first 'fall' fishies

With air temps in the 50s this morning and the stiff north-westerly breeze, it felt like fall. I was crappie huntin on a local pond but quickly settled in to a gill bite. These fish dominated my planned crappie pattern. Found these guys just off ledges at 12-14 ft in 15 fow. All came on 3/16 oz tube jigs with willow leaf blade & waxies. As the sun got higher they stayed inside the edges of shade from the willows and cattails. Tried chartreuse, white, green pumpkinseed, brown glitter, they didn't care. All were nice healthy fat fish, mostly 9 inchers. Beats a morning at work any day.

very nice

YUMMmmm

Got a pic of the jigs?

Nice mess of fish! Good job. Fall is trying to creep in here in Tennessee but my fishing logs tell me in the past four years I didn't get back on the Gills until late September. Can't get here soon enough for me.


Regards

Very nice mess of fish

Nice mess!

thanks all...these fish were not slamming my bait as they do early and late in the season. The bite is weird. You really have to have a trigger finger when you feel something like a 'minor' bite or nibble. These fish actually have the bait in their mouth when you feel this. I'm using fireline crystal 6# test which lets me feel when they breathe on it. When you feel it set the hook and boom there it is...probably less than 50% of the time. I missed a bunch due to slow reaction. At any rate extracting them from the deeper water...so fun, as we all know.

LH-will get a pic of my jig up here for you soon...you just keep showing us your CA beasts!

these are what I used last time out. LH Would be interested in seeing jigs you are using in deeper water as well if you get a chance.

looks like a great day

I would take a day like that over working too. Where is the hot sauce and hush puppies? Nicely done.

Nice looking gills. Looks like fun.

good looking box a fish for sure .......

Bring on fall in TN. Nice catch.

Very nice. Love fall fishing, less people on the water. Heading out this Friday myself, hoping for a mess of crappie and gills myself.