Bass-Addict

So it’s not just that they’re not there, even if I were able to locate the fish they wouldn’t even hit a live minnow?

Holy **** lol. Makes me feel even worse about my sex life ?

I have a creek no more than a few inches deep near me with a couple of deep (1-3 ft) holes that I have been able to toss minnow traps in overnight and pull them out full of creek chubs for most of the summer. How do they replenish so quickly, are they washed downstream every time it rains and then trapped in the holes when the water goes back down or do they swim up/downstream and get stuck or can no longer go any further upstream?

Bummer. There are a couple big fish that I am regularly able to catch at a couple of my spots on the river which when I paddled found them in the deeper water just downstream from the current where I normally caught them. Are these their wintering holes or are these fish likely still active?

Where do they go?

Ice and water temps below 50 is a big diff. We’re still a ways away from ice here but the water has been hovering around 48 for a couple weeks.

How do you think they constantly replenish? I’ve been able to get chubs out of the same creek sporadically throughout the summer. Does the rain wash them downstream and they get trapped when the water goes down or do they swim up/downstream and can’t go any further when they get to a hole with a small waterfall they can’t swim up?

I went to my usual spot yesterday where I’m consistently able to catch 10 fish. I only caught 2. The water temp was hovering around 50 but this shouldn’t be cold enough to shut them down completely if they hit year round, should it? I was using live minnows. Same thing happened last time I went, and it was even warmer then. No rain or high water, low clear conditions. Do you think even with live bait the bite gets harder the later it gets in the year?

Will chubs eat shiners? I caught a few that are in the 4-5” range, and I’ve got a bucket with a bunch of diff sized shiners in it.

Sorry I know I’ve posted about this before but trying to decide if I should go today or tomorrow, being injured it is a bit of a production. Last couple times I have gone have been just “ok” compared to when it was warmer. I’m in Ohio and overnight low last night was 43, water temp was 51/52 yesterday but dipped down to 48/49 and has stayed there but it will be back in the low 50s today with air temps in the upper 70s today and tomorrow. Tonight and tomorrow low is 56, so I’m guessing water temp will stay in 50s for at least a day or two until it gets cold again. Just wondering if it’s possibly worth waiting to go tomorrow when the water temperature has stabilized and been consistently over 50 for 24 hours and if this will make the fish more likely to be feeding than going today when water temp will only have been above 50 for an hour by the time I start fishing. Again I only ask because of how physically difficult getting on the water is for me and so I’m trying to optimize my time out there. Thanks!

Well before I was injured it was only one of many spots along the stretch of river I kayaked. Now that I’m confined to crutches unfortunately I can’t cover any water so if I’m gonna be fishing you better believe I’m gonna optimize my catching! ?

That’s kind of out of context lol, I normally fish the hole 20 ft upstream on the current seam and I consistently pull 10-12 smallmouth out of it. Nothing huge but some solid 15-18” chunks.

Haha thats terrifying. When I went to change the water today there was one floating on the top that had been chewed on, not sure if it died first or the crawdad got him but it was a little one so it’s not out of the question.

Gotcha, makes sense. I usually kayak, so I can cover a lot of water that way. Like you said I cast all over but spend a good amount of time at those current breaks.

So it’s not worth casting anywhere without current nearby?

Well that’s kind of a bummer lol. But that makes them easier to find. How do people still catch them in slack water so often?

Yeah didn’t think so. Could be nice for cleanup! Check this out, first project w new drill my bro in law gave me. Bench test for cooler, mini bait tank for transporting minnows from car to fishing spot in my backpack as I’m on crutches - https://ibb.co/pbbhGhm

So I checked one of my traps this morning, loaded w big fat chubs and as I was scooping out some of the pizzeria combos I used as bait I felt a little pinch. There was a crawdad in there! I haven’t been able to find those for months, I thought they all burrowed down for the winter. Think he should be ok in the bucket w the minnows? He won’t kill them will he?

Yeah my first cast is usually a free lined shiner, no weight or bobber let it swim until it is hit. I usually catch 2-3 right off the bat.

It’s just resting, not sealed. Good to know they can’t hurt themselves, gonna give them a whirl tomorrow! Thanks, I’ll prob order that!

So I ended up opting for a cheap $5 five gallon bucket from cabelas. Seems to be working well, water is treated and aerated but I keep hearing a loud “thud” of them trying to jump out of the bucket and hitting the lid. Are they going to kill them selves, should I put a net over it and take the lid off?

So if I’m not catching it in the spot I’ve been fishing it’s unlikely it’s just sitting in the hole? I don’t want guarantees I’m trying to learn

I thought all smallmouth relate to current? Why does everyone say to target the deep holes?

Are there usually big fish in deep holes after current?

Yeah. I’m still enjoying live bait, I like catching it and the idea of a predatory fish eating another large fish alive.