The flow rate was a bit under 26,000 CFS and dropping, still debris coming down river, still out of it's banks, no visibility with water temps around 50 degrees. There are still a lot of floating debris piles in the slacker areas and they definitely are worth checking. Beautiful weather, fished in shirt sleeves and waders, there werea lot of folks out and about but few actually fishing the river.
It was mostly matching presentation to the current and cover conditions as well as the attitude of the fish. Letting a light jig get swept under debris piles where the as enough current to do so produced fish. If there wasn't enough current dabbling a jigon the edges of the debris pile sometimes worked. If that situation dropping a much heavier jig thru the top of the floating matwas the better option. Skinning the bark of flooded trees with a singlespin or a jig/pig produced fish. In another spot where the gar were actively feeding toward the surface, a fluke drifted and twitched did the trick for them.
A rattlebait turned some fish at a couple inflows, while a crankbait retrieved against the current worked on a seam where the bottom conditions and cover allowed. On other seams due to cover and bottom conditions a jig/plastic worked with the current on the seam was necessary. A crankbait worked well in a flooded parking lot. The only thing I tried that didn't produce was a variety of top water lures like prop baits, spooks and buzzbaits.
Smallmouth bass, rock bass, walleye, channel cat, gar, drum and carp were the species caught today. The oportunities are there, you just have to take advantage, safely, safely and safer still.
It was mostly matching presentation to the current and cover conditions as well as the attitude of the fish. Letting a light jig get swept under debris piles where the as enough current to do so produced fish. If there wasn't enough current dabbling a jigon the edges of the debris pile sometimes worked. If that situation dropping a much heavier jig thru the top of the floating matwas the better option. Skinning the bark of flooded trees with a singlespin or a jig/pig produced fish. In another spot where the gar were actively feeding toward the surface, a fluke drifted and twitched did the trick for them.
A rattlebait turned some fish at a couple inflows, while a crankbait retrieved against the current worked on a seam where the bottom conditions and cover allowed. On other seams due to cover and bottom conditions a jig/plastic worked with the current on the seam was necessary. A crankbait worked well in a flooded parking lot. The only thing I tried that didn't produce was a variety of top water lures like prop baits, spooks and buzzbaits.
Smallmouth bass, rock bass, walleye, channel cat, gar, drum and carp were the species caught today. The oportunities are there, you just have to take advantage, safely, safely and safer still.
