Do you love big bluegill?

Keystone Dam, 10/11/2013

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.