Decided to go to #4 and check it out. That’s where I usually fish this time of year and thought the mud should be cleared. Water was better, I guess I would say a heavy stain. Went over to the mouth of Hawleek and the shoreline just up from it and didn’t mark any bait or fish, water was 44*. Started going up and the water went up to 48* right below the river confluence. Started up the big and it dropped to 44* but I marked a few fish and the sun was going down, so I decided to drop lines. Worked up and down both river about 1/2 mile without a hit. Went back into Hawleek and kept pulling lines until I couldn’t go any farther. Never had a hit all night, nothing. When I got to the back of the creek I was marking a lot of fish, not sure what they were. There was a lot of surface activity too. Here is the FF, pretty much looked like this the entire time in the back of the creek. I was thinking crappie, but with the splashing I thought maybe gizzard shad?
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No improvement late this morning from what you experienced last night. Since I’m debuting in my first MSC tournament Saturday wanted to check out the water and weather (really had to pick some stuff up from the boat, so why waste a trip). Reportedly there was good action at the very back of Beard’s Creek, so that’s what I looked over. Threw out a couple planer boards and down rods. Water looked good to me at 49 degrees. Saw enough concentrations of fish to get me anxious, but I guess they were all watching ice fishing at the Winter Olympics, because all I had was a few very weak pull downs. Could watch the action on the FF as they would come up to the herring and then turn away. Never saw anything on my screen to match your display. Biggest thing I learned in preparation for Saturday was that I left a lot of stuff I should have been wearing at home.
Tom, The you say the gizzars were in the back of the creeks in 12’ water? Tried to catch some yesterday in the upper Saluda River in Waresholes and the Reedy river and Rabon and in Lake Rabon and Boyd Mill lake, never found them! They should have been there! Water to cold?? Perfect day, overcast and dark!
Sounded like gizzards flipping on top, I couldn’t see anything. It was a dark night. The marks on the fish finder seemed like small fish. I just assumed gizzards. Forecast is calling for 60’s and 70’s starting Sunday, this should warm up the shallows and trigger some activity. Especially in the murky water up lake.
Wellcraft V-20 sportfish with a 200 Evinrude
I haven’t caught a gizzard in less than 15’ in the last month with 99% coming out of water around 20’ deep. Alot are suspended but catch to throw ratio seems to be better if I can find them close to the bottom…
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
115 Evinrude
Thank MM all info is appreaced! Boyds Mill lake where we use to catch all ours, has a new ramp by DNR and they have limited it to 15 HP that has cut out our striper boats with big motors! Need to put a transducer on my small boat or go to Edisto and get my Carolina skiff. Saw where you went to Waterree and caught some good ones!