Fishing report from Bonnet Carre spillway, (Norco,Louisiana..between Kenner and Laplace)

[tim ricks]

This afternoon, I finished my last service call (I am an electrical contractor), and got in my truck and drove out to Bonnett Carre Spillway...

 

About a month ago, things were going good... catching bass, small ones, but bass nonetheless, some goggle-eyes, and sacalait. We catch an occasional gaspergou as well.

 

Once the cold weather it, things went downhill. I was still catching goggle-eyes, but the sacalait stopped biting, or i just couldnt find them. I dont have a depth finder on my 12' flat.

 

To make things worse, I broke my favorite jig pole.... which is telescopic cane pole with only one eye on the tip of the pole. It was a Master Crappie Grabber.

 

I dont care what the pros over on the other forums tell you, i have broken FOUR BnM poles.. four of them. The Master pole was probably 12 years old. I bought an Uncle Bucks telescopic pole and today, i caught my first sacalait in two weeks. I didn't even know it was on the line.. i didnt feel a thing.. all i saw was the rod tip dip down. No sensitivity.

 

So I was using a Cutie Spin... little spinner bait and hooked a spotted gar, which thankfully threw the hook. i tried that for a while then gave up.

 

The water calmed a bit, and I brought out the fly rod. I was using an Accardo Bream Special popper, which was green..and i tell you, I must have caught 50 fish today.

 

What bothers me is I made a mistake with one fish. The little perch had swallowed the popper to the point where I couldnt get my pliers down in there to remove it. Finally got it out, but I dont think the fish will live. Made me feel bad.. i should have kept him, or killed him.

 

The sun went down and I began to catch some nice sized bluegills, but then again, another one swallowed the popper, and I tried my best to get the lure out. it was too far in and I had to kill the fish.

 

Made me feel badand I just dont like to kill for no reason.. it was too small to eat.

 

I switched over to a large popper..and the strikes were less frequent..and i caught NOTHING..... it was too big.

 

 

SO.......

 

some questions....

 

1. Can anyone tell me where I can get some kind of tool that would help me remove hooks from the smaller fish?

 

2. How ... can i ask this... Is there a certain size that those of you who fly fish use to prevent the fish from swallowing the popper?

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Gronaw]

Nice report, Tim. I am not a fly fisher, but I hope one of them on this forum can direct you to a style/size of popper that would minimize the deep-hook gig. I would call on Greg McWilliams or Jen and join the fly fishing forum on this site for this one.
Also, you might want to try and pinch down the barbs of your hooks or use barbless hooks in your ties to make removal easier.

Unavoidably, you will have mortality from time to time , no matter what kind of fishing you do. I admire your efforts to keep it to the barest minimum. Good Luck! Jim

[Magnolia Rick]

Tim try using the "C' type hooks don't swallow them as much and you don't have to try and set these hook. I use them when I fish and release them in my pond

[tim ricks]

A+ response..thank you so much i appreciate it.

where do i get forceps from?

[Greg McWilliams]

Tim, For size of popper Steve Miller is the expert. I make a popper out of flip flops!!!
http://bigbluegill.com/photo/flipfloppers-materials?context=user
My favorite size is punched out with a 3/8" n.p.t. nipple. The will still swallow it once in a while. The 1/2" nipple I have the get hits but not many hook up's. Take you two size poppers to the store and see if you can find one inbetween. When I do the flipfloppers I also use a long shank aberdeen crappie hook. Seems to help with the swallowing part.
Hemostats if you bait shop doesn't have them find a nurseing supply store. I found some gold plated curve hemos there that are really pretty and around $7.oo.lol

[Jen Nayfly]

Hi Tim.........if you're tying your own be it poppers or other flies, I have found that
using scud hooks, the bluegill seldom swallow them. As for tying a popper on a scud
hook, try using a size 6. Also NEVER leave home without a pair of hemostats for digging the swallowed flies out. Again, seldom have I ever killed a fish using them.
Also, contact Steve Miller on here. He IS the popper king.

[tim ricks]

thankS ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR REPLIES.. I APPRECIATE IT AND IT HAS BEEN INFORMATIVE.

I AM GOING TO POST UP A NEW THREAD ON THE SUBJECT OF FLIES.