I bought the city permit for this lake today. I went up there to fling a fly around, and maybe dunk some minnows if the fly fishing slowed down.
As I walked to the spot I was going to fish, I noticed a bunch of small grasshoppers in the grass. I made a note to try my hopper pattern, but I wanted to start off with a chartreuse popper. I got set up on a floating platform, and since it’s in a corner, I have access to two banks, plus the shaded side of the walkway leading to the platform.
Sure enough, the fish are hungry! As soon as the popper lands, they start nipping at it. The bigger fish will slurp it down. I had a few good “running strikes” by some good-sized male Bluegills that just smashed that bug. First few fish were Green Sunfish, the rest were Bluegill. I did have a brief hookup with a small LMB that didn’t make the video.
The wind started to lay down just as I was leaving. I figured the approaching Cold Front was getting close. I was right When I left, it was dead-calm, and the water was smooth as glass. I’ll have to go back out next weekend with my kayak and really give it a go.
You and I should get together and give some of the ‘local’ lakes a go. I recently have found myself in B’ville, and am still trying to figure out where to go and what I might encounter. (Besides chiggers, that is. :shock: ) I have only been hitting some of the city ponds up here, but I would love to get into some wipers/stripers and such.
Thanks for sharing the videos! Looks liek you are doing great and having a ball, and THAT is what counts.
If yes, check out Copan and/or Hudson, to the north-west of B’ville. Birch Lake, near Barnsdall, is supposed to have some decent Smallies and Hybrids. Skiatook Lake has a huge population of Kentucky (Spotted) bass that need thining; they aren’t terribly big, but they are plentiful and fight well.
If you’re wading or pounding a bank, I don’t really have an idea, other than the lakes I’ve already mentioned. The rip-rapped dam of Skiatook Lake is a popular hangout for bank fishermen.
Nice area to setup but, catching those small fish would seem like a bother to me. By the way, don’t you know you are supposed to wipe your hands on you clothes so wife/girlfriend or both actually believe you caught fish? Looks like a nice lake. I would have liked to see a pan shot of it. You look like you were having a good time there.
When I left, it was dead-calm, and the water was smooth as glass. I’ll have to go back out next weekend with my kayak and really give it a go.