Hey Guys,
Heading to the Q for my second trip there (last trip was July 2016). Targeting smallies. We are heading out of fishing area 2 (last time was area 3) and I have a couple locations I am gonna drop a line in.
But I was wondering if anyone had any tips? Last time we went there, we had some luck but not more than a half dozen or so fish between the 2 of us. We spent a lot of time riding around and while it is very beautiful there, I'd rather be taking in a great bag than some great scenery.
We have sonar this time so finding bottom structure and humps will be easier but maybe someone knows where the juice is and can help us out? Any information would be extremely helpful and appreciated.
(also you don't have to post here. I will not share secrets in you pm me. Just looking for some tips so that our second trip is even better than the first)
Thanks,
Fool
Heading to the Q for my second trip there (last trip was July 2016). Targeting smallies. We are heading out of fishing area 2 (last time was area 3) and I have a couple locations I am gonna drop a line in.
But I was wondering if anyone had any tips? Last time we went there, we had some luck but not more than a half dozen or so fish between the 2 of us. We spent a lot of time riding around and while it is very beautiful there, I'd rather be taking in a great bag than some great scenery.
We have sonar this time so finding bottom structure and humps will be easier but maybe someone knows where the juice is and can help us out? Any information would be extremely helpful and appreciated.
(also you don't have to post here. I will not share secrets in you pm me. Just looking for some tips so that our second trip is even better than the first)
Thanks,
Fool
fool,
finesse style fishing is key to smallmouth on large bodies of water. just identify schooling fish, or rocks and points as you said. It's a huge body of water with some huge smallmouth living in it. figure out what food sources they are keyed in on and try to match! smallies love crayfish and small minnows. there are some bay-like areas on that body of water and the fish tend to flock there!
finesse style fishing is key to smallmouth on large bodies of water. just identify schooling fish, or rocks and points as you said. It's a huge body of water with some huge smallmouth living in it. figure out what food sources they are keyed in on and try to match! smallies love crayfish and small minnows. there are some bay-like areas on that body of water and the fish tend to flock there!
Kayakinfool - Where do I begin! Been fishing the Q for over 40 years myself and I still get skunked occasionally. Anyone that tells you otherwise is not giving you the the truth.
What species do you fish for? What techniques do you enjoy using? How are you using your sonar? What presentations do you use? Give me a little more info and I think I can maybe clue you in.
What species do you fish for? What techniques do you enjoy using? How are you using your sonar? What presentations do you use? Give me a little more info and I think I can maybe clue you in.
We had a tough day overall. Beautiful day, but the winds were really killing us in the middle of the day. Had a lot of hope heading out from location 2.
We were mainly going for small/large mouth bass. Tried every technique we could think of (jigs, spinners, wacky, dropshot, jerks, craws, swimbaits, probably more I can't remember after 13 hours). Had a couple largies and one smallie (and a couple perch) take the bait (all fish caught on spinners, either in line or bladed). But I know others other there had much more luck. We could see big fish swimming in the shallows, they just didn't want anything we threw.
Obviously time on the water is the best way to learn, but this was a really disheartening trip to say the least. We had done our research best we could, posted up at everything from rock drop offs, to off shore humps, to shallow inland cuts, to some open flats and there was just not much for us there.
My sonar I strapped to the motor on the back and we got a pretty decent view (nothing special, about a 200 dollar head unit). Water was in the low 60's, sun was shining most of the day. We could see fish registering, see some structure on the bottom, but we spent most of the day in 10-20 feet of water.
Maybe get another trip in this year but it was a real struggle. Fishing area 2 I felt has more cuts, creeks, channels, islands and rocks than fishing area 3 so I did like it better. But we had no clue really where we were heading. We worked the shores and islands down the West bank until we got to Mt. Russ and then circled around that and back up. I had heard good things about that location but it only yielded a perch and a smallie.
Oh well. It was a beautiful day at least. Had lunch with a bald eagle. And didn't have to go to work that day. Just would have liked more action in the height of spring.
I appreciate any tips/help. Frustrating to do the research, see people landing 4+ lb smallies and 6+ lb largies, and only be able to pull in 1 2 lb smallie the whole day.
We were clearly doing something wrong as we talked to some people at the dock and they had much better days than we did (take a fisherman at his word??? lol). Maybe it was where we were, maybe it was our presentation, maybe we were working it too fast or too slow on the bottom or top. Not sure where we went wrong, but boy did we go wrong haha.
At least we didn't flip, although standing on the back of the boat a wake hit us that I did not see and I almost went swimming. Maybe I would have had better luck hand fishing! hahaha
We were mainly going for small/large mouth bass. Tried every technique we could think of (jigs, spinners, wacky, dropshot, jerks, craws, swimbaits, probably more I can't remember after 13 hours). Had a couple largies and one smallie (and a couple perch) take the bait (all fish caught on spinners, either in line or bladed). But I know others other there had much more luck. We could see big fish swimming in the shallows, they just didn't want anything we threw.
Obviously time on the water is the best way to learn, but this was a really disheartening trip to say the least. We had done our research best we could, posted up at everything from rock drop offs, to off shore humps, to shallow inland cuts, to some open flats and there was just not much for us there.
My sonar I strapped to the motor on the back and we got a pretty decent view (nothing special, about a 200 dollar head unit). Water was in the low 60's, sun was shining most of the day. We could see fish registering, see some structure on the bottom, but we spent most of the day in 10-20 feet of water.
Maybe get another trip in this year but it was a real struggle. Fishing area 2 I felt has more cuts, creeks, channels, islands and rocks than fishing area 3 so I did like it better. But we had no clue really where we were heading. We worked the shores and islands down the West bank until we got to Mt. Russ and then circled around that and back up. I had heard good things about that location but it only yielded a perch and a smallie.
Oh well. It was a beautiful day at least. Had lunch with a bald eagle. And didn't have to go to work that day. Just would have liked more action in the height of spring.
I appreciate any tips/help. Frustrating to do the research, see people landing 4+ lb smallies and 6+ lb largies, and only be able to pull in 1 2 lb smallie the whole day.
We were clearly doing something wrong as we talked to some people at the dock and they had much better days than we did (take a fisherman at his word??? lol). Maybe it was where we were, maybe it was our presentation, maybe we were working it too fast or too slow on the bottom or top. Not sure where we went wrong, but boy did we go wrong haha.
At least we didn't flip, although standing on the back of the boat a wake hit us that I did not see and I almost went swimming. Maybe I would have had better luck hand fishing! hahaha
Sorry you didn't score better. Were you fishing out of your own boat or a rental? The reason I'm asking is that I want to know if you had an anchor onboard or not? This is important as I will try to explain.
Right now the big females are either in the spawn or post spawn period up there. Personally, I don't target bedding bass, but I'll tell you this for sure - if you can see them.....they can see you! And they will immediately shut down. Only the smaller males on beds will remain to defend the nest. They can be caught as well, even when visible. Cast beyond the target bed with a drop shot and slowly drag it into the nest. You'll get bit.....every time.
The big females move out right after spawning. These fish chase the schools of smelt and yellow perch around deep water (25' - 45') structures, such as humps, drop offs and river channels. You need to use your sonar NOT to find fish.....but rather to find BAIT. This is paramount. If you find bait on structure up there, you need to anchor up on that structure and fish a drop shot and/or Senko, fan casting the area. Stick around for at least a 1/2 hr. on any given spot. The smallies will be by, chasing bait. They roam constantly. They do not hold still by any structure. Which is why an anchor is so important to success. Let them come to you.
After about a 1/2 hr., if nothing, move and use your sonar in search mode again. Looking only for bait on a structure. The bait balls will drift in & out over the structure, but will be pretty close to it. This is what the big girls look for. Well, that's enough for now. There's a lot more to it, but let me know the next time you are heading up there and I'll try to give you a couple of spots to try.
Right now the big females are either in the spawn or post spawn period up there. Personally, I don't target bedding bass, but I'll tell you this for sure - if you can see them.....they can see you! And they will immediately shut down. Only the smaller males on beds will remain to defend the nest. They can be caught as well, even when visible. Cast beyond the target bed with a drop shot and slowly drag it into the nest. You'll get bit.....every time.
The big females move out right after spawning. These fish chase the schools of smelt and yellow perch around deep water (25' - 45') structures, such as humps, drop offs and river channels. You need to use your sonar NOT to find fish.....but rather to find BAIT. This is paramount. If you find bait on structure up there, you need to anchor up on that structure and fish a drop shot and/or Senko, fan casting the area. Stick around for at least a 1/2 hr. on any given spot. The smallies will be by, chasing bait. They roam constantly. They do not hold still by any structure. Which is why an anchor is so important to success. Let them come to you.
After about a 1/2 hr., if nothing, move and use your sonar in search mode again. Looking only for bait on a structure. The bait balls will drift in & out over the structure, but will be pretty close to it. This is what the big girls look for. Well, that's enough for now. There's a lot more to it, but let me know the next time you are heading up there and I'll try to give you a couple of spots to try.