3/9/10 river fun

[Lance Dunham]

Just fish, D Duffield, and myself went fishing today before the NBSA (North Branch Smallmouth Alliance) meeting. The creeks were muddy and the river was rising with melt off with a temp of 39 degrees up to 42 degrees. We caught 17 fish with 2 walleyes,1 white sucker, and a carp in the mix. Just Fish and I used JJ's Jigs (black and brown woolybuggers) and Doug used curly tails. We had a good time then went to the meeting. Ice is still on the big coves and the muddy water hampered our efforts, but the bite is picking up. Hey guys, go buy some JJ's Hair jigs and get in on the C&R fun!

[John Lorenzo]

you're freakin killing me Lance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Summers]

Looks like a good day on the water.....Nice job

[carl milks]

You guys got all them even in muddy water?????? WOW!!!! Nice fish, nice pix.

[Lance Dunham]

Looks like that may be it for a few days. That beautiful warm weather put a quick melt here in NE Pa. The river came up another 2 1/2ft overnight, muddy brown, and still rising. There will be an inch of rain the next 3 days on top of that. So I'll wait for the river to crest and then hit the muddy coves and current breaks. I need to ask JJ's Jigs to make me some more black woolybugger hair jigs in a 3/16 oz. I'll also use an Alluring Baits black baby crawl on a 1/4oz jig to increase my lure profile.

[zenrider]

Please 'slpain me Lance, how does the rising or muddy or melt water affect the fishing?

[Lance Dunham]

Please 'slpain me Lance, how does the rising or muddy or melt water affect the fishing?

I can only tell you how it works here on the Susky. The muddy water really doesn't have a lot to do with anything except cut down their vision. Here, every time the water level increases it just always gets muddy and we have learned to deal with it. It's the rising river and the increase of water pressure against the fish that affects their behavior more. When the water raises quickly you might say the fish are in survival mode. They hold very tight to structure being it rocks or even flooded trees and bushes along the river edge until the pressure evens out. Once the river crests(and it doesn't matter if it's 2ft increase or 6ft increase) and they get an even or even lower water pressure against them they become more active looking for food.(They got used to it) So as we all know, in the spring with cold to very cool water with muddy conditions you increase your lure profile and slow down your lure. Also fish the slowest coves, eddies, or current breaks you can find. It might only be a 2ft slack water eddy along the now flooded shore line.
I'm not saying you can't catch fish while the river is rising, heck we just did it. It's just easier once the current evens out or on the drop. In the warmer water when the fishes metabolizem(spelling) is quicker it's easier yet because we can use big spinners and cranks to help attract the fish.

[zenrider]

Thanks for the evaluation. I have found that hitting the water just as the stain starts is pretty good. I always figured they wanted to feed while they can still see. But I ain't as smart as a fish. I usually don't do well in rushing waters.

[jjsjigs]

Looks like that may be it for a few days. That beautiful warm weather put a quick melt here in NE Pa. The river came up another 2 1/2ft overnight, muddy brown, and still rising. There will be an inch of rain the next 3 days on top of that. So I'll wait for the river to crest and then hit the muddy coves and current breaks. I need to ask JJ's Jigs to make me some more black woolybugger hair jigs in a 3/16 oz. I'll also use an Alluring Baits black baby crawl on a 1/4oz jig to increase my lure profile.

3/16oz? Sure. No prob. I'm going to work on them right now. You should see them on your porch by 4pm tonight.

[John Lorenzo]

Lance, how are you fishing those JJ jigs? Are you hopping them, crawling them, slow steady retrieve just off bottom, dead stickin???

[Lance Dunham]

You might say I'm crawling them. I do a slight cast up river , as soon as the lure hits the water I',m twitching my wrist going as slow as I can without getting caught on the rocks.Rod tip between the 10:00 and 11:00 position, picking up my slack and always keeping in contact with the lure. Every time that hair jig hits a rock it stops for a split second and the current pushes the hair forward giving it a pulsating living effect. As you know in cold water the lethargic bass bite will feel like getting caught on 2 wet leaves. Don't cross his eyes with the hook set because you'll pull it right out of his lazy mouth. Feel the weight of the fish slightly then set the hook firmly. Works for me.

[Lance Dunham]

3/16oz? Sure. No prob. I'm going to work on them right now. You should see them on your porch by 4pm tonight.

And yes he did! I got home around 3:30 and found some black 3/16 jigs, woolybugger pattern along with some R&D jigs and flies. Thanks JJ's! I'm ready now for next week. And thanks for the proven item I found!

[Lance Dunham]

Thanks for the evaluation. I have found that hitting the water just as the stain starts is pretty good. I always figured they wanted to feed while they can still see. But I ain't as smart as a fish. I usually don't do well in rushing waters.

You are absolutely correct in your observation and we experienced the same thing. When the water was gin clear the fish didn't want to expose themselves to danger in the shallow shore river water out to about 10ft from shore. We had to fish the deeper pools. However when the creeks muddied up and started to stain the river shore line along with the rising water the fish moved in shallow out of the main current and were somewhat protected with the now stained water and we caught the fish close to shore.
Now when the rise is over and the river crests besides fishing the slow eddies we will also fish the mouth of the creeks because they will be the first to clear up and the fish will be stacked on the clear creek/ muddy river seam.
Man I can't wait!

[Lance Dunham]

Thanks for the evaluation. I have found that hitting the water just as the stain starts is pretty good. I always figured they wanted to feed while they can still see. But I ain't as smart as a fish. I usually don't do well in rushing waters.

You are absolutely correct in your observation and we experienced the same thing. When the water was gin clear the fish didn't want to expose themselves to danger in the shallow shore river water out to about 10ft from shore. We had to fish the deeper pools. However when the creeks muddied up and started to stain the river shore line along with the rising water the fish moved in shallow out of the main current and were somewhat protected with the now stained water and we caught the fish close to shore.
Now when the rise is over and the river crests besides fishing the slow eddies we will also fish the mouth of the creeks because they will be the first to clear up and the fish will be stacked on the clear creek/ muddy river seam.
Man I can't wait!

[Nathanada78]

I'm ready for this weather to warm op so I can get out on the river too. Time is moving real slow.