hows the water clarity up river around the big/little suluda forks?
coming from charlotte, and was wondering if its too muddy up river due to snow/rain? thanks for any suggestions.
I was up that way the Friday before the snow and the water was heavily stained. I have caught plenty of fish from water that color but there were no signs of fish that night. Most seem to be fishing below the mudline, below Dreher. Hopefully someone chimes in that has gone more recently. I also fish at night, which can be completely different. I can crush them in Clouds during the day, but almost never get a hit there at night
Wellcraft V-20 sportfish with a 200 Evinrude
It’s still pretty muddy around the elbow. I went down below Billy Dreher with a friend on Monday to find water clear enough for fishing with spoons for perch. Water is still a little stained, even that far down, but much more to my liking. I know a few stripers have been caught near the elbow, but it’s too muddy for me to consider spoon fishing for perch.
Thanks to both steelytom and spoonmaster, i guess i better hold off another week or so, so ill have a better chance to put my girl friend on some fish. she is ready to catch some more for the freezer…
Thanks again guys…
setahook ><))))*>
You could still fish the middle of Murray on the Billy Dreher side and probably catch a bunch of fish. I fished with a friend on Monday, a mile or two below Billy Dreher and we kept around 43 white perch. They’re excellent table fare and fun to catch because they usually bite pretty readily. All of our fish were caught on spoons between 36’ and 52’ deep. Most were caught on the bottom between 38’ and 43’ deep. The perch will bite almost anything. Minnows, worms and small pieces of cutbait will all catch them. It sounds like the weather will be great on Saturday. Too nice to stay home!!
Spoonmaster , what is average size for table ? what kind of structure do you look for ? I guess when you get on them …you really get on them ! 43 ! wow ! nice work.
I fished Hawleek last night, only caught one but I lost a big one. Water was stained but definitely very fishable. Marked quite a few fish. Water was 55 in the back of the creek
Wellcraft V-20 sportfish with a 200 Evinrude
Honestly, 43 perch is not that good for 2 people in several hours of fishing. The friend who I fished with is a good fisherman, but before Monday he was relatively inexperienced with bumping the spoons for perch. He was a quick learner. Precise boat control is a must when fishing the spoons. When I’m marking what I think are perch, I almost always fish them straight down under the boat and try not to let the boat move at all. It also takes a little practice and experimentation to learn how aggressively to work the spoons. Some days they’ll only hit a certain color, size and type of spoon really well. I usually have between 10 and 20 different selections to drop on the perch, and I’ll try each one based on past experience until I find the “magic” spoon for that day. I’ve had days with my father-in-law when the limit was 30 each and we would have to quit fishing in less than an hour. Since the limit has been dropped we had one day with 4 people in the boat when we caught over 200 perch. Right now I’m catching the vast majority on 3/4 ounce silver Cotton Cordell spoons. This particular spoon has worked well for me every time I’ve been able to fish during the past 7 weeks.
The perch vary from as small as 6" up to a few that are maybe 1/1/4 lbs. I usually catch bigger perch on the 3/4 ounce spoons, but some of the little ones must take steroids because they’ll jump all over the spoons.
Structure varies. I normally like to try points or flats that are very near deep water. Sometimes they will be in the deepest water they can find in the creeks. I’ve caught them well in past years from as shallow as 13’ in muddy conditions to as deep as 85’ in the mid lake clear water. You usually have to work really hard and be patient to get bit in muddy water. Clearer cold water has always produced the best spoon results for me. If I’m able I hope to be out there sometime next weekend. Depending on which friend I fish with I’ll either be perch or striper fishing, or both. Hope this helps. Good luck.
Pretty sure you bought all the CC Spoons in the Midlands … Fortunately I already had a 3/4 in the box … I did mange to add a couple of Berry Spoons today from Lake World … I hope to put RJ on his favorite fish tomorrow for his birthday … The only thing he has talked about more than perch jerkin the last few days is Minecraft … LOL … I’ll post this weekend’s results when we’re done … Fish Hard my friends … 
… it’s my Wife’s fault we HAVE to fish !!!
2005 Sea Pro 2100cc / Yamaha 150hp 4-Stroke
About 3 or 4 weeks ago, I had several gift cards that were just gathering dust. Went to Sportsmans Whse. and used a little over $80.00 buying about all of the 3/4 CC’s they had on display at the time and a few more Berry’s. Then I went to Dick’s Sptg. Gds. and bought around $20.00 worth of red replacement treble hooks to go on some of my 1/2 ounce Berry’s. The good thing about spoons, especially the CC’s is that they will usually last until either a big fish breaks me off (rarely) or I hang up in a stump or under a rock (more often). A 3/4 Hopkins shorty would probably work as well as the 3/4 CC. One other word of advice, after you have fished for a while and/or landed several fish, cut and retie your line. The spoons really put a lot of stress on the knot.
Thank’s spoonmaster. Very interesting and informative. Next trip I’ll bring a few spoon’s and give it a try. Not sure if I have the patience. Half of my fishing trips are about the paddle. flag me down if you see a red yak with enough rods to look like a small shrimp boat. The kayak does make me go slow enough to learn/know the lake bottom well where I’ve been. we could trade current updates.
Murray, When I post I usually try to give fairly accurate info. Such as general area fished, water clarity, type of fish caught, depth where fish were caught and best spoon for that day. The most important factor to me for spoon fishing is water clarity. I want to be fishing the clearest water I can find. Basically with a spoon I’m trying for a reaction strike so I try to keep the spoon hopping off of the bottom at all times. If you’re marking fish on or very near the bottom try experimenting with the spoon’s action. Just don’t expect to many bites if you move the spoon in slow motion. Quick short hops are usually best.
I’ll be glad to share any info I have gathered when I’m out perch fishing. I’m not going to share very specific info when I’ve been taken to someone elses honey holes. I might want to be invited back with them again.
My fishing trips have been sporadic, at best, due to some ongoing medical treatments. Hopefully, sooner than later, I’ll be fishing on a regular basis again. Then I’ll probably bore you guys with my posts.