Day of firsts !

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10-17-2021, 06:32 AM
Spoonminnow

Day of firsts !

First off, as I was getting ready to launch, I got into a long conversation with a very knowledgeable angler fishing from shore.
Second - though a first in my lifetime - was a falcon dive-bombing the water in different areas for surface feeding fish in open water - a clue where to start casting.

A severe cold front was expected by 4pm and, as we all know, fish go nuts before a front arrives. The day started calm and the catching was easy - cast to the surface activity and fish on! As the day progressed, so did the wind gusting to 20 mph - at times dragging anchor.But the fish hit no matter! Even after the surface activity died, after allowing the lure to go to mid-depth (4'-5'), the strikes were still obvious and the hooksets solid - even at the end of 40' casts. All catches were from the middle of the long (vs round) lake mostly towards the east shore and south end over 7' deep flats and humps nowhere near shore. Kind a felt sorry for the anglers beating the banks and shoreline anglers catching little to nothing watching me catch fish after fish in open water.

By 4pm I could see dark clouds moving in fast so after the c&r of 65 fish I figured it was time to leave. Quality was the norm for many of the y. perch, sunfish and crappie. Here are some examples:

Deformed perch and the lure that caught it:
https://i.imgur.com/VMqJ9zd.jpg?1

average size range of the doz.perch caught 9-11", 11" the largest - another first!
https://i.imgur.com/b5xHWP8.jpg

...and sunfish:
https://i.imgur.com/2FNWdmz.jpg?1

Crappie weren't too bad either:
https://i.imgur.com/aJjItX5.jpg

clear tail grub did good as usual:
https://i.imgur.com/UKnAs6t.jpg

Most of the day before the storm hit:
https://i.imgur.com/6fSrTS4.jpg?1

Front moving in by 3:30 pm (calm before the storm):

https://i.imgur.com/h4JMAhW.jpg
10-17-2021, 06:43 AM
DockShootinJack

That poor little critter had a run in with something. Sounds like a great day fishing
10-17-2021, 07:02 AM
Spoonminnow

I've seen that deformity before - thinking genetic.
10-17-2021, 07:04 AM
BobC

Congrats on a super day, Spoon. Yea, it wasn’t the day for the bank guys. We had a humongous front move thru SE PA at about the same time as yours yesterday. I was over in my park; it came up real fast, at least 50 MPH and I was chugging towards the parking lot when the rain started. You haven’t really lived until you are being showered by hickory nuts and ducking the occasional walnut! Cripes!:Rofl When I’m wading the walnuts hit the water like cannon balls!
Bob
10-17-2021, 07:14 AM
Spoonminnow

Had the same experienc driving home - high wind an leaves blasting the windshield. At least I got home in time to charge the battery and unload some things from the boat before the deluge hit.
10-17-2021, 08:23 AM
BuckeyeCrappie

Great day on the water, thanks for sharing
10-17-2021, 08:29 AM
crp4570

Thanks for posting. Great report and pics.
10-18-2021, 06:45 AM
Ketchn

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoonminnow

I've seen that deformity before - thinking genetic.

not sure about genetics on that , we see it frequently in lots of spots on both black and white crappie .....
possibly an injury when they are in fry mode ? :dono
10-18-2021, 10:04 AM
CrappiePappy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ketchn

not sure about genetics on that , we see it frequently in lots of spots on both black and white crappie .....
possibly an injury when they are in fry mode ? :dono

Not sure about "genetics" either .... as I used to see it a lot in Smallmouth down at Watts Bar Reservoir in E. Tenn. .... humped back or crooked tail spinal deformities, mostly in the smaller fish. We used to jokingly put the blame on the Nuclear Power Plant, even though it's actually below the dam. :Doh:
10-18-2021, 04:54 PM
skeetbum

Another fun trip spoon. I’ve seen that spinal deformity in some bass in the past. These came from a pond that was stocked and he had a lot of them. They still fought like crazy, they didn’t know they looked different. I had a busy weekend myself but not much fish to talk of.
10-18-2021, 05:43 PM
Spoonminnow

I've seen the perch tail-deformity in two different waters, so I can't suggest, maybe the mother got around. :rolleyes:

On thing I should make clear: I count all size fish - not just the decent size fish. My reason for fishing is to prove that new lure designs in different colors catch fish and to confirm that old designs weren't just lucky catches. example:

White perch and crappie were caught on this design first time out a few days before in another lake. It caught 4 species yesterday big time but also using a clear plastic tail!:
https://i.imgur.com/Wcrr2HZ.jpg?1 https://i.imgur.com/hnuMB7V.jpg?1

Looking at the photo in the initial post you may be thinking: the two aren't much different. Visually yes but lure action very different!

Proven were a few things:
1. clear tails work
2. the 2 3/4" size was struck by all size fish
3. the long tapered body and tail fish found the need to destroy has a unique action different from other shapes.

Another was this tail fin from a Mann Shadow added to a segment of Fry Fry stick which proved amazing for all size fish and 4 fish species in three different waters!:
https://i.imgur.com/ZUZL9Oo.jpg?1 https://i.imgur.com/6pLzNe8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QFftPW4.jpg?1

It led to me trying a variation:
https://i.imgur.com/BhoBjMF.jpg https://i.imgur.com/jpt3O4c.jpg?1

So while it's nice to catch fish on one lure design, for me success on the water means catching fish on many designs - especially those cooked up in my workshop.
I look at fishing like a point system: 1 point for each fish caught on lures I make/design regardless of size. Therefore 65 fish=65 points - somewhat supportive (though temporary) of my genius. LOL)