River Fishing Tips...

After fishing at Tully Lake the past two weekends, I want to paddle up the Tully River and fish in Long Pond. I have never fished in a river before and really have no clue what lures or pattern to use - or should I just skip the river and paddle to Long Pond and fish there?? Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated......

At this time of the summer I doubt you'll have any luck in the river, I would go to with Long Pond and work the shoreline early in the morning then move to deeper water later in the morning.

I don't know why someone would say you won't catch fish in a river in the summer. july and august are great times to fish the charles. use worms, baby brush hogs and other plastics. if there are any pads throw a frog. fishing rivers you have to pick your spots more carefully for time management. check out this trip from someone who went there.

http://www.mafishfinder.com/1st-kayak-fishing-ever-got-a-5lber-7860-trip.html

I dont know anything about the particular river you mention but I can talk about rivers in general. In summer rivers will have slightly cooler water then the lakes they are attached to. It will also hold more oxygen. That will draw some bass into them for relief from the warmer lake temps. Fish that live in rivers use the current to set up and ambush prey. They will most likely set up next to, beside or under some object, a rock, a log, a tree a dock post, a depression, something that will block the current and make it easier for them to maintain position. They will almost always face into the current and feed that way. that means you should cast up or across current and bring your lures down current. Top waters like frogs, pop r and a torpedo work well. Jigs and tubes flipped into trees and overhangs, small crankbaits and spinnerbaits bumped off the cover work as well. Again just remember how bass behave in a river and chose cast location and direction accordingly. Can you catch a fish casting down current and bringing it up? Sure but your chances are much better the other way around

Good luck

Perfect - exactly the info I was looking for. Thanks a lot.... not going to make the trip this weekend - rain forecasted and a "Honey-Do List", But I'll give it a shot next weekend!! Stoked is an understatement.

thanks stratos for that explanation. I couldn't say it any better and I didn't.

Both of your inputs are greatly appreciated!!

also throw your jig around bridges and pilings.

Would that be a 1/8th oz jig with a double tail grub on it??

my bad, didn't know if Tully was a sizable river or a stream that you could barely get a boat through. I would go for it if that's the case then

why yes it was

My Dad always used to tell me, "Pay attention and you might just learn something." Saying that has proven to be right all my adult life......

I was at a certain place on monday and got 3 fish with 3 casts in a row on that jig, some nice ones too, was unreal.

I know the power of the double curly tail grub.... just never fished it on a small jig before. I usually throw a 4" weightless on a 1/0 EWG hook..... they will hit it falling slow, of while swimming.....