everythingthatswims

I haven't seen anything but the same 2 mile stretch of river since August. I guess I can't complain but I really do put in a TON of time for a few fish! 3-5 days a week on that river and many hours without so much as a bump!

Awesome fish!

My friend and I got on a pretty good walleye bite this evening/night. The walleyes were jumping when we hooked them, which is very strange, but we soon figured out why when a giant musky t boned a 15" walleye at my feet and peeled some line before spitting him out. We didn't have musky tackle with us so we just kept slaying the walleyes and pulling them out of the water before the musky could get to them. Then I set the hook into something solid, and was astonished to see my little 1/16oz jighead with a 4" GYCB curly tail stuck in the snout of the monster that had been chasing our walleyes. Somehow my 10lb leader held up for the 10-15 minute battle and I was able to beach the 42" BEAST!

I had one of the craziest fishing incidents that I've ever experienced happen to me today. My friend and I decided to just paddle a long ways and explore the river, but we trolled shad raps along the way in hopes of picking up a fish or two. I was trolling a #7 shad rap on a revo s spooled with 12lb fluoro (this is important) when a fish absolutely slammed the bait. My rod was doubled over and I quickly realized that I hadn't re adjusted my drag from when I was throwing a chatterbait, I'm surprised the fish didn't break me off right then and there. I quickly grabbed the rod and hit free spool and started thumbing some line out, but the fish made a crazy run and bird nested the reel beyond the point of no return. I paddled towards the fish to try and buy some time, but a few futile attempts at undoing the backlash made me realize I was going to have to find another way to land the fish. I paddled a couple more strokes towards the fish who was still very ticked off, grabbed my jig rod, and cut the jig off. I cut the 12lb fluoro at the reel and after I got it through the guides I tied the fastest uni to uni I have ever tied before to the 15lb fluoro on my jig rod. Somehow I got the knot cinched down seconds before the fish took off on a screaming run. I assumed I had a musky but wasn't sure. I babied the fish because I knew I had given it slack and was using small trebles, and after a 5 minute battle I got the first look at a hybrid striper that appeared to be 24-25" long. I played the fish some more and right when I reached behind his head to grab him, he shook off, and his shoulders were too wide for me to grab him behind the gills, and he swam off! Maybe next time I'll get him.

When fishing new water (or any water for that matter) use baits that you have confidence in and have experience with before taking someone's advice on a different bait.

Y'all should see the thread on swimbaitunderground about this stuff haha

LITE TROUT

An even better tip would be to go to the hot side of Lake Anna where the bass don't know it's winter!

It's a #6, I pretty much stick with that size but may change one size up or down depending on conditions and depth. I landed one that measured 23" on a shad rap last year in December, I would say it was in the mid 6lb range. When I caught the drum, I was trolling a shad rap intending to catch walleye, but any time you fish a shad rap you are pretty much targeting all species.

My best tip is to listen to @Turtle135, because he absolutely gets it done in the winter. My best producing winter baits are a lipless crankbait (yes you can yo-yo them but I have caught many fish on a straight retrieve in the winter here), a shad rap, and a texas rigged finesse worm fished SLOW. Like Catt said, 3 days of stable weather will give you a much better chance at having a decent day in the winter. I really like a bunch of warm sunny days followed by an overcast day (fish the overcast day!) in winter.

10lb seems to be the best size line for #5, #6, and #7 which are the ones I use for bass. Anywhere 8lb-12lb line is good, but if you use 12 it better be fluoro because they won't dive very deep on mono that size. Problem is they are balsa and have a funny shape and casting them can be difficult, so most people use them on spinning rods. I like using them on a baitcaster usually but most of them twist up your line on the cast.

No matter what I throw at them, the ones here will swim up to the bait, kiss it, and spook! I have only caught one sight fishing with an artificial. Live craws on the other hand.... I don't think there's a fish out there that won't hit a shad rap! I caught the fish on a medium extra fast spinning rod.

By far the biggest drum I have ever caught at 9.2lbs. I was shocked by how well it fought! Thought I had hooked a musky!

Am I the only one who can't see the photos?

Same stuff you would deep crank on

I can't believe no one has mentioned a keitech 4" swing impact. Match the color of the forage and put it on a 1/16oz jighead with light line. If they won't eat that you might not be able to catch them on an artificial, some fish just get extremely keyed in on certain baitfish,

More WVU mixed bag fish Disclaimer* This is a 20" fish but I made sure there is nothing in the photo for size reference

I only fish one lake where I catch them in the 30-40+ foot range, and I can't remember the last time I had a fish that wasn't able to swim back down when I released it immediately. I used fin clips one time when I fished a tournament there and caught a deep fish, seems like the bass was able to adjust its swim bladder while in the live well with the fin clips on. And the little white perch that come up with their eyes bugged out of their head, well there's not much hope for them

Spent four hours on the river with nothing to show but a microscopic spot that somehow pinned himself on the trailer hook of my spinnerbait. Made a stop on my way back to the dock at a spot that usually will produce a walleye at dusk, but this guy found his way to the 4" swing impact instead! Any day on the river in Morgantown that you catch a bass over 12" is a good day. Man, I need to get home for thanksgiving and remember what bass fishing is.

The more you contribute to the forums, the more likely you are to receive a very nice PM in a situation like this! Give us a good report after your trip!

I am currently looking for a rod to go with my Calcutta conquest 50. I know it won't be a very practical setup but that reel is just too fun! Anyone have much experience with lighter casting rods? I'd like something that can load with a pretty light bait. I also won't be spending more than $150 on the rod. I might even end up using it for trout and crappie fishing if it the rod will load with lightweight stuff, the reel is top notch and I think it can handle it.

While everyone was at Halloween parties tonight

I've caught them from the bank in low 40s water that I took a temperature of. Without a thermometer, I have caught bass when ice covered 75% of the pond.

100% Gizzard shad. One that size on a circle hook would probably find one of the bigger largemouth in that body of water.

M Spinning- shakey head, drop shot, senko. M Casting- Cranks, Spinnerbait, Topwater, Swimbait. H Casting- Jig/Texas rig