Cotaco Creek, 24 Nov 2016...Happy Thanksgiving

First, Today is a great and beautiful day. Happy Thanksgiving to all! I know there are some less fortunate than others. I just hope and wish all can find something to be thankful for.

Launched at Triana/Indian Creek before sunrise. Played around Indian Creek for a while before moving to Cotaco Creek. Water is still very low...we need rain. Both Creeks are very clear, and there is no current. Water temp was 60 degrees. It was overcast early. Clouds started to break around 0900. Fished until noon.

Catch: I broke from the norm today and kept 20 fish - 12 inches or larger. Quantity and Quality was good. Big fish was 1.8lbs. Many in the 1.2-1.5lb range. Caught many more. Small fish was about 7-8 inches. The rest were 10+ inches. Released at least 2 for every keeper. This is a very good day for Cotaco...I was thankful and blessed with both quantity and quality today.

Bait of choice was BG Blue Ice by far. Monkey Milk worked also. I vertical jigged, flipped, and cast and retrieved. For cast and retrieve, they definitely wanted it on the fall. Slow was the key today. Jig was 1/24 oz plain lead head.

I need to pay more attention:-) A new one for me today. I have some torpedo tubes to hold a few of my rods vertical. I gently drifted broadside on a laydown to re-tie a jig. I then trolled away, and looked back to make sure the stern was clear. I noticed an ultra light rod hung on the laydown with the reel in the water. I did a quick inventory. Yep, it was mine! I trolled back, and it was loosely hooked on a rotting piece of bark. This was definitely a donation to the "Big Creek God" in the making. All was well, I was able to get it back. Just had to take a moment afterwards and chuckle. Never had that happen.

Nice job...thanks for the report.

Great job and great looking mess of fish. Thanks for sharing!!

Great catch and thanks for sharing fellow veteran!

Awesome! I sure would like to learn how to fish lay downs . I've tried some of the creeks in my area just not much luck.

Nice report and fish!


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Slabprowler: Maybe we can get together sometime and share techniques.

Yes sir sounds great!

Sounds like a great trip, and good recovery on the hung rod!!

Spaceman,

The lessen I have to learn again and again is when you get a fifteen cent jig hung in a tree, don't break your thirty dollar rod trying to jerk it loose. I seem to break at least one rod every year that way. :banghead

THANKS DB and agree: This was a case where I didn't realize a stored rod snagged the laydown while I was sitting there. When I pulled away with the trolling motor I didn't realize it pulled the rod from the boat. It was barely snagged. Still have no idea how or why it didn't just fall in the water.
I use light wire hooks sometimes for fishing snags. Those are easy to pull free then re-bend the hook. For other snags, I am not adverse to break the line. You're correct. Losing a .14 cent jig is better than breaking a rod. Although, I have gotten fairly proficient at dipping the rod tip to the snag and gently freeing. Actually, been fortunate not losing many jigs.

Those are some quality fish on wheeler spaceman! I have yet to catch any over the 1.25 pound range yet on that lake. Nice mess of fish.

Thanks TNriveriscrappie: I have had some lucky catches. If you look at my avatar picture, it is a 17.25in/3.25lb black crappie caught on wheeler. By far, the largest I have caught. Interestingly, as soon as I caught that one, I got bit by another of equal size immediately following and lost it at the boat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spaceman

Thanks TNriveriscrappie: I have had some lucky catches. If you look at my avatar picture, it is a 17.25in/3.25lb black crappie caught on wheeler. By far, the largest I have caught. Interestingly, as soon as I caught that one, I got bit by another of equal size immediately following and lost it at the boat.

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Wow! Now that is REALLY impressive!:yikes