Just got back from Clayton - arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Imbit]

Been fishing Clayton area since the early 80's - several times a year.  Used to fish tournaments up there, so lets just say I'm not a novice at fishing the bays and islands for pike and largemouth - never learned to fish deep for smallies like alot of guys do nowdays.   I'm old enough to remember how much better the fishing was before the clear water.  

So fished 5 days, covered a ton of water & the grand total consisted of 2 smallies under a foot, 1 rock bass, 1 gobie.    No exaggeration - worst fishing I've seen ... EVER.   Ratio must have been 500 casts to every dink fish.    Wouldn't touch the usual money baits such as topwater, spinnerbaits of all shapes & sizes, senko's off/under docks, crankbaits, twister tail grubs.    Fished all the usual weedy spots from a foot to 15 ft deep.    Weather was perfect first 4 days of the trip.   It's been a bit colder than average last couple weeks, so it's not like a big nasty cold front came in right before I arrived in NY and shut the bite off like a switch - fish should have acclimated to the slightly colder temps.

Just curious if anybody has an explanation for this historical lousey fishing ?    I really don't know if the fish have all moved to deep water now that the zebra mussels have made it crystal clear (Im' sure this applies for smallmouth, I just can't believe pike and largemouth have moved out of the weeds/bays to deep water); or perhaps the historic high water this spring/summer has messed up the entire ecosystem (thus, killed the bite); or has the goby infestation completely changed the food chain; or if I just need to change my ways and start fishing deeper (if thats the case, I'll take up golf - hate fishing deep).

I don't think I could take it if a bunch of fellas here respond that it has been the best fishing in years up on the St. Lawrence - please, say it isn't so  

[tobykoko]

Don't know what to tell ya ! ! ! !   Please read my post, St. Lawrence river experience from last week. TOBYKOKO. I've been fishing the river for over 50 yrs, and a little North of A Bay for the last 15. This year was unquestionably, the best and most productive year ever. One thing I will agree with what you said, ya got to think out of the box, and go DEEEEEEEEP !!!!!!!

[KingPerch]

My son and I fished a bass tourney yesterday out of a-bay. Friday during practice we found bass, SMB at every spot we fished. 2.5-5# fish. Saturday was a different story... we were in a grind for 5 fish. We finally found big fish in 20' of water fishing fast current diversions with drop shot rigs with heavier sinkers to get the Bait down to hold. At 1:30 we had 4 fish weighing around 12#....made a move with 30 minutes to go till weigh in... caught number 5 and culled two fish after that. We weighed in 17.77# and had a lunker of 5.98. We won the tourney with our last minute efforts. Watermelon, green/pumpkin, and green/pepper dropshot finesse baits was the winning colors. Couldn't buy a bite with any other baits. Only had one fish take a topwater, which we lost at the boat. The LMB bite was good around lily pads and weed lines for the other anglers.  Hope this helps you for future trips.😎

[KingPerch]

Oh... during practice we did catch bass on 50-60' on drop shot. Only a few though.

[filetandrelease]

KP did you get them on tricky phish baits ?

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Nice work KingPerch!!!

[Imbit]

Thanks guys - sounds like i'll have to change my ways & resurrect the carolina rig - haven't used that since my tournament days.    Fishing deep with the potential of catching something is better than getting skunked.

Now, I'm the complete novice at fishing deeper than 20 ft - so I hope some of you guys in the know could help me out on how do you fish a carolina rig or slip shot rig from 40-50 ft deep - do you bother to cast it out or just vertical jig it at those depths ?

Thanks again -

John

[reeleyz]

Nice job in the tourney KP and Jr!!!

X2 about fishing deep on the SLR. I caught a ton of smallmouth fishing 30' - 45' a few weeks ago while targeting walleye.

[trapper2000]

drop shot .......it's  what makes  people  champions  on  tough bites

[KingPerch]

Filet, yes... all fish came on Tricky Phish Baits!!

Thanks to all for the kind words.😎

We vertical fish the dropshot mostly. We'll flip it out about 30', let it settle down, then watch the graphs. Kinda like icefishing.

We use straight 8# flouro line in deeper fast moving waters. 10# braid to a 20' 8# flouro leader in water 20' or less. The braid in deeper water tends to bend more in the currents, taking away from a direct connection to the sinker.

[KingPerch]

[trapper2000]

I see  jr's  fish are  bigger .....again 

nice  picture   

[Imbit]

Filet, yes... all fish came on Tricky Phish Baits!!

Thanks to all for the kind words.😎

We vertical fish the dropshot mostly. We'll flip it out about 30', let it settle down, then watch the graphs. Kinda like icefishing.

We use straight 8# flouro line in deeper fast moving waters. 10# braid to a 20' 8# flouro leader in water 20' or less. The braid in deeper water tends to bend more in the currents, taking away from a direct connection to the sinker.

THanks for the intel ..., and congrats - great weigh in picture !

[KingPerch]

I see  jr's  fish are  bigger .....again 

nice  picture   

He did catch the lunker....Dad did catch the one in his right hand!! He beat me to the bag... again!!😁

[trapper2000]

   jr !  ....... you guys  did  great  ....good  job