be the hot bait for me.

I caught a number of Drum, but only got a pic of two of them:

I caught a second LMB, and it smashed my XR-6 just after splash-down, right up against the dam, where it shouldn't have been:

About that time, I realized I'm using a suspending twitchbait, so instead of a straight retrieve, I decided to drive it down quick, then do a twitching retrieve until it hit the current seam.  I also realized, after cleaning some algae off it a couple times, that I was bumping bottom with that bait, and that I should tag a Sauger.  Sure enough, a few minutes later:

I also caught a White Crappie.  It SMASHED that bait:

Now, that little bait is quickly becoming a confidence bait with me.  Some other guys wading next to me were using jigs (cheap, easily replaceable, since this is a snag-prone area).  They were catching lots of Drum, occasional Saugers, and of all things, FLATHEAD CATFISH!  They caught three, a 27 lbs fish, one that weighed about 15 lbs, and a small one that went 23", didn't get a weight, and they released that one.

I also noticed that there were LOTS of Ghost minnows.  I could easily see them, thanks to my polarized shades.  What I couldn't see were the shad holding below them, or the fact that there were some Redfin minnows mixed in with all of them.  One of the other guys out there started tossing his cast net for live bait.  I had my net, but decided against a bucket.  Bad decision.  I should have had a bucket, and my dip net for the Ghost minnows.  Those things are Sand Bass candy!

Comment by Allen Morgan on April 29, 2012 at 2:05pm

I don't know if this will work or not:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_i3tsY8Lng&feature=youtu.be

Here's some video I captured of a couple guys catching a Spoonbill by bowfishing.  I'm not totally sure if it was a legal catch or not.  I know snagging for Spoonies is prohibited here; not sure about bowfishing for Spoonies.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 25, 2012 at 5:03pm

Great bowfin, Jeff. Talk about some explosive fun!

Comment by Jeffrey D. Abney on April 25, 2012 at 4:33pm

Big and Ugly was all around at the South Carolina Lake this afternoon......This big Bowfin was a surprise when I set the hook on my telescopic pole....Quite a comotion to get him landed without a net......Also had three gators keeping an eye on my bobbers as well......The one pictured was a five footer that wouldn't go anywhere.....He hung out the entire time I was there.....

Comment by John Sheehan on April 17, 2012 at 7:33am

Allen !Congrats on your PB Blue Cat .Loved your account of the Event!

Comment by Allen Morgan on April 16, 2012 at 6:13pm

Waiting to get released to the grease.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 16, 2012 at 6:03pm

"I don't normally target the other bigger, uglier, fish species, but should I catch one, I enjoy the fight.  I've tangled with Long-nosed Gar, Drum/sheephead, Quillbacks, Stripers, etc.  We also have a couple types of Buffalo, and I just realized that a pond in the city park about a mile away from home has one or two good-sized carp in it."

There you go - you've arrived. Allen. A fisherman fishes, no matter the game. I don't normally target bass, for example, but I'll happily fish them if that is what is working.

It is fishing, a primal pursuit that soothes the soul and builds the man. Few will ever grasp that alone is enough.\

Nice catfish! What destiny did it fufill?

Comment by Leo Nguyen on April 16, 2012 at 5:07pm

I we even have that in our state, it would have been put on the endangered species list within the first few years of discovering it.

Comment by Allen Morgan on April 16, 2012 at 4:17pm

Does anyone else here go snagging for spoonbill, if that's legal in your State?  I haven't intentionally targeted Spoonies, but I have tangled with many of them, in one of my favorite White Bass spots.  Getting a 40 lbs + fish on a medium power graphite spinning pole is a hoot!

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