Nice article, Gary. I’m usually bankbound, so for me jumpfishing usually only happens when the wind is strong enough to concentrate the baitfish on the banklines. However, just this last Saturday I was out on the lakes with a friend on his boat showing him exactly the things you were talking about. Our target was white bass, and, sure enough, the seagulls and pelicans were better than a boatload of electronics.
Keep 'em coming.
Tim
Nice article.
Rick
Gary,
You done good my friend. Come down and fish with me when you can.
I enjoyed your article, Gary! What you described has got to be the MOST exciting situation an angler can find himself in.
Whenever we are fishing for White Bass/Hybrids (“wipers”), when the fish start busting shad on the surface, you couldn’t tear the smile from my face. Even if you don’t catch any …or don’t even bother to cast… there’s nowhere else I’d rather be just then!
Fine story, Gary. Please keep contributing to the Warm Water column.
This fall on the lake I fish, I’ve frequently seen tightly concentrated swarms of baitfish like you describe. Some moved very close to where I was fishing, which let me take photos. But none of those shots turned out. I could see the baitfish schools just fine, but I was looking through polarized sunglasses. My little snapshot camera doesn’t have a polarizing filter so it couldn’t cut through the surface glare.
Maybe I should have switched to a clouser or something and given those swarms a try, but I was busy catching bluegills at the time!
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
Thanks for the kind words. Warren, we do need to get together. It has been a long time. The leader you gave me just gave up. I don’t know a couple years and several hundred fish, I think you have it figured out.
Go catch a fish,
Gary
Gary,
It sounds like you are ready for another furled leader!! Send me your home address and I will get one off to you or you can come down and pick it up after we fish the Elk.
Your article was very good and I enjoyed it.
Warren
Gary,
I fish a lake where largemouth chase baitfish from deep water to a manmade swimming area(deep to shallow quickly). I find these bass “picky” about what they will “hit”. Any comments?
Crappiecrazy,
That’s what happened to me – the ball of baitfish either voluntarily swam, or got pushed by predators, close to a swimming beach pontoon platform I was standing on. Big bluegills were hiding out down in the shade, probably waiting for insects to fall off the swimming dock.
As the baitfish ball moved by repeatedly, I didn’t see any surface activity that would suggest they were getting attached from below. But they looked nervous. You always wonder.
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
make that, “attacked” from below. Sorry for the mis-spell.
Gary,
Thanks again for your article.
Went out on Old Hickory, yesterday. Found some jumps and caught some fish.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z274/RonS81/IMGP0192.jpg
Ron,
Have you tried fishing over by 2 foot deep on Old Hickory? It seems to have a lot of fish in the jumps from late summer till winter sets in. I was fishing it a few times a week and when they really got going my boat got sick. Actually it died and I am in the process of rebuilding the motor. Hope to do a test drive this weekend. I’m not sure what part of old hickory you fish but I fish from 2 foot thru Drake’s Creek and down to Lakeside Marine. J. Percy is fishing well shallow for LM bass shallow right now. Maybe we can get together and fish sometime. Do you ever fish the steam plant in the winter?
Go catch a fish, and take me with ya,
Gary
Gary,
Sent you a PM with my info. I’m here most of the time.