Good day on the water except I forgot my knit cap and had a huge case of 'ice cream head' while running the boat.
Fished from about 7:30 to noon. Caught bait at Bobcat's on Saturday afternoon. Started around the Rudd's Butcher's split. Two hits, but no hook-ups.
Good day on the water except I forgot my knit cap and had a huge case of 'ice cream head' while running the boat.
Fished from about 7:30 to noon. Caught bait at Bobcat's on Saturday afternoon. Started around the Rudd's Butcher's split. Two hits, but no hook-ups.
Moved down toward Cow Pasture. Immediately had two hits, hooked one up. I stayed in the same area from about 9:00 to noon. Ended up with 5 total,
[email protected] ~18", 1 @ ~22" and a nice fat 30" fish.
Hi Roe,
I launched at Rudd for the first time on Monday about 1 PM, only a couple of boats in the parking area. Hadn't run the motor for several weeks and it was hard starting and wouldn't run at full throttle; that is, until I head back to the launch.
So I did the no-wake thing down to about the cow pasture. Lots of birds circling (white toranado), but not doing a lot of diving. With the TM, I marked lots of bait and isolated fish. Maybe the few comorants in the area were driving the bait up.
Did you launch at Rudd, or come in from the lake?
Didn't undersand my contour map and several times ran into 10 or less feet of water. New to the area, I wanted to learn the deeper water for the return to the launch area.
About 3 PM, got one bite/hook-up on the East side of the pasture (between Rocky Branch and Tates) on a float. The striper was a little over 24 inches and very fat. My daughter Deb was responsible for the hook-up. The shiner was less than 10 feet down in 40 feet of water. Reset all the lines much shallower, but worried myself into leaving. Must be an extension of the island just above the pasture. I ran out of water when I headed West, and had to bring all the gear in.
I wonder why the floating debris ALWAYS zeros in on my planer?
Then, really worried about keeping the keel off the bottom. Forgetting to put the bimini on to redirect the rain wasn't smart. Nothing like your snow-cone head, but sometimes uncomfortable. BTW, I found those wind/water resistant caps that have ear warmth and velcro under the chin at the Bass Pro Shop North of Richmond. I wear a base-ball cap under. A lot warmer than a knit cap. Maybe my chill came from being a bit thin up top. My typical head dress is a black stetson, but that doesn't do much for my ears.
Heard several radio calls for LittleBoyBlue, Old School, and any BISC members on the water. Didn't hear any replies. I tried, but apparently my radio wasn't transmitting. 1995 vintage and might be weathered. I'm thinking to get a new radio. Long ago in the 60s-70s during the Auto CB rage, I had the test equipment to verify transmit and direction. Only steel body autos at that time. Plastic boats are quite different as it relates to ground plane, I think. Do you know what the favored radio is for small craft?
Only a couple of boats around the pasture that looked to be after crappie or LMB.
At the Rudd launch, I didn't understand the bouys. North of the bridge, on the East, the bottom decides to meet the top. I didn't understand the marks on the West side, maybe little water? Several fishing the bridge supports and I tried to give them clearance, but I think they were sitting in the channel. Don't understand the bouys at Rudds. Guess I'd have the same problem at any new launch.
I'll do Butcher's Cow Pasture again, but the heavy rainfall might make lots of change in the water condition. Also, the ambient temp is supposed to drop a lot by Wed. Would you expect ice on the ramp at Rudd? Do you know about the ramps at Eagle Point Landing or Eastland Creek Landing?
Well, that's my story. Not as many problems this time as compared to the past, but . . . as always, lacking knowledge of boating and fishing for stripers.
Later,
Joy T Brew
