CLEAR water strip pit strategies??

[Jay Fogle]

Hi all,

The ten year old fishin' machine (my son) and I tried a local strip pit for several hours Saturday and couldn't get a bite.

Due to several other committments the only time we could fish was during the middle of the day - we fished from 11 am til 4 or so.

We didn't get a bite all day. However, the water was so clear that we saw numerous fish follow our lures - of course they saw us too.

This is extremely clear water - I estimate we could see at least 25 feet down.

Most of the bottom had either bright almost lime green vegation or a darker reddish green vegetation and some places were just limestone with green slime (very pretty almost phosphorescent). There were so stickups and trees that had been placed in the water as well. All of the pits around us are prettier much like this one.

I'd like to hear any tips for catching fish in these conditions. Obviously, fishing early and late would help I am sure. And using bait instead of artificials. (We ran into an elderly couple who had caught a number of redear on weighted wooly buggers with their fly rods - right after sun up.)

Thanks
Jay

[steve b]

Can only suggest what ya probably already know. Lighter line/flourocarbon the way to go. steve b

[Brian Eaton]

I fish strip pits like that here in Oklahoma.Fish early,live bait and what was most important to me CLEAR BOBBERS!!! Went from bluegills just lookin at the bait,to several racing to eat it.Hope this helps you and your son.

[Jay Fogle]

Thanks Brian!

I will try it this Friday after work! I have a couple of clear casting bubbles that I can use for bobbers but don't recall seeing clear bobbers before.

Where abouts are ya in OK? I lived there for ten years, wife was born in Davis and most of her family lives around Midwest City/Choctaw with a few in Eastern Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Morris, Henryetta, etc. Well, all but the ones that moved here to Indiana after we did - which is ok cause they bought places with ponds!

I am a BIG Boomer Sooner fan too (hope we can still be "friends" even if you are for that other school - lol)
Jay

[Dana]

it sounds like the old folks had the right idea to me. Im partial to fly fishing myself, and have yet to get skunked when going after gills. mind you they are not always keepers, but you can usually get some action of some sort.
Small nymphs like the Hares Ear nymph http://www.maineflyfish.com/flytying/haresear_nymph/haresear_nymph.jpg , Brassie http://www.westfly.com/fly-pattern-recipe/wet/brassie.jpeg, Copper John http://myweb.cableone.net/stairway/Copper%20John%20Fly.jpg, and other small flies. letting them sink down 5-10 feet, then slowly stripping the line1-2 feet at a time, then letting it sink for a second, then stip again, ect...
that has been pretty sucessful for me no matter what the time of day.

If you have casting bubbles already, then you wont even need the fly gear, just the flies.

[Jay Fogle]

Thanks Dana
I didn't mention - I was using my fly rod and a "popper and dropper."

I think what I failed to do was lose the popper and just use the dropper... (actually a foam ant and a copper john)

My son started out with a small black panfish jig but saw several large bass in the course of a few minutes and changed to a small white chatterbait (which I was sure wouldn't work in those conditions -subtle would seem to be the requirement - that's something chatterbaits aren't :)

Thanks again
Jay

[Will Gibbs]

Are you standing or crouching when near the edge? If the water's that clear crouching is the thing to do, also if using flies go way down in size ...bluegills main food is phytoplankton and is almost microscopic,you also may want to use the lightest tippet you feel comfortable with.

[Jay Fogle]

Hi Will - thanks for the tips! We were fishing from a "Bass Buster" two-man plastic boat. But the family is going off on vacation for a week so I will probably use my float tube this weekend.

I use a 6x leader and tippet. I can try some smaller flies too - I have 22's and 32's - but I need a stinking microscope to find the hole in the hook! :)