Pool 10 Slop Fishing

Spent some time on Pool 10 Sunday fishing mostly weeds. We had limited success on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits but did manage to land quite a few fish on Boss Mosses and Mississippi Swampers. The size was dissapointing with only three above 14 inches. The fish seemed to be hiding under the slop and the only way we could catch them was dragging baits over it. We didn’t hit the water until 11:00 so maybe that is why the spinnerbaits and buzzbait bite was so slow.

The night before I fished a tournament on a lake. My partner kicked my #@*. We were fishing power worms over top submerged weeds in about 10 feet of water. He was using 14# mono and I was using 14# fireline. Have any of you found fireline a disadvantage fishing clear lakes? We were wondering if it could possibly spook fish since it wasn’t clear. Note: I was using smoke fireline. Thanks

Brian

I haven’t had problems with the bass shying away from the smoke fireline on a clear lake that I fish. I wonder if the Fireline might have had an effect on the depth or action of the worms and that could have been the problem?

SetTheHook, you may be right. The added bulk of the mono may have prevented the plastic worms from falling to deep in the weeds. He started the night using an eighth ounce worm sinker while I was using a 3/16. After I switched to an 1/8 I did manage to catch a few fish.

Did manage to catch the biggest fish of the night though, a 26 inch Walleye.

One thing that I’ve noticed is that when the fish are being finicky, the fall rate has a lot to do with whether or not they’ll bite. Usually, the less aggressive fish want a slower falling bait.

A lot of times, fishing a carolina rig with a very light weight and just twitching it off the bottom every few seconds is the only way I can catch fish. Sometimes I’ll even drop down to a single split-shot or no weight at all.

I also believe fall rate is very important. I have seen it where the only way to get them to bite is to let an unweighted plastic worm float to the bottom, then pull it up and let it float down again. I have however, gone to using a mono leader with my fireline, especially while walleye fishing. I have also seen this, seem to make a difference.

Fall rate is a funny thing. I prefer a jig to a rubber worm in almost all instances, and have seen that size really does matter… I’ve seen fish that want to swim up to an 1/8 oz jig, with a big pro cut pork, or plastic on it, falling ever so slowly, won’t hit nothing else. Ive seen fish that want a 1 oz jig to make dirt clouds when it hits the bottom, won’t hit a small jig with a slow fall at all. Try different sinkers, different length worms and a few different colors, before you make a line change (though I won’t use fireline because of personal taste). Ive never seen line make much difference unless your trying to crank depth, or your breaking off fish.

Too often I go out and try a few favorite baits, rigged up my favorite way, try my favorite spots, and fail to listen to the fish. Every tournament I have ever fished, someone finds the fish. Every one. They are always biting somewhere. They want a slower, or faster fall change up the weight. If slower works better, try slower still. Once you’ve refined the fall speed refine, the color. Red shad might be a good bite, june bug might pull the rod out of your hands. 6″ worm might catch lots of fish, 8″ might catch the pigs. The realization that something as subtle as 1/16 oz of lead attached to your Worm changed the bite for you is profound knowlege. Write it down in your fishing book and remember it next time your out there getting skunked.