Nolin Lake Newbie

I could use some help. Well maybe allot of help. First time boat owner and made my first trip to Nolin yesterday. Felt like a lost ball in high weeds. Looking for structure but didn't find much due to water levels. Is there much brush in the main river channel? Marked a few piles for later. Casted jigs in various colors and managed to catch a couple keepers but never could get into a bunch of them. Put in at moutardier and fished the stick ups with no luck. What should I be looking for this time of year? And what about when water levels start rising? Just keep on marking piles to jig into later? Any help would be appreciated.

Caught a few off the state piles at Dog rec area when the water is at summer pool. There is some deeper brush along the bluff there also that has produced for me. There are submerged trees in the mouth of Cub as well that should be fishable now that has produced in the past. I have struggled at Nolin jigging brush as that is my preferred method. Good luck to you and be safe.

Thanks. I'll have to check those out. Gonna try my hand at longlining soon there. It will probably where I go the most. All the fishing I have done before was pond hopping and bank fishing upriver. Hopefully I'll get this figured out so I can pack the freezer and have a good time. See if I can find those at cub soon hopefully.

Dear "Lost ball in high weeds."

We've never met and already I can see a kindred spirit. [emoji12]

First off, welcome.
Not sayin I'm right, but I try an watch several things when I have a day on the lake. Wind tells me where to fish, temperatures tell me weather to fish channels or up on the banks. My guess the temps were 52-54. They'd likely be on the channel yet. Maybe on top, maybe several feet down in. Turn your electronics on an go over the area to see where to spend the majority of your time. Look for baitfish, structure, an fish. Find them an you'll likely do well. This is my nitch for this time of year. Hang in there, good days keep us coming back.

Your hickory smoked sayings are very welcome here. [emoji1360]


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I struggle on Nolin more than any of the lakes around. I keep going back for the challenge and the fact that the fish I catch there are very good quality.
One issue for me is I don't fish the lake enough. Green is closer and I spend most of my time there.
Winter pool is the toughest for me. Not nearly has much cover. Most of the time I do best on the channel backs around any kind of wood.
When their in the stickups it is pretty good casting 1/16 and 1/32 oz jigs slow and as close to the wood as you can get.
I see a lot of people on Nolin fishing the float n fly.
I went Wed and only had 11 but they were the biggest fish I have caught in a long time.
The lake has a good mix of both white and black crappie.
Good luck

:ThumbsUp

Thanks for the tips everyone. Looking forward to trying them out. Is there much brush to be found at winter pool other than the stick ups?

If there isn't, make some. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d90e473560.jpg


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Good idea. Wouldn't have to worry about snags with those.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by speace0181

Good idea. Wouldn't have to worry about snags with those.

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Use a weedless jighead & you won't have to worry about snags on most any cover. (well, that's not entirely true nonono ... but, you will hang up less often)

[QUOTE=slabseeker1;3386708]If there isn't, make some. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d90e473560.jpg


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What knid of wood?

[QUOTE=rickyberetired;3386877]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slabseeker1

If there isn't, make some. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d90e473560.jpg


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What knid of wood?

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just pick up some old pallets someplace and rebuild them. Most of them are made of white Oak

I stopped at one of the pallet factories, asked to speak to the foreman. When he came out I told him what I was doing, showed him this picture and asked if we could trade some fillets for wood. He loaded all my 5 x 8 trailer would haul. I've always asked for 1/3 of the thicker and 2/3 thinner board. The wood is green white oak. I weigh them down with scraps from a local granite shop and duct tape the scraps of granite to the two boards you see at the bottom. I've found it easier to find the bed if you first drop two markers, then go upwind, then when the wind blows you between your markers, slip the bed over the side. Don't try to right it by holding on, the fins will act as rudders and drop it straight down.

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Gonna head back out Friday. When you're looking for them do you usually run the inside of the river channel? I see a lot of guys fishing the rock wall side but don't know exactly what they're fishing for. I understand the channel ledge but is there a better side to check? Looking to scan for structure and try my hand at longlining at the same time. If that doesn't pan out gonna jig around the wood I guess. Sorry for the newb questions but just learning the ropes.

Not sayin it's right, but I always give an area a once over with electronics before my hook hits the water. No point in fishin the barrel that ain't got no fish.


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Me personally ..... I always have better luck on the outside bends of channels rather than the inside.

Well the trip went pretty well. Caught about 20. Kept 9 11-12". We longline trolled for two hours. Caught them in 20-25 fow. Gonna have to do something different about batteries. Wind was so bad two hours of long lining was all the battery could stand. Got to where if we were in the wind we wouldn't move. Got to say though long lining is a great way to find and catch suspended fish.