Niobrara

Prefished Friday afternoon and the NE BASS Federation Open on Saturday out of the Verdel ramp. 18 or 19 boats and we finished 3rd. Made for a great trip and even better when it works out to be free….

The water level was fine. A little dingy below the Ponca Creek but I never had a problem getting into any back waters, that’s where we found our fish. With as late as it is I imagine some smallies have moved out of the backwaters but I didn’t try any main river sandbars. Instead we picked off one here and there that were still shallow. Didn’t see beds anymore but still had a few better than average fish back there.

I’ve got a couple more tournaments coming up the end of July for the same area. If anyone has a hot tip I’d sure appreciat it.

Thanks, Fluff

Good job Fluff!

Care to share any tips or techniques that worked for the tournament?

I had a Sammy topwater tied on first thing in the morning and went to a 1/4 oz jig&craw in the heavy stuff. Used a swimjig and small crankbait to hunt with going down the bank later and a getzit, fluke, or 4″ worm to pickup anything than swung and missed at the faster bait or just followed. Had 7 rods on the deck all day and never knew which one might work on the next fish.

Seemed like every backwater we went into had a fish or two but never found any one hot spot full of big’uns. Had fun and kept busy with the little guys all day while you waited to find a keeper but then it was a decent fish. Think the winners were do’n pretty much the same thing, just happened on a pound & 1/2 of bigger fish. We ended up with a couple keepers I think were on a diet. Needed to find them before Richard Simmons did……..

Sounds like a great time Fluff! I’m going to spend some family time up at Yankton this weekend and may get a chance to hit Verdel. RIght now, I’m thinking I’ll probably drop down below Gavin’s Point Dam and give that a try though. Either way, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks, There’s some nice smallies below Yankton too that its always nice to hear about.

With all that’s going on above the lake this month I wont have a chance to look below the dam till mid August. I’ll probably check it out then and decide if we’re getting in that Sioux City tournament. I did hear they only had about 10 boats signed up and the James was running enough water that it was making things tough down below around the Sportsman’s area. Have you looked around at all below the Yankton area? Just wondered how much it changed with the way they’ve been mess’n with the water up above.

I’ll let you know how the weekend went up above.

Fluff

I haven’t noticed any major changes below the dam. I did notice this week, however, that they must be going to divert the river to build the new bridge into Yankton. They’ve been doing work on the NE side and this week started digging a water-filled “trench” South of the water.

JD

I can’t speak of much more than 10-15 miles upstream from Sioux City, but everything around here is flow’n pretty good. Don’t do much for fishing,just sandbar hopping.

Wade, i’ll see if any of my buds have been below the dam, most have been up to Platte Creek on Francis Case, funny how one guy figured out the night fishing right from shore brought in a nice limit, even caught a few smallies and crappie, plus the dreaded catfish. I’ll keep my ears open.

Just got a report that they had the lake down 3′ at Weigand now. Anything to that? Are they drop’n the lake now? Need more sandbars for the birds or less water for the bridge at Yankton?

Fluff

It’s sad to say but I have not hit the river downstream of Gavins other than right below the dam this year. This weekend will be my first smallie action below the dam, this season. I’m not sure what they are doing with the river levels but I will in about 24 hours. I’ll be up on the lake too. I’ll post any info I can. I plan to bring the laptop and we’ll see if I can get hooked up for a report.