i took a customer of mine out around the towers last night. we marked a boat load of fish from up around yacht cove to the towers but only caught one . that was on free line. i had several pull downs but did not hook up. we quit around 11pm. was still a nice night. i just need more practice to learn more about how to do it. the good thing is that my customer caught the 21" . he was happy and ready to go again. i need to get steelytom to go with me. he knows his stuff. i can then get back to the back of the boat again and let him handle the trolling motor.
The other night, we saw a boat tied up to the third tower pulling them in one after the other. I was parked with my trolling motor 30ft from them, talking to them, with 4 lines down 40ft. We didnt even get a hit. However, when the sun went down we got very busy, and that was drifting away from the first tower. Sometimes drifting makes the herring look healthier. Most times when it got slow, we traded out a dead herring for a live one and guess what? BAM !! that rod would go down. I’m going to try jigging a spoon next. I really dont like buying herring anyway. A herring on crack attracks the bass though.
Happy Bob and I fished yesterday AM. I hit something and busted the transducer so we fished without sonar. Made a couple of drifts over where I think the trees are outside 18 mile and had several shorts and a 24". Moved to the most public spot and drug down rods picking up a 23" and another 24" mixed with some shorts. Did not fish less than 60 feet down. Bait was happy.
Fished a couple hours last eve also and only had 1 keeper. Picked up a $160 fine for out of date registration, which I knew about. I paid my taxes, but hadn’t made it down to DNR to renew registration. I had the tax receipts on the boat hoping they would cut me some slack if I got checked, but that didn’t matter. I may go show up for the court date and see if the magistrate will at least reduce it some. Somehow, the court date is in Batesburg. I may have to bring my cousin Vinny.
Once they left, my 5 yo grandson reeled in a fish and then wanted to net it, so I held the rod while he dropped my good rubber mesh net to the bottom the lake. I know this fishing stuff isn’t cheap, but that’s my 2nd $200 trip to the lake in a month after loosing a downrigger and cannon ball a few weeks ago.
Magawake, I have caught them at the towers before using a hopkins spoon. Keep a couple of bait rods ready also and tie on about 5 or 6 #8/#10 gold hooks (or a sabiki rig) above the spoon. That way you’ll catch some herring as well if they are there. If so, just throw them straight down on one of the bait rods while you continue jigging the spoon.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
When I was out Monday I couldn’t keep herring alive any shallower than 45’. I had hundreds of threadfin and herring in my lights that were shallow but they wouldn’t live on hooks. Even the herring I caught and put right down. Not many striper under them though. I caught few shorts.
Just got back from the towers (Fri night 2200), we also had trouble keeping our herring alive. Everytime we rebaited, we got hit.