Fishing question for FDC

[dcgoz]

Heading to lake martin (middle Alabama) for the weekend. Not serious fishing, but I like to have a general idea what i'm doing, Its a deep, relatively clean and clear lake with several feeder creeks. Water temp should be low 80s. I was thinking crankbaits near the deep creek mouths, but would love a little general advice. I grew up fishing plastics and spinners and am out of my element when the water cools a bit. Thanks in advance brother.

Anyone else is more than welcome to chime in, as long as it isn't a PETA sermon or tranny roll. Funny cat pictures are welcome. Or food.

 

[bleedingpurple]

Heading to lake martin (middle Alabama) for the weekend. Not serious fishing, but I like to have a general idea what i'm doing, Its a deep, relatively clean and clear lake with several feeder creeks. Water temp should be low 80s. I was thinking crankbaits near the deep creek mouths, but would love a little general advice. I grew up fishing plastics and spinners and am out of my element when the water cools a bit. Thanks in advance brother.

Anyone else is more than welcome to chime in, as long as it isn't a PETA sermon or tranny roll. Funny cat pictures are welcome. Or food.

Low 80s is cool? LOL I talk to FDC every once in a while about fishing, he's the expert on this, I was always a soft plastic user first and foremost, I know I am a lot further north but up here the bite was much better with a crank bait over plastic and spinners once the weather cooled down. I been using a rattle trap but the water I'm fishing is only 6 - 10 feet deep. I like the "Live Target" series of cranks and rattle traps. When you use soft plastics are you using a Carolina or Texas rig? Depending on the Vegetation, you may want to use a heavy sinker on a Texas rig to get it down there, if they are there. Like I said, not familiar with southern fishing but I'm bored at work and talk fishing with anybody.

 

[vinnie]

 

[fatdaddycool]

Martin is a beautiful lake first off.
It is a deep ledge lake that also has long shallow points in the river area and used to have some vegetation in the North end of it but it was not everywhere. Your location would put me in the backs of the creeks and here is why. That lake has a lot of shad. I don't recall if it has tilapia or blue herring in it but I do know it has a shitload of shad and they will be following the Bream to the backs of the creeks for the fall spawn. Remember they spawn twice a year and the heavy spawn will be in the fall. The bass will follow them all the way to the backs of those creeks. Look for shallow ledges (6-15 feet) adjacent to shad spawning beds. They look like pock marks and will be anywhere that has red clay or rocky transitional banks. The bigger bass will set up on those ledges and on secondary points in the back to middle of the creeks in my opinion. I have been on that lake a number of times and it isn't a difficult one to pattern because it is a deep clear lake. Find one fish and there are lots more right there. They school and have a large big spotted bass population.
First thing in the morning I recommend a pop-r or chug bug. If its windy throw a buzz bait and throw it three times to every target. Reason being is the fish type in that lake. Northern strain bass, Smallies, and big spots. They will track the bait if it is windy and are very aggressive as you probably know. Chug bugs have a rattle and a feather in them and will draw a fish to them. They are fished in a walk the dog retrieve. If you don't know how to do that, it is fairly easy to master. Cast it out and keep a bow in your line so that it isn't taut. Put the rod tip to the 8 oclock position with somewhat slack line, then with just a wrist action pop the rod tip back and forth about 18 inches so the slack is taken up only in the last couple of inches of movement. This will cause the bait to move side to side in a swimming action and is VERY effective.
Towards midday and in the evening I would have at least three crankbaits tied on or available. A couple of dt-16's and a DT-10. Get on those ledges and make sure your baits are hitting the bottom where the fish are. Long casts parallel to the bank on no more than 10 pound test. Use a palomar knot to tie them up with not a fishermans or blood knot as they decrease the action of the bait. Again, I can't stress enough how important it is to tick the bottom of the cover you are targeting on that lake. The fish come from a very long way to take a bait because of the water clarity. NOTE; If the wind is blowing and there is some chop on the water, doesn't have to be a lot, pick up a swim bait and throw the shit out of it, right down the ledge, slow retrieve. An Alabama rig or umbrella rig on that lake is awesome but they are expensive lures and require some time to get used to.
Mid afternoon you would find me looking for any isolated mussel or shell bed, or any isolated grass or rock piles in 12-18 feet of water. I would be throwing a weighted senko in the grass. Probably a 3/16 ounce texas rigged senko with the weight pegged on a slow popping type retrieve. Pop pop let it sink on slack line. Pop pop, let it sink. Carolina rig with a watermelon fluke on any other cover as well as the senko. If you find isolated cover, try to activate the fish first with a crank bait. Throw it from all angles until you get a bite. Have faith that the fish will be there. If you find an isolated rock or brush pile in 12 foot, there will be fish on it no matter what, you just have to get them excited and force them to bite because they will hold very tight to that cover.
Too make a very long story short, find a large creek arm and start at the back and fish your way out. They should be there or not far away. Fish every secondary point on the way out. Use shad colored baits (white and chartreuse. White and black or blue. Parrot color etc...) Watermelon red, and blue fleck plastics
Let me know how it goes, it's a great lake. Once you find them they will be doing the same thing all over the lake. Very pattern oriented lake.

Hope this helps,
FDC

 

[fatdaddycool]

I forgot to add. The marinas on that lake always produce fish as well. I would throw a white chatterbait with a lake fork magic shad trailer on it to floating docks as well as a shallow running crank bait and spinnerbait. The problem is that if I recall correctly the marinas are huge and all floating docks. If that is still correct, look at the tops of the poles on the ends of the docks that run the length of the piers. The poles are all the same length and are all sunk 48 inches into the lake bed. The tops of the poles will be at different heights giving you a very good idea where any humps or ditches may be. Its just a quick reference for me and helps me pick a starting point.

Good luck my friend and good fishing to you.

 

[krc]

Martin is a beautiful lake first off.
It is a deep ledge lake that used to have some vegetation in the North end of it but it was not everywhere. Your location would put me in the backs of the creeks and here is why. That lake has a lot of shad. I don't recall if it has tilapia or blue herring in it but I do know it has a shitload of shad and they will be following the Bream to the backs of the creeks for the fall spawn. Remember they spawn twice a year and the heavy spawn will be in the fall. The bass will follow them all the way to the backs of those creeks. Look for shallow ledges (6-15 feet) adjacent to shad spawning beds. They look like pock marks and will be anywhere that has red clay or rocky transitional banks. The bigger bass will set up on those ledges and on secondary points in the back to middle of the creeks in my opinion. I have been on that lake a number of times and it isn't a difficult one to pattern because it is a deep clear lake. Find one fish and there are lots more right there. They school and have a large big spotted bass population.
First thing in the morning I recommend a pop-r or chug bug. If its windy throw a buzz bait and throw it three times to every target. Reason being is the fish type in that lake. Northern strain bass, Smallies, and big spots. They will track the bait if it is windy and are very aggressive as you probably know. Chug bugs have a rattle and a feather in them and will draw a fish to them. They are fished in a walk the dog retrieve. If you don't know how to do that, it is fairly easy to master. Cast it out and keep a bow in your line so that it isn't taut. Put the rod tip to the 8 oclock position with somewhat slack line, then with just a wrist action pop the rod tip back and forth about 18 inches so the slack is taken up only in the last couple of inches of movement. This will cause the bait to move side to side in a swimming action and is VERY effective.
Towards midday and in the evening I would have at least three crankbaits tied on or available. A couple of dt-16's and a DT-10. Get on those ledges and make sure your baits are hitting the bottom where the fish are. Long casts parallel to the bank on no more than 10 pound test. Use a palomar knot to tie them up with not a fishermans or blood knot as they decrease the action of the bait. Again, I can't stress enough how important it is to tick the bottom of the cover you are targeting on that lake. The fish come from a very long way to take a bait because of the water clarity. NOTE; If the wind is blowing and there is some chop on the water, doesn't have to be a lot, pick up a swim bait and throw the shit out of it, right down the ledge, slow retrieve. An Alabama rig or umbrella rig on that lake is awesome but they are expensive lures and require some time to get used to.
Mid afternoon you would find me looking for any isolated mussel or shell bed, or any isolated grass or rock piles in 12-18 feet of water. I would be throwing a weighted senko in the grass. Probably a 3/16 ounce texas rigged senko with the weight pegged on a slow popping type retrieve. Pop pop let it sink on slack line. Pop pop, let it sink. Carolina rig with a watermelon fluke on any other cover as well as the senko. If you find isolated cover, try to activate the fish first with a crank bait. Throw it from all angles until you get a bite. Have faith that the fish will be there. If you find an isolated rock or brush pile in 12 foot, there will be fish on it no matter what, you just have to get them excited and force them to bite because they will hold very tight to that cover.
Too make a very long story short, find a large creek arm and start at the back and fish your way out. They should be there or not far away. Fish every secondary point on the way out. Use shad colored baits (white and chartreuse. White and black or blue. Parrot color etc...) Watermelon red, and blue fleck plastics
Let me know how it goes, it's a great lake. Once you find them they will be doing the same thing all over the lake. Very pattern oriented lake.

Hope this helps,
FDC

Very Nice Info. :0074

Fishing is still very slow here in central Texas.
A week or two it should pick up.
Then it will be time to have fun. I have lots of luck fishing a senko here. :00hour

 

[hogman14]

shiners

 

[fatdaddycool]

shiners

Well yeah, there is that. Shiners always work as well. I don't ever use them though so I don't know how effective they are there but certainly a good option.

 

[Nole]

Martin is a beautiful lake first off.
It is a deep ledge lake that also has long shallow points in the river area and used to have some vegetation in the North end of it but it was not everywhere. Your location would put me in the backs of the creeks and here is why. That lake has a lot of shad. I don't recall if it has tilapia or blue herring in it but I do know it has a shitload of shad and they will be following the Bream to the backs of the creeks for the fall spawn. Remember they spawn twice a year and the heavy spawn will be in the fall. The bass will follow them all the way to the backs of those creeks. Look for shallow ledges (6-15 feet) adjacent to shad spawning beds. They look like pock marks and will be anywhere that has red clay or rocky transitional banks. The bigger bass will set up on those ledges and on secondary points in the back to middle of the creeks in my opinion. I have been on that lake a number of times and it isn't a difficult one to pattern because it is a deep clear lake. Find one fish and there are lots more right there. They school and have a large big spotted bass population.
First thing in the morning I recommend a pop-r or chug bug. If its windy throw a buzz bait and throw it three times to every target. Reason being is the fish type in that lake. Northern strain bass, Smallies, and big spots. They will track the bait if it is windy and are very aggressive as you probably know. Chug bugs have a rattle and a feather in them and will draw a fish to them. They are fished in a walk the dog retrieve. If you don't know how to do that, it is fairly easy to master. Cast it out and keep a bow in your line so that it isn't taut. Put the rod tip to the 8 oclock position with somewhat slack line, then with just a wrist action pop the rod tip back and forth about 18 inches so the slack is taken up only in the last couple of inches of movement. This will cause the bait to move side to side in a swimming action and is VERY effective.
Towards midday and in the evening I would have at least three crankbaits tied on or available. A couple of dt-16's and a DT-10. Get on those ledges and make sure your baits are hitting the bottom where the fish are. Long casts parallel to the bank on no more than 10 pound test. Use a palomar knot to tie them up with not a fishermans or blood knot as they decrease the action of the bait. Again, I can't stress enough how important it is to tick the bottom of the cover you are targeting on that lake. The fish come from a very long way to take a bait because of the water clarity. NOTE; If the wind is blowing and there is some chop on the water, doesn't have to be a lot, pick up a swim bait and throw the shit out of it, right down the ledge, slow retrieve. An Alabama rig or umbrella rig on that lake is awesome but they are expensive lures and require some time to get used to.
Mid afternoon you would find me looking for any isolated mussel or shell bed, or any isolated grass or rock piles in 12-18 feet of water. I would be throwing a weighted senko in the grass. Probably a 3/16 ounce texas rigged senko with the weight pegged on a slow popping type retrieve. Pop pop let it sink on slack line. Pop pop, let it sink. Carolina rig with a watermelon fluke on any other cover as well as the senko. If you find isolated cover, try to activate the fish first with a crank bait. Throw it from all angles until you get a bite. Have faith that the fish will be there. If you find an isolated rock or brush pile in 12 foot, there will be fish on it no matter what, you just have to get them excited and force them to bite because they will hold very tight to that cover.
Too make a very long story short, find a large creek arm and start at the back and fish your way out. They should be there or not far away. Fish every secondary point on the way out. Use shad colored baits (white and chartreuse. White and black or blue. Parrot color etc...) Watermelon red, and blue fleck plastics
Let me know how it goes, it's a great lake. Once you find them they will be doing the same thing all over the lake. Very pattern oriented lake.

Hope this helps,
FDC

I was pretty much gonna say the same thing FDC just in case you missed this thread. It's good to know we're on the same page.

:toast:

 

[Betone]

I was pretty much gonna say the same thing FDC just in case you missed this thread. It's good to know we're on the same page.

:toast:

:0003

 

[fatdaddycool]

I was pretty much gonna say the same thing FDC just in case you missed this thread. It's good to know we're on the same page.

:toast:

Or go with Noley's advice.

 

[Old School]

I was pretty much gonna say the same thing FDC just in case you missed this thread. It's good to know we're on the same page.

:toast:

me too.

 

[s-love]

FISHAY FISHAY

 

[dcgoz]

Wow, thank you guys. FDC, can't believe that you'd take the time to write all that out for a perfect stranger, but brother I certainly appreciate it. Everything you say makes sense. We won't be doing much morning fishing (going midday friday and will likely sleep a little late Saturday), but the afternoons will definitely be fished. Again, thank you very much and i'll let you know how we do.

BP - i'm with you dude. Plastics my whole childhood, mostly around lily pads and other heavy cover. Get me on big water and i'm a bit lost on what to throw. I also thought about a rattl trap right after I posted, so we think alike. Preciate the response.

Again, thanks guys.

 

[dcgoz]

I was pretty much gonna say the same thing FDC just in case you missed this thread. It's good to know we're on the same page.

:toast:

Nole being in Tennessee I figured you'd rec'd the Bitsy Bug or another Strike King offering, but its good to know you and FDC were thinking alike....:0074

 

[Nole]

Nole being in Tennessee I figured you'd rec'd the Bitsy Bug or another Strike King offering, but its good to know you and FDC were thinking alike....:0074

We're here for you!!!



WE ARE MADJACK'S!!!!!

 

[fatdaddycool]

Nole being in Tennessee I figured you'd rec'd the Bitsy Bug or another Strike King offering, but its good to know you and FDC were thinking alike....:0074

Hey, since you aren't going to be out there all day and such, one thing I would try right away to find fish fast would be go up into the river area and look main lake pockets that may have a drain or wash out in the back. It's a quick way to pattern fish buy you'll have to move more often as they don't hold a lot of fish but the right ones do. Look for the drains and washouts in the back of shallow pockets. By shallow I mean you can see the back of the pocket from the main lake and it has at least one secondary point.

Good luck and any time man. Hope it works out. Throw those topwaters in the evening for sure.

 

[bleedingpurple]

Hey, since you aren't going to be out there all day and such, one thing I would try right away to find fish fast would be go up into the river area and look main lake pockets that may have a drain or wash out in the back. It's a quick way to pattern fish buy you'll have to move more often as they don't hold a lot of fish but the right ones do. Look for the drains and washouts in the back of shallow pockets. By shallow I mean you can see the back of the pocket from the main lake and it has at least one secondary point.

Good luck and any time man. Hope it works out. Throw those topwaters in the evening for sure.

Fished the hell out of a lake today, using my rattle trap craw made by live target, they hit the hell out of it, but I lost as many as I boated, I am doing the sweep hook set you suggested but it seems they jump and spit it or if they go down I think one treble is catching a weed and releasing the fish. Have tried not to let them jump but that's part of the fun. Had a nice small mouth up to boat but my net man I think pushed it off. I had the net hooked with both sets of trebles. This lake isn't very deep, fishing in 6 - 8 feet of water and catching some gills and crappies trailing crawler and crappie minnow. Soft plastics and buzz baits not working. It's crank baits or nothing right now.

Should note this is as about as late into the year I have boat fished. Usually packing it up by now. I think we are a month behind as the fall colors started to turn recently which is late for us, so I am not used to fishing a fall pattern and do not know when these lakes "turn over"

 

[fatdaddycool]

Fished the hell out of a lake today, using my rattle trap craw made by live target, they hit the hell out of it, but I lost as many as I boated, I am doing the sweep hook set you suggested but it seems they jump and spit it or if they go down I think one treble is catching a weed and releasing the fish. Have tried not to let them jump but that's part of the fun. Had a nice small mouth up to boat but my net man I think pushed it off. I had the net hooked with both sets of trebles. This lake isn't very deep, fishing in 6 - 8 feet of water and catching some gills and crappies trailing crawler and crappie minnow. Soft plastics and buzz baits not working. It's crank baits or nothing right now.

Should note this is as about as late into the year I have boat fished. Usually packing it up by now. I think we are a month behind as the fall colors started to turn recently which is late for us, so I am not used to fishing a fall pattern and do not know when these lakes "turn over"

If the lake isn't very deep then the thermocline is gone and the lake has assuredly turned over already. I am guessing you have to have water temps in the 60s by now which means there is no significant thermocline.
I promise you that it is the hooks on the lure you are throwing. Put Mustad Triple grips with short shanks if you want to but I would also up size to a 4 at least on the front hook. The front treble can be bigger because of the way traps run nose down in the water. If they are biting traps then the should also bite a chatterbait with a swim trailer like a magic shad. Just to give them something different to look at.
Seriously, take a look at your hooks. They should stick into your fingernail without any pressure applied to it when you drag it down the surface of your thumbnail. I promise you its the hooks. Gamakatsu makes a nice round bend treble but I like the offset on the mustads. If you are fishing over grass, which you obviously are, if there are patches of dead grass next to live grass, that is where you want to fish early and late in the day. Rotting vegetation warms the water by a degree or two and the green grass provides the oxygen and they will just sit on that grassline. Are you using a 7' rod or a 6' and I know you said it is a medium action right? Try switching to a longer rod like 7'6" or 7'3" medium heavy and heavier flourocarbon line as well and you won't lose those fish. My guess is that you're using too short of a rod with not enough backbone either. Rattle traps are reaction baits so they will try to kill the sumbitch not suck it in. Try those two things and let me know bro.

 

[dunclock]

how come the only thing I catch when fishing is a buzz :shrug: