Do you love big bluegill?

Pond at work, 5/3/2014

I had a plan today. I had received some quill floats from Carl Hendrix (thanks Carl!), and wanted to try them out. I grabbed my 7' light action spinning rig that was already rigged up with one of my 1/80th soft hackle Peacock and Starling microjigs. Once I had the float threaded onto the mainline, and reattached my leader and jig, I headed over to the little fishing platform.

This pond is getting choked with algae! My usual fishing spot is unfishable right now, as the wind is blowing all the "clots" of algae to that shore, and it's socked-in for 10' out to open water. I put a split shot, the smallest I have, onto the leader to balance the float. I cast the rig out. Nice distance on the cast. On splashdown, the float stood up, then sank down until only the top half-inch or so was above the water. As windy as that spot was, that would work well. However, I wanted to see what the rig would do if I removed the split shot. I tossed that out, and it did pretty much what I thought it would; the float just laid on it's side. Even nearly weightless, the float has enough mass that I could still make a 50' cast. I wasn't getting any bites, so I pulled it in, and walked around to the lee side of the pond.

I walked up to one little spot, and made a cast out. Immediately, the float started twitching, stood up, and started tracking off to the side. I tried to set the hook, but didn't connect. The hookset also managed to pull the rig most of the way in, so I threw it back out. This time, splashdown was right close to the weeds. Sure enough, the float started twitching again. This time, I reeled down to the fish, then set the hook. It flipping well took off and headed for deep water, and put a NICE bend in the rod. I was thinking a good-sized Hybrid sunnie, but when I got the fish in close, it was elongated, green, and had a nice black stripe down it's side. LMB! On a freaking 1/80th micro-jig. Will wonders never cease!

After that fight, I couldn't buy a bite. I figure the Bass spooked all the other fish. I walked a little ways over, to where the brook dumps into the pond. I made a cast out, and let it drift a bit. Nothing much on that drift, so I tossed it a little to the left. Almost immediately, the float gave that twitch-twitch, and started to stand up. I reeled down to the fish and set the hook. This was definitely NOT another LMB, but rather a small 'gill. Once the fish was released, I tossed out again, but the wind caught it and pulled it off target. I started doing a fast reel to get it in, when I noticed a fish following the float. I killed the retrieve, and let the jig fall. Sure enough, the fish took the jig, but once again, I missed the hookset. This time, however, I got a look at the fish. A small LMB. Little buggers are aggressive!

I had this float rigged as a stationary float, with my mainline going through a rubber sleeve on the float, then through the eye at the bottom. Even with this, I found it easy to adjust the depth by just pulling the line through. I may upgrade to a 1/32nd oz jig, and tip it with some crickets, and rig the float as a slipfloat. I'll have to try that at a later date. I'll report the results when I get them.

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Permalink Reply by carl hendrix on May 3, 2014 at 3:38pm

it takes a bit to get use to the floats;; and a lot of experimenting to get them just right;; but when you do get use to them-- look out!! those are killer floats!!

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Permalink Reply by Allen Morgan on May 4, 2014 at 3:59pm

Did some more experimenting today. Took the same rig I used on Saturday to one of my home lakes. I tried fishing around the weeds that are beginning to poke up through the water. Didn't get much for awhile. Then, I managed to throw the rig into the weeds, and got hung up. Managed to loose my 1/80th Peacock and Starling jig (gotta tie some more now :) ). Tied on a 1/80th Mantis jig in Olive. Got a bite, but missed. Tossed around, hither and yon, for a few minutes, then tossed the rig right back where I got the bite. This time the float popped up and start to head under. I tightened up and set the hook, feeling a fish. I kept seeing some silvery flashes as I brought it in. Thought I had a small LMB. Nope! Black Crappie, about 10" long. Ended up letting it go. Decided to switch up to a 1/32nd oz Mantis jig in Olive. That little change in weight managed to stand the float up, with only about an inch or so above the water. Didn't catch anything else.....