Kerr today (1/20/06)

I got minnows from BIB&T a little after 9, got the boat in the water at the Longwood ramp around 9:30, and arrived in Beaver Pond Creek at 10:00. I saw huge balls of shad at the Longwood ramp and associating with the structure around the "s" turn in Beaver Pond Creek. I proceeded to the back of the creek and drifted with the wind towards the mouth. I had to put a drift sock out to keep my speed down. I was tight lineing rods set to several different depths. The double rig I used was a minnow a foot above a Kalin jig.

I was able to catch several small bass, but no crappie. All bass were caught on jigs with some type blue in them. I got nothing on the minnows. I was also able to mark about a dozen brush piles and another dozen stumps with my GPS. I only spent a little time trying to fish the brush piles I found since I was trying to learn as much as I could about the structure and cover while I was there. All of the other boats that stopped at the brush piles only stayed on them a short while and I saw very few fish caught. Only a couple per pile.

I am able to see my front 2 to 4 baits on the depth finder while drifting. The last few trips I've been on, I have noticed on occasion a line will come up to my bait from the bottom and return to the bottom and I have wondered if that was a fish investigating my offering. Today, I got my answer. Yes they are fish moving towards the bait. Twice today as the line on the depth finder got to the same depth as my bait my rod tip dipped indicating a bite. I already had my hand on the correct rod as the fish approached and was able to set the hook on both of the fish that did this.

Even though I did not catch any crappie, I consider the day a success due to the knowledge I gained about a part of Kerr I have never seen. The shad and brush I saw will bring me back to this creek again.

Keith, do you go over there and back the same day? I use to be able to do that in my younger years. LOL

The only time I've stayed overnight is during our Bash last fall. I've commuted all the other times since I am usually trying to squeeze a trip in my schedule and need to get back home. One of these days I'm going to get into a mess of crappie and it will all be worth it.

Keith, doesn"t so good as to the crappie. Got to run, about time to leave. Decided to go to Butcher since I know it better.

AC

Keith, I put in yesterday at Longwood also. I fished some brushpiles above the ramp in some small coves and caught a lot of small ones then headed to Little Beaver Pond and fished blow downs that Ive done good on in the past. Caught 2 keepers in 5 feet of water and I think they were the only 2 there. Only bites I got in about an hour and a half. I used minnows all day under slip corks. Water was 49 in the middle of the day and not too stained. Next time its Buffalo for me. Got a new spider setup Im gonna try out. Billy

I was undecided about Buffalo vs. Grassy as I was driving to Kerr. In the end, the researcher in me decided to try a new place rather than one I've been to before. I think Buffalo would have been the better choice for catching a few.

panman, i live 1 and 1/2 hrs from buggs and have fished it many weekends and a lot of vacations for the past 38 years. i've got that "researcher" in me too. fished virturally the whole lake during that time. gotten to the point now that i spend bout 90% of my time there fishing and the other 10% searching and researching. you are investing in a good future. enjoy!