Keystone Dam, 10/11/2013

[Allen Morgan]

I decided to go down and see if I could catch any decent Crappie or Sand Bass.  I’ve heard that they’re hitting on the small candy shad.

 

I get down there, and as usual, the turbines are off.  I was really concerned about the wind.  I’m fishing the north side, and there’s a strong wind from the southeast, due to the approaching cold front.  It took me a few throws to get some Shad.  Also managed to catch a couple small Crappie mixed in with the Shad, which I picked out and tossed back.  But, it’s a good sign.

 

Once I got some Shad, I baited up my surf rod and tossed it up into the turbine outlet.  Once I got that set, I baited up a different rod, and tossed out a small Shad under a float.

 

I’m using a long, thin, balsa slip-float.  A lot of times, the bite is really soft, and a Styrofoam float just doesn’t signal a bite.  Plus, with the wave action, a highly buoyant styro float will have the bait jigging around like crazy, while the float I’m using has a lower center of gravity, and doesn’t bob up and down as much.  Of course, with the wave action, detecting a soft bite is problematic.  But the good bites are easy.

 

My first good bite came just 5 – 10 minutes after baiting up.  The float started to submerge, just enough to get the tip under the surface, but still visible.  I set the hook, and the pole freaking well bends over double!  I thought I was hung on bottom, until I felt some head-shakes.  I would try to reel in a bit, and the drag would slip.  I tightened the drag down some to get the fish up.  I wasn’t sure if I would get this fish or not.  My main line is only 20 lbs test PowerPro, 8 lbs test mono leader, and a size Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hook!  The hook is smaller than a dime!

 

Well, I got the beast to the top, and you’ll imagine my surprise when I see the gaping maw of a Flathead twisting around!  Holy Crap!

 

I had to holler over to another fisherman for some help landing the beast.  I didn’t bring a net down with me.  I did have my lip grips in my bag, but that was up on the sidewalk, and I was down on the rocks below the sidewalk.  We landed the leviathan, and he took a picture of it for me.

 

I also managed to catch a decent Sand Bass, a small Striper, and a small Channel Cat.

[John Sheehan]

Great report and an excellent catch ! Put the pic here too .

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Got my blood rolling!
Live bait wins again...
So where's the pic?

[Allen Morgan]

I posted the picture separately.

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/20131011flathead?context=latest