bchase44

Desert Craw and Bold Bluegill Roboworms drop-shotted have been working for me quite a bit around docks. T-rigged on a wide gap red #1 Gamagatzu finesse hook with about 1/8 weight.

I was excited to head to a new area of my home lake today., there is a bay of the lake that eventually turns into a creek. I thought I was going to do good, there were cranes stalking, the baitfish were there in mass up in the mouth of the creek. Little splashes were happening all around. The day was overcast, gusty 8-10mph wind (but not that bad up in the creek). I mapped new area and found a lot more structure with the creek channel getting to 12 feet in some areas. There are 4 bridges, one double lane freeway at the entrance to the bay, another highway bridge at the entrance to the creek, and a railway bridge over the creek. I tried a red-eyed lipless shad (until I lost it) cruising it through the breaking threadfin shad I was seeing all around. I tried a pearl colored rapala jerkbait for a while, also a silver shad crankbait and a gold rattle trap. My other rod had a weightless senko on there the whole time, but I couldn't even buy a bite on that! I fished the bridges a lot.. hit the shores not 20 feet from the deepest areas of the creek channel. After about 3 hours I went back out into the main lake to fish some docks but the wind blew me around too much.. gave up, accepted the skunk I arrived about 10:30am and fished until about 2:30pm. Depth finder recorded water temp at 73 degrees. Anything you folks would have done different? Almost forgot, I did catch a turtle on the silver shad crankbait.. not a snag either but he struck it from what I could tell.

Welcome and Greetings from Central Arkansas!

I want to upgrade both setups and I'd be willing to spend 300-350 on each. I saw a rod (no reel) for 500 bucks on TW.. That just blows me away lol

So I've never really shopped around, in fact I don't remember where I got my existing setups. Current setups: 6'6" Abu Garcia Harold Ensley Signature series Medium Heavy - Pfleuger Templar 6.4:1 Baitcasting 6'6" Abu Garcia UltraCast Medium - Abu Garcia 5.2:1 Spinning I kayak fish and love fishing drop shot, Ned rig, and most finesse type techniques. I tend to use my spinning rod more than the baitcast. I usually tie on a spinnerbait or something to the baitcaster and use it when i am paddling down shorelines, when I get to a good spot I will anchor the kayak (if windy) and switch to spinning rod. Although I have put the ned rig on the baitcaster with some success. Anyway, I'm trying to decide if I really need a "drop-shot" specific rod, or if I should upgrade my baitcaster (I might actually like it better if I got a quality one - not sure of mine's qualilty) If anyone can tell me: Are my rods pretty decent? What rod / reel would you recommend for me? I would probably not want to spend over 300, I might go 350 if it's truly worth it.. I am also debating holding off for Black Friday sales but not sure if the deals are worth waiting for?

By structure I mean a historical lake that was submerged when the reservoir was built. The reservoir is shallow (average 4-5ft) but there are about half a dozen old ponds, lakes, creeks that get to 10-15 ft. There is also cover, stumps, standing timber mostly which seem to be around the submerged lake (when I'm over the submerged lake I only see a few stumps occasionally) Forage is threadfin shad, but I've never seen them where I fish yet. There is a shoreline about 50 yards away from the submerged lake, closest shoreline to the deeper water. Which is where I find bass about an hour before dark. I have been assuming in the heat of the day that they are hanging out in the submerged lake but I'm starting to question that now, I've never had a nibble or seen anything. You guys have made me realize I'm not on a "large reservoir" .. 6500 acres is big to me, but I don't get out much.. I will be heading to Guntersville, AL in a few weeks though!

Why not learn one area of the large reservoir better than the rest? I have been thinking that fish won't migrate across the whole lake if it's large (mine is 6500 acres).. But each area with relatively deep water would have their own patterns, and that the fish would head for the 'local' deep water during cold fronts/wintering/etc. If there is 13 ft of water over here, with structure, shallows and forage.. But 3/4 of a mile away there is 16 ft (deepest hole in the lake) also with structure and forage.. I didn't think they would travel that far.. I figured each area would have it's own little ecosystem so to speak.. Is this incorrect logic? This comes from someone in a kayak as well. so covering a lot of different areas across the lake is un-doable.

This is where I am, or where I am not to be clear.. I've been reading Spoonplugging and the first 9 or so chapters are pretty straightforward.. Exciting to think about in terms of movements and finding a (or the) migration path.. where you will find them either in sanctuary or shallow or somewhere along this path between. Seems easy, until your out there. bobbing on the lake, looking at that shoreline where you caught a couple decent bass "that one sunset".. (nevermind that it's 2pm).. And there is that dock I almost always get bit on.. But where is the path? It's more like a needle in a haystack!!

I went the craigslist route, you can find package deals when people are either getting out of the sport or upgrading. Wilderness Systems are nice, I have the Ride 135 and love it. I have stood in it, but don't have my sea-legs for that yet and there are so many stumps in my lake I would be afraid to drift into one while fishing and fall in the drinnk. I also agree with previous posts on the seat. I have an Airpro seat.. These have low, high and even recline positions and I could fish out of them all day without aches. Also the rudder is worth repeating, Many times the wind is behind me I can fish an entire shoreline without touching the paddle, just the foot controls.

I have an Abu Garcia Spinning reel that does this too.. I can feel the damage in the flouro as well. Yesterday I took the line roller off and put it back on.. And this evening I never got snagged once. I am not sure if maybe the fit gets loose. There is also a video out there on YT if you search "fixing spinning reel line stuck in line roller".. Not very quality vid but the guy puts a extra washer in.. I haven't tried this yet.

I take that back, I had it facing the way you describe. Took it out this evening and piddled around some. I got a lot of learning to do on that. Starting to see it's not all that useful in 5 ft of water lol.. and my lake averages 4ft.

Wayne P.. well heck I'm pretty sure I have always been putting that narrow end forward and wide end rear-ward I will have to correct that thanks!

Hamma - I am definitely going to check out the dam area as well. There is a creek channel that runs from the 89 bridge to the dam so I want to get the finder on all that. To clarify, I don't think my transducer is mounted sideways, it just attaches to a track ball thing that is on the side of the kayak, but it is designed to hang straight down. I believe the thing I'm realizing from all the replys here is that I only see a very small cone to the bottom directly beneath me.. And maybe those odd fuzzy shapes are just a portion of the bait fish (or suspended fish) or whatever it is. My depth setting, or lower range is 15 ft. Since the deepest I believe in the entire lake is the 89 bridge area around 12-14ft Spinnerbaits are one of my favorites, And I'm just now realizing to never retrieve just straight and steady. But making it dance or bulge or "killing it" or slow rolling, etc. Todd2- Same day I go back to the dam, I'm graphing the whole channel to the bridge.. I plan to graph as much or more than I actively fish. Also downloaded my particular finder's online manual just now Catt - I got below saved just gotta keep reading it until memorized and then find it out there Breakline: A breakline can have more than one meaning. It can be another word for a drop-off/ledge, or a point of any quick change in depth. It can also be used to describe the edge of a vegetation line. For example, a "weed break" is the area of the weed bed where the weeds meet up with open water; or, where one type of weed meets up with another. The last example happens when bottom composition changes, as different weeds prefer different types of bottom composition. In rocky impoundments, a breakline can also describe a line where rock meets mud, pea gravel, etc. In other words, the most correct definition for a breakline is "Any distinct line that is made by cover or structure which leads to an abrupt change in bottom depth, composition, or cover transition". I just pulled the trigger on Spoonplugging: Your guide to Lunker Catches earlier tonight

Thank you all!

Thanks for all your info, this is helping a lot! Getting fired up to go back! AR Game and Fish reports the water clear this week, but I've never considered it clear on my trips. I'm doing good to see a bait 8 inches below the surface.. Or maybe a foot if chartreuse. I always thought it was tannic from the timber. I will have to look for these channels / creeks. and where they bend. I have a feeling it will be a slight depression but if I can find one I want to follow it until I see something else in it like a stump or log or whatever the fuzzy blob is. My transducer fits on the side of my yak and angles straight down, I struggled at first (and still kinda) in determining how far I should go past it after I see something I want to stop and fish. But it sounds like I should locate it and position myself downwind or down current.. cast over it and retrieve into it to appear something is coming down the current. I've read many times on here to fish uphill on points. And I realize now that points don't have to start at the bank and go underwater but they can be completely submerged from the old creek.. But is it worth it to fish.. say across.. a straight creek? Or position over the creek and fish up and down it?

Here is a photo of the lake (not mine), just wanted to highlight the 1,000's of standing trees (I believe cypress but don't know my trees)

I'm with you on those spots, the wind, the few times I've been so far, is usually blowing SE.. So if wind = current then it should be sending water through the small inlet towards Dix West. And if the Dam (far south) is running water.. It almost has to create current at the 89 bridge. (incidentally 89 bridge is what the local bait shop says is the best spot to fish for crappie / catfish) I've bank fished 89 bridge and took the kayak there once. Storm actually sent me under the bridge to wait it out since I put in at the dam site that day. (no finder on that day though). I know there's rip rap around the bridge area. The only forage I know for sure are bluegill and yellowtail shad. Many years ago I used to live at gold creek (teenager so serious fishing was not on priority).. but I recall seeing the shad swirling the surface when the water was calm. Bottom composition around adams lake is dead leaves, and my anchor sometimes gets stuck in the dark black silt.. I have to dunk it a few times to get most of it off rather than in the yak. From what I've read I interpret that as not good for jigs but maybe better for c-rigs. I dunno I haven't had a good experience with the c-rigs lol Forgot to ask, were my finder settings looking ok above?

Lily Pads. if you see the small cove to the East of where I put in at Adams Lake ramp.. There are vast areas of pads in that cove, about 2-4 feet of water up in there. Given the shallow nature of the entire lake, I figure vertical drop-shotting is out unless I find them in the 10-12 ft range and am very quiet. I also believe this lake has no thermocline (too shallow) and therefore I don't believe it will "turnover" in fall.. But I am throwing some terms I have only began to read about on here

thanks both of you, riverbasser: I believe there are some spots around 12 ft. see map link below. As for vegetation, I am struggling seeing it on my finder or with eyes or hooks.. I rarely feel any veggies on the retrieve (just stumps and sticks). I'm not sure if it grows in 4ft or so as that is what is the usual depth about 10ft from bank? Finder settings: Down Sensitivity 18/20 DI Enhance > Contrast 10 Sharpness - High Lower Range 15ft Chart Speed 6 Imaging Palette: Light Turkey - I found a online map here: http://www.agfc.com/resources/fishingMaps/Lake Conway.pdf I put in at Adams Lake on the East side of the lake.. and you can see the submerged lake to the west. This also shows depth of 10ft rather than 12 like my old paper map. I have been wanting to try the prominent point directly north of Lawrence Landing Access as well And also the Highway 89 bridge on the south side of the lake.

First question post here: First of all, I've read every one of the great threads on structure (and almost every other thread in best of). Over the last few months, I've decided to find some of that structure Catt discusses on my lake. Some info: I've fished before but never regularly.. Always wanted to get a boat and get good at it. A couple months ago I got a nice fishing kayak, love it, and it came with a fish finder, a Hummingbird 581i HD Down Imager. And am determined to learn new techniques and stop constantly fishing cover my eyes can see and start finding structure with the finder. I am new to the fish finder thing.. about all I know is to turn the fish id off and adjust the screen depth shown to my lake. My lake: Lake Conway is an Arkansas Game Fish Commission created reservoir about 6,500 sq feet. The average depth is said to be 4 ft. Logs and standing timber are everywhere, most people flat-bottom boat but if any designer bass boats get out there they usually go slow. When the lake was created, there were existing creeks and lakes that were submerged. One of these places is where I fish, the paper map shows areas of 12 ft of water where the lake was, but I have been over it and I believe it may be silted in.. the map appears like it has not been updated in decades.. the deepest I can find is about 9.5 ft. Which brings me to my first few outings with the fish finder on board, I head straight for the submerged lake, thinking I was going to find great crevasses and drop offs and mighty humps that those without a finder know nothing about.... And arches.. many arches.. What I actually found seemed like a barren wasteland.. I know I was in the right area for the submerged lake. I could read about 5 feet depth and travel to the lake and it went to 9.5 feet, but ever so slightly incline.. Like 50 yards to get from 5 ft to the 9ft depth.. So my question, does that count as structure still?. I saw hardly any fish relating to the incline.. For some reason I thought I'd see a prominent drop-off with fish on the top edge and bottom. Also while paddling around / above the submerged lake.. I kept seeing small fuzzy blobs suspended, these don't look like the "baitballs" that Fluke and them show on you-tube.. I was thinking they may be suspended moss clumps.. But perhaps they are bait fish. Next time out I will try to get a photo of it.. I went ahead and fished them anyway with shad-like cranks but got no bites. (by the way yellowfin shad are in this lake, not sure about gizzard).. it could be the blobs are how my finder registers tall stumps / brushpiles.. I tried going over logs I could see but glide over and it is harder than I thought to tell what is what on the screen. (there are about 6 "views" but I'm not sure what they all do yet) The only thing I have figured out is that a particular bank close to the submerged lake (which if you remember I went west along a north facing bank, when I get to the submerged lake that shoreline turns south facing West and faces the submerged lake).. That west facing bank the bass feed on it when the sun is about an hour to sunset. I caught a couple 3lbers there on a superspot in about 10 mins. And the second time I hit it at sunset I was using a ned rig and caught large freshwater drum, and think hooked but lost a decent bass. So I have found a decent activity spot at a certain time at least. (by the way the ned rig I never heard of until this site) Anyway, any advice or feedback to my start at venturing off the bank beaten path will be appreciated. I'm sure I left out important info somewhere. Barry

thanks all!

Been lurking for a couple of years. Learned a ton here already. I just got a fishing kayak and am no longer bank-bound. Which means I fish a lot more now. Along with the kayak came a fish finder. And I'm new to that too. So far been having a blast fishing a ned rig and I had never heard of that until I read it on this forum!