Pacemaker Fishing Forum

I had the day off (from family duties, that is) so I planned to meet up with Drew from the BR forums, I was picking up some rod tubes that I needed to ship some rods. Low tide was at 11AM, and high tide at 5:30PM, so we planned to meet at the dock at 8:30AM. Got there, launched, and I got the last trailer spot in the lot. The tide was rushing out so I decided to try that creek before the Beach. We get there and there are already 2 boats and a kayak there...so we turn around and head toward the bike trail wall. The hydrilla edges were very pronounced so I started to throw a new frog, the Jackall Gavacho (more on this one at the end).  About 30 minutes in, I get one along the rice grass...not the hydrilla edge. A small 1.5lber.



We pounded the grass edge all the way up to three river junction, but nothing else hit. But we did see about 4 good size bass cruising along the grass drop offs. The water clarify in this section was really clear, I could see the channel bottom in some spots, 4-5 feet visibility. I'm not sure if the bass were just moving because we spooked them, or they were cruising for a meal, probably the former. So we knew there were fish here and in hindsight, we probably should have gone more finesse and thrown a senko. We got to the false channel and went up there, but couldn't get too far because there was hydrilla everywhere, no hits.

It was now about 1:30PM and we decided to take our lunch break. The plan would be to let the water come in a bit, and then hit the pads across from the beach. So we motor back and look for shade, but there wasn't much to be found without going into the hydrilla. But right across from the beach, where the old rock dump road is, there are overhanging trees just enough to block some sun so we tie up there. I proceed to chow down my triple decker PBJ, sun chips and soda while people watching. Drew also had a handful of Cuban Monte's that needed to be smoked, so I obliged. Saw a fleet of kayakers in some fancy ones...those long thin ones, not the rotomolded types and paddles that looked like helicopter blades, very futuristic looking. A couple teens blasting through there on their jon boat on plane. A few stares at boats as they're trying to fish the timber next to us...sorry fellas...first come first serve. When took our break until about 3:30PM, and when I go back into the cooler...I realized we had managed to polish off 8 Shiner Bocks.

The tide was coming in good now, and we decided to try the pads. Problem was, even with high tide, the hydrilla was so thick there was maybe 3-4" of water all through the pads where we could see, and even then the pads were in bad shape, very shriveled up and not really giving any cover. I just didn't see how a fish could want to be in the pads in that skinny of water under the sparse pad cover. They were probably under the hydrilla, but we couldn't get to them. I texted the Captains and asked for advice...Dave responds that we need to pole in there and look for grass openings...I respond that maybe we'll just smoke cigars until Golden Hour....rather than do that.

So we get out of the pads and decided to try going back up the creek before the Beach. Threw paddletails, frogs, poppers, craws...nothing. We even decided to take the little offshoot on the left and took it WAY back there with the high tide. It was fun being way back there, almost like another world because the rice grass was so high you can't see a thing on the horizon. We move out of that creek and decide to try another set of pads one more time now that the tide should have peaked. Same deal, choked with hydrilla and pads did not look good.

It's now about 6PM, and we haven't gotten a bite since my first one of the day. Time to try something different other than hydrilla and pads. So we go back towards the bike wall, and try the shaded area under those over hanging trees and rocky shoreline. This stretch is always muddy, and I never seem to do well. We decide to practice our skipping, so I break out my frog and we play HORSE with skipping into targets like this. (I got it in there on the first try )



I actually had one blow up back there on top of timber, but it was something small and never took the frog down. Drew had waived the white flag, and tied on a senko. He also got a bite and when he set the hook, it had actually bent out. Ok, maybe a pattern...shaded timber, but nothing more after that stretch.

We set up for our final hurrah, and plan to fish along the pad edge along the Ponds, back toward three river junction, then come back on the timber side, then fish the grass side past the wall. As golden hour approached we were along the timer edge and it finally happened. A good size largie on the popper.



Drew had stuck with the senko, and then he scores two.




We beat up that shoreline and then hit the grass edge past the wall, and I scored one more dink on the popper, and a few bluegill blow ups and then we went home.

Not the greatest day fishing, but I learned a lot from it.

The frog I used was a Jackall Gavacho popping frog. I'm really liking this frog. Even though it has a cupped face, it walks amazing. The hooks are also designed very well, they point just a bit upward/outward, but the body is molded in such a way that they shield the hooks too. From the internet:

Last edited by Junger (Jul-29-19 10:45AM)