anybody been to the dam fishing lately? smallmouth bite? thinking about going saturday....the wind is forecasted for 10-16 mph...not sure if it will even be worth it but its my only day to go

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/163835-its-on-at-pickwick/

Since the weekend that Kent went, there wa only 1 other day they have been running good water.  I have been itching to go, but not been down yet!

Jeff

Looks like pretty good water this weekend:  https://tva.gov/Environment/Lake-Levels/Pickwick

looks like im going to grenada fishing in the morning and gonna try the river saturday morning....best place to buy big bait at the BP?

Used to be. Don't know about the new owners....

Jeff

looks like im going to grenada fishing in the morning and gonna try the river saturday morning....best place to buy big bait at the BP?

 

No, the new owner doesn't fish and his minnows are "mixed". Earlier this month I bought

2 lbs and half of them were small crappie bait. Try the Exxon (Pro Bass) first.

Any of you guys ever tried Black Salty minnows ?   Any worries about them being goldfish / non native ?    We tried some from a place in Decatur last time we went to Wheeler.. they were extremely impressive performers.. and the perfect size for bigger fish...  lasted forever even hooked through the back.. strong swimmers...  like no minnow I've ever seen before...

I have thought about them.  They are from the JP farm or something right?  I have always been scared of the shipping and amount you have to buy!

 

Jeff

Yes I saw that you can order online, but way too many for me.  There's a bait shop right on the south side of the bridge in Decatur that sells them... expensive but worth it.. 1 minnow can last all day and through several catches... very firm bodies and incredible energy....  just constant motion and action..... If I was going to try to catch a monster I'd have one of those on the hook as a first choice.

 

I was hoping there were other places that sell them up toward Pickwick.. ?

How far is that from the Pickwick Dam?  I would love to try some!  And I have some buddies who want to use them as catfish bait on trot lines in the Mississippi river.

 

Jeff

Decatur AL is pretty far... right near I 65 south.     They're mostly used for catfish, but we caught several nice smallies on them.   The bait shop was called Townson bait I think... right over the bridge.    He wanted to sell us a pound only but we talked him into half a pound.... $12 I think....  That's why I was hoping to find another shop that would sell them in smaller quantities...

 

We did best just hooking them in the body near the tail and just letting it free swim...  seems like it would be the perfect bait for winter monsters...

SHaugh - next time you want to go, let me know!  You can stop by and get the bait and I can repay you.  I am very interested in these! I love the river in the winter!

 

Jeff

We did best just hooking them in the body near the tail and just letting it free swim...  seems like it would be the perfect bait for winter monsters...

 

Still water? In fast current I don't think that would work, but I am VERY interested in your response.

I have always rigged them through the jaw to keep the mouth closed and the minnow from drowning.

Also, are you fishing them with a float or split shot rig?

Roadwarrior,

I'm obviously not an expert.  That was my first time using them.   We were in near still water at the mouth of Limestone bay for part of the day... the minnows are so strong it amazed us.. just given free line they would swim deep.. I'm sure they were down 15 feet or more... they seemed to want to find the bottom.    We talked to the owner of the bait shop and that was his recommendation.   No weight .. just hook them between the dorsal and tail...

 

Like I said the experience was so new to me we really didn't have much opportunity to experiment with other techniques.  The size he sells is the smaller one.. inshore size....about 3" but very heavy bodied.. very hard bodies and scales.. you actually have to pick off a scale with the hook just to penetrate the body.  I'm so used to mushy minnows that was really different as well.. impossible for these things to come off.. even on a long cast when hooked through the body.....  The hooks seemed to hardly bother them.. when you put them in the water they just flat out full speed headed for deeper water... and didn't quit.... for easily an hour in some cases...amazing endurance...  other techniques didn't  come to mind.....  you simply felt like you were about to get a bite at any second.

 

They call it free lining I learned later when I googled them:

http://www.blacksalty.com/blacksalty.htm

 

Have you used them before ?   Was it my imagination ?

 

00 Mod,

Thanks for the invite.. I'm not sure when I'll make it that far west....I hope to some time this winter.. I'll message you when I know something..

No, the new owner doesn't fish and his minnows are "mixed". Earlier this month I bought

2 lbs and half of them were small crappie bait. Try the Exxon (Pro Bass) first.

where is that place at if i were to pull out of the BP what would my directions be? I hate that BP now...im gonna bite my tongue but that place has gone down and the minnows there SUCK! 

I didnt do much good saturday....Im hoping to go back soon....the current wasnt near as swift as it was when I went around this time last year.....i did manage to troll around the walls up near the lock and pick up a crappie, and a couple bass

Other bait shop- turn right out of bp, and then right at light. Bait store is on the left maybe a mile down. In a gas station.

Jeff