Thread: Quick Report

thanks crat

Sun081609
"Raleigh Area Lake"
2:30pm
6:30pm
Water Temp: 86.5F
06 crappie
released
10.00-13.50"
7' down in 7-10'
#6 Vanish Transition

It'll come around.
Crazy to think it was a year ago to the day that I installed the GPS unit. It seems like yesterday!

Last year's report copied below:
2008 8/16:

Originally Posted by crataegus

Saturday in a "Raleigh Parks" lake:

4:45pm-7:45pm (best fishing 4:45-6:00pm)

8 crappie 10-13.75" (13.25"=1 lb 3.75 oz; 13.75"=1 lb 7.5 oz)
custom minnow rig
bobber/minnow
#6 Vanish Transition Line
4-8' deep
Water Temp: 85F-87F


I spent the morning installing my new Lowrance GPS/Sonar unit--and consequently rewiring the boat. It works; I just have to throw a Navionics chip in it. The bites were extremely light today, but the average fish was much larger than Wednesday. I caught a total of 11 fish--8 were 10"+ (10"; 11.25"; 11.5"; 12"; 12.5", 13.25"; 13.75"). There was no crappie "tick" resonating through my 10' ProAnglerTackle.com rod today--I just felt a little more or a little less than the 3/16oz sinker my wrist was used to suspending. As could be predicted upon their lack of striking zeal, they were biting quite short. To get a better hookset, I eased the pole toward the strike as I would do trolling for Walleye, then set the hook.

I may mix in a few trips to Jordan soon now that I have my boat ready.

083009
"Raleigh Area Lake"
11:30am
4:30pm
Water Temp: 82.3F
16 crappie
released
10.00-14.00"
7' down in 7-10'
#6 Vanish Transition

The fish were biting a little better today, although there was never a peak in the action. I'm glad to see the water temp coming down.

Last year's report copied below
2008 8/30:

Originally Posted by crataegus

Saturday in a "Raleigh Parks" lake:

4:00pm-7:30pm (best fishing...5:30-6:00pm)

10 crappie 10"-14.25" (14.25"= 1 lbs 6.5 oz)

***custom minnow rig
1/16 oz chart(glow) tube jig w/out a minnow

#6 Vanish Transition Line
5-9' deep in 7-10'
Water Temp: 85F

***big fish of the day caught on this bait

Although I and PG24 pulled 10 keepers into the boat, the fishing was slow. One here and one there. The 14.25" crappie was on the skinny side. He and I are going again tomorrow. I hope the fishing improves a bit, but if nothing else, we will scout for new spots, and we'll finally get the chance to trade secrets.

It's pretty clear that looking back at last year's quick reports, I have fished less than half as much this year as in 2008. That's how things are though. My job has called for a lot more hours, and after work, I'm usually gardening in the waning light.

090509
"Raleigh Area Lake"
11:30am
6:30pm
Water Temp: 81.5F
08 crappie
released
10.00-14.75" (14.75"=1 lb 10 oz)
3-7' down in 7-10'
#6 Vanish Transition

The bite was off today. The fish were sparse on the hump, and the ones that remained were hugging the bottom--that is the first time this year that they were not suspended. The jig is starting to muscle into a little better share of the action.

Last year's report copied below
2008 9/1:

Originally Posted by crataegus

Sunday in a "Raleigh Parks" lake:

6:30am-6:00pm (best fishing...4:30-5:30pm)

22 crappie 10"-13.75" (13.75"= 1 lbs 9.5 oz)

***custom minnow rig
1/16 oz chart(glow) tube jig w/out a minnow

#6 Vanish Transition Line
5-10' deep in 7-10'
Water Temp: 85F

***big fish of the day caught on this bait

Once again, the fishing was slow. One here and one there. PG24 and I never really found any tricks to catch the fish, we just fished slowly and were patient.

I believe it was a year ago this week that a tropical system came through.

091309
"Raleigh Area Lake"
2:30 pm
7:00 pm
Water Temp: 79.5F
11 crappie
harvested
10.00-15.25" (15.25" ~ 2 lbs)
3-7' down in 7-10'
#6 Vanish Transition


Still no real improvement from last week. It sure is hard comparing today's results with those of exactly one year ago.

Last year's report copied below
2008 9/13:

Originally Posted by crataegus

Saturday in a "Raleigh Area" lake:

11:20am-6:30pm (best fishing...as long as I was in the right spot)
67 crappie 10"-14.75" (14.75"=1 lb 12.25 oz)
***Chartreuse tubejig w/out minnow
custom minnow rig

#6 Vanish Transition Line
2-10' deep in 7-12'
Water Temp: 77F

***big fish of the day caught on this bait

I brought out the PVC stuff today. It actually took about 15 minutes per structure to build and drop instead of the 7 minutes I initially estimated. I took a picture of my 14' boat packed with the structure components before I launched today. I was impressed by the surreptitiousness--my boat pretty much looked the same as always. I sank the two PVC structures and caught a small fish on them an hour later. The Lowrance showed a full house over the top of them by the end of the day (I didn't fish them again though).

Today, the midlake hump preformed anemically. I caught only 3 keepers on the hump (still not many archs on the Lowrance.) So, since early fall could be considered a doppleganger to late spring, I targeted a spot that performed well in early June. 62 of 67 keepers broke the surface in the 100sq' spot--including all the largest fish of the day. I fished there about 4 hours--so about 15/hr. The fish averaged over 11" there, but <10" elsewhere. I had 90&#37; of my hits on jigs today. My minnows were quickly depleted, although the bites were harder and more consistant on jigs. I fished the best spot out in much the same way that coal is stripmined near my Midwestern hometown. I started 2-3' down-caught several. Then 4' down-caught several (ave size slightly larger than at 2-3'). Then 5' down-caught several (ave size slightly larger than at 4'). Then 6-8' (ave size slightly larger than at 5'; and 2nd and 3rd largest fish caught back to back at this depth). At the end of the day, I returned and caught the my final fish at 2-5' (including the 14.75"). I couldn't believe how shallow the top couple layers of crappie were--but sometimes it's best to trust the electronics.

Crappie fight so hard this time of year!

-crataegus

092709
"Raleigh Area Lake"
2:15 pm
7:00 pm
Water Temp: 77.9F
16 crappie
<10.5" released
>10.5" harvested
10.00-16.25" (16.25" = 2 lbs 12.5 oz)
4-7' down in 7-10'
#6 Vanish Transition
*1/16 oz short shank gold/chart tube
#4 split shot/minnow


Today was a carbon copy of the last couple months--except for the last 15 minutes. I ran out of minnows, but decided to spend the last few minutes with a jig--why not? I dropped down and got no bites. Then I decided to flip/troll it 4'-7' deep around some around cover...instant bite. The first fish was 2.78 lbs. Then on the next 3 flips, I pulled in 3 more fish between 12" and 14". After that, pulled in one more, missed a few, then the bite ceased. I know a certain coworker who will be thrilled tomorrow! I will post to big fish pics soon.


Last year's report copied below
2008 9/28:

Originally Posted by crataegus

Sunday on a "Raleigh Parks" lake:

1:45pm-6:55pm
17 crappie 10.25" to 14.75" (14.75=1 lb 14.5oz; 13"=1 lb 8 oz)
Homemade minnow rig
***Chartreuse tubejig w/out minnow


#6 Vanish Transition Line
3'-8' in 8-10'
Water Temp: 74F

***big fish of the day caught on this bait

Overall, it was slow. But again, the fish found their way into the boat one keeper at a time (and once, two keepers at a time on the homemade rig). The 1.91lber was the first fish of the day. I caught her on the midlake hump--but only one other crappie was caught there. The keepers averaged 11.75" and 17 of 19 fish caught were 10.25+" I'll finally have a fish to post in "Big Fish Pics" in the next couple days.

awesome crat.....you gotta post a picture of that hawg slab.

I see you're tearing them up as usual crat, way to go! I recently moved but still not far from the lake. I may see you out there someday in the near future. What kind of jigs you fishing?