Pacemaker Fishing Forum

I got out early and tried the tip of the island, but no bites and no topwater action.  It was cold with a steady breeze.  I motored upriver to fish an island and finally got one to bite a crank.  It was 14.5".


I saw Ernie come upriver right after that.  I was using a green Rapala DT Thug next and didn't get any bites, so changed color to the orange craw and got 2 in a row.  The first one was 14".


The next one was 14.75".

I thought I had a pattern, but no more fish there.  I moved up to the next island to float.  I was casting the Rapala and about the 3rd or 4th cast, the body separated from the bill and flew away.  I switched to a Cordell Big O in craw pattern and caught a 14"er.

I was casting that crank and hooked something big that pulled drag and stayed down.  I fought it for a while with several drag pulling runs.  I thought it might be a big catfish, but then saw the orange tail.  I snagged a big carp.  I tried to pick it up to measure, but it slipped out of my hands and swam away.


That got my heart pumping!  I kepst floating and caught 5 more smallies up to 16 inches.  I only took pictures of 14" or more.  The second fish was the 16" that hit a Strike King crank.





I ended up floating that island twice and caught 2 fish on the second pass, brining my total to 12.  Ernie had gone back down river and I headed that way, floating in the middle a bit with no bites.  I decided to hit the other island again on the way back.  I only caught 2 fish, but the first one was a 17.25"er that looked like an Eagle tried to grab (cuts on both sides.  I caught that on a zoom speed craw on a SWM jig head.


I kept fishing (too long) and got a few bites, but did not hook another fish.  I lost at least 2 that were on, but then came off.
Cool breezy day.  I ended with 14 smallies plus the carp and got off the water after 4pm.  Beat the bad weather though!

Last edited by drxfish (Oct-16-18 3:59PM)