Help me locate more fish!!

[binfordw]

It was forecasted to hit nearly 70 today.


I aimed to leave work at lunch, and give it another attempt on the same water. Some meetings dragged things out until 2pm, but I hit the door running!



I put in and went straight back to the place I marked fish yesterday, by the dam. Sure enough, I started seeing fish on SI.








I had a plan to fish this again differently. I rigged 1oz bell sinkers with a jig 20" above- or spider rigging style as I could remember. I drifted and trolled over this area for 20-30 mins with jigs/plastics tipped with crappie nibbles. I began to realize these were likely not crappie. Not sure what they were, but, I decided to move on.


I cruised the same west bank with SI, however, this time I killed the main motor and used the Ulterra. I figured in 10-15ft of water, noise didnt help.


It wasnt too far before I passed a small cove and at the south side of the cove, I saw fish! I marked it, and tracked back over it using 2D and trying DI, although I can actually make out what I might call fish in the DI, it's definitely not obvious to me (in DI)






I spotlocked and cut off the bell sinkers, and re-rigged 1/16oz jigs with plastics. I used a black/chart (3 legged "joker?" grub- cant recall name!) and paddle tail shad in pink/chart to start, tipped with pink nibbles.

I watched the 2D mark fish right off bottom, while I waited for something to bite. 5 mins in while I was fiddling with the sonar, I got a nibble!!


Did I just get a nibble!?! on artificial bait in march?


A few minutes later, another bite, this time I landed a monster dink!






It wasn't long before I had another monster in the boat. Then more hits. I was even able to change colors a couple of times when one rod caught a few fish in a row and not much on the other.



A shot of the 2D




I saved this one after catching one, seems to show me pulling it out of the pile, sorta neat!







I put enough in the livewell for a meal, I think I managed to get 10 in the boat, I had one get off, and missed a handful of hits. This all happened within maybe 30 mins. I noticed the 2D was thinning out, I jogged around to see if I could get back on them but didn't have much luck. There was still fish, but not packed several thick as when I started. When I decided it was time to leave, I noticed my crappie nibbles were gone on both jigs.

I wanted to try to find another spot, hopefully similar, and be able to pull up a few more, but I didnt see anything worth trying really. I headed to the ramp, happy I was able to make a plan work!






I still have doubts I can go tomorrow and repeat these results, BUT, atleast I saw fish, marked them, fished the spot and was successful!!


Really looking forward to frying these up!