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Dec 3
Although my boat has been in the shop the last few days I was able to get out with BCGS guide Ben Malone in his boat today.
Fishing from 8am-4pm we had a slow day. We really wanted to fish up in the East and West Fork with the A-rig, but with all the rain and muddy water that was not a productive pattern. The water started muddying after we passed the Jefferson Pike bridge, but once we reached the East and West Fork split we noticed the East Fork was pumping the mud and the West Fork was much clearer. We motored up a mile or so into the West Fork and started casting chartreuse square bill crankbaits, chartreuse rattle traps(1/2oz) and black and blue jigs(3/8oz). The current was VERY strong and it was hard to sit still. We tried fishing the current breaks behind laydown trees and rocks, but never had a bite.
We moved down to the blown out bridge 100 yards into the West Fork. We had one bite on the A-rig off the extended point in 2ft, but he shook off.
We motored back down near the Jefferson Pike bridge and started pitching the bluff walls with blk/blue jigs. There was a little current in the 53 degree water as we fished the current breaks and cracks in the rocks. After 5 minutes Ben set the hook and landed a 2lb. We fished 100 yards down the bank thinking we had a pattern starting, but determined it was just a fluke.
Next we took off into Fall Creek. The water was a little clearer in the back near the spring on the right rocky bank. The water was 52 degrees and there was bait everywhere on the structure scan! We started casting our A-rigs, but never had a bite after 30 minutes. I finally picked up my trusty shaky head with a Zoom green pumpkin/green flake trick worm and cast into the spring which was pushing out clearer water. 3 cast later…GULP! I set the hook and missed a fish. A few cast later I had another bite and set the hook……my line broke! Seconds later a 2lb jumped out of the water with my worm in his mouth. We fished further down the bluff wall and never had another bite.
Our next spot was the right point at the mouth of Fall Creek while heading out. There was a lot bait in the channel and on the flat. We put the boat in the channel at 8ft and cast our A-rigs towards the bank. There we caught just one around 2.5lbs out of 4ft.
The bites were scattered and finding a concrete pattern in one area was not developing. With just a little time left we headed to Stewarts Creek for a few cast. Once we entered the narrow part of the creek in the back we dropped the trolling motor, grabbed our a-rigs and started chucking. We had the boat in 8ft and cast to the mud flat/rock transition on the right bank. The water was VERY clear at 53 degree. Once we reached the big willow tree I caught a 1.5lb on my a-rig. We idled to the back boat ramp fished the rocks. The white and yellow bass were back there and pecking our a-rigs every cast. Without any big bites we saddled up.
Our last spot was just out from the narrow part of the creek to the long point with the cypress trees. The birds were diving and there was bait everywhere. Sitting in 6ft-8ft we cast to the bank and to random schooling bass, but could not get any to bite. I had just one big bite, but I think he bit my dummy swimbait because I didn’t get a hook in him.
All and all, slow day on the water. The fish were not aggressive anywhere we went. We probably could have caught some more if we slowed down, but we really wanted to catch some on the a-rig. Ill be out Sat and Sun…….we’ll see what its like then!
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4 Replies
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Brian, what jighead do you use for your shaky head fishing? I enjoy fishing the rig but have always had a very poor landing ratio compared to other rigs.
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Ben and I make our own shaky heads. It’s like a spot removal but round on the bottom.
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Brian what trailer do you use this time of the year when the water is cooler? And what size jighead do you use for your A rig? Thanks, Isaac.
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I use 1/4oz swimbait jig heads with Zoom swim fluke jr or Berkeley hollow belly swimbaits.
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