[challenger]

I suppose everyone has had their dose of rain. In the Topsail area we have had way more than enough. The creeks are all draining rain run off and it has made the water tea colored with very low visibility. This is no news to anyone but I'd like to know how people adjust their fishing methods when there is so much rain and when the water gets so dark? I am talking more about artificials and specifically top water. What effect does all this rain have?
Thanks

 

[sundrop]

Bright colors and noisy baits. Try slower and faster methods. Both can have their advantages depending on the fish. Fast makes more noise, slow lets them have more time to locate by sight. Pink, Chartreuse, "electric chicken" and "clown" combinations are favs of mine. and always try white.

 

[ice cream man]

I would start closer to the inlets, looking for cleaner water.
Today's winds were out of the east, not good. Add in full moon, really not good. ....... ICM

 

[supa-j09]

Baits

We had trouble getting a pattern after the rain last week but we finally figured out the red fish magic spinner baits up in the grass. Color didn't really matter but we were using white or white and green. Had 5 before 8am (we had to cut out to come home) All in the slot. Couldn't buy a bite on top water.

 

[trigger22]

When it comes to Topwater I don't change a thing. I use loud baits when it's windy and quiet baits when it's not. So She Dog for windy days or Top Pup Jr or Super Spook Jr for calm days. Color doesn't make a bit of difference for Topwater.

 

[stevef]

In those stained water conditions, my tactics don't change, but what I look for certainly does. Salt content is hard to judge, but you'd be surprised at how "fresh" one of these tannic colored creeks tastes...just a drop on your finger will tell you about a serious fresh water incursion. Presence of bait (or lack thereof) is another indicator of a place to avoid. Finally, water temperature. The local creeks were in the 82-83 degree range prior to the downpour. Last week, they were registering 76 but as I motored up the Intercoastal looking for better conditions, the closer I got to the inlet, the warmer the water got. I settled on a place that had the most bait around, with the cleanest and warmest water and caught a variety of fish.

 

[challenger]

Supa - that looks like a upper upper slot fish. Very nice. Backdrop in the pic is a dead give away. There is an app for android that scans photos and returns results with potential matching locations. When I put your photo through the app it returned 1751 potential NC locations. Today is going to be a busy day
BTW-what are those colored poles laying on the deck? The app wouldn't tell me so I have to ask you.

BTW-what have a few spinner baits I carry but I have no idea when to try them. I guess there is no time better than the present-thanks!
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[challenger]

In those stained water conditions, my tactics don't change, but what I look for certainly does. Salt content is hard to judge, but you'd be surprised at how "fresh" one of these tannic colored creeks tastes...just a drop on your finger will tell you about a serious fresh water incursion. Presence of bait (or lack thereof) is another indicator of a place to avoid. Finally, water temperature. The local creeks were in the 82-83 degree range prior to the downpour. Last week, they were registering 76 but as I motored up the Intercoastal looking for better conditions, the closer I got to the inlet, the warmer the water got. I settled on a place that had the most bait around, with the cleanest and warmest water and caught a variety of fish.

That is some great information. Last time out noticed about a 90% decrease in bait activity. Being pretty stupid I thought maybe the fresh water would increase the activity of the shrimp and I actually saw more shrimp activity but likely this was just me trying to convince myself. I'm fishing the incoming today and will take a long paddle towards the inlet if the wind cooperates.
Thanks

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[Brenardo]

What's that app called? The spot stealer?

 

[Bread Man 1]

I don't change a thing. Reds have excellent eye sight and their eyes are made for dingy low visibility water. The same goes for trout. The salinity does not really bother them either. That being said, sometimes this time of year after several inches of rain and a front, the drum will not hit topwater as good, but will still crush spoons. We have been catching them in water so bad you can't see a bait 3" in the water, but they still hone in on it.

 

[RouseD]

Any particular spoon you like better than others bread man? Also how do you work your spoons?

 

[supa-j09]

The poles are for my gigging contraption that I created for the front of my boat. Like I said before we left as soon as we got off the water. I get down to the coast about 3-4 times a year to do some fishing. I don't really don't care if somebody finds out where I fish. That fish was 24"... It's all about camera angles!

 

[Bread Man 1]

Any particular spoon you like better than others bread man? Also how do you work your spoons?

Flats Intruder and Johnson. Just retrieve them steady.

 

[crabman00]

Supa - that looks like a upper upper slot fish. Very nice. Backdrop in the pic is a dead give away. There is an app for android that scans photos and returns results with potential matching locations. When I put your photo through the app it returned 1751 potential NC locations. Today is going to be a busy day
BTW-what are those colored poles laying on the deck? The app wouldn't tell me so I have to ask you.

BTW-what have a few spinner baits I carry but I have no idea when to try them. I guess there is no time better than the present-thanks!
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Are things really that bad that folks are scanning pictures through software for locations?

 

[trigger22]

I'm taking it as another attempt at humor on challengers behalf

 

[crabman00]

Me too. Just can't figure out how to place those emoticons in the post.

 

[challenger]

Yes I was kidding for anyone that may actually think there is such an "app". That's also why I inserted the smiley faces. I can imagine such a piece of software could be developed though. I can't, however, imagine someone developing it. In truth though I suspect there are some that fish the same area that might recognize the background. I know there has been some consternation about including identifiable structures, landscapes etc in posts designed to show fish that were caught.
Today I guess I can say breadman was proven right. I went out at the last half of the rising tide. I thought I would head straight to some clean water which would have been an hour paddle. Just after I put my kayak in I get a call from a friend that recently got a kayak. He decides he wants to give fishing a shot (yup-most of you can fill in the outcome). I say why not and I tell him to meet me at a certain spot. As I am seeing him look for me across some grass I get a top water hook up. I am using a badonk a donk top water plug that was day glow green and white and nearly new. As he approaches I tell him I have a good one and to stay clear. After about 10 seconds I can tell it is likely as large a drum as I have caught. After 30 seconds I can tell it is as large a drum as I have lost. The line broke at the quick clip. Now there is a drum swimming around with a nice new plug in its face. I hope it lives. Scratch that- couldn't care if it lives or croaks. So that plays out and my friend comes over and I give him my second rod with a white and red paddle tail and I show him what to do and how to fish it. We separate by about 50 yards and I get another hit and, after about a minute, the fish straightens the brandy new split ring on the front hook. Mind you all that I recently spent a few hours buying new replacement hooks and split rings for all my top water plugs. It's "all good" I figure. The water was tea colored and the fish are here and closer so I'll stay and keep fishing. About an hour later my buddy (ex-buddy) yells over. "I don't know what I got but it's big". He has no net of course so I tell him to leave the drag alone and don't reel while the fish is pulling line etc. All the noob instructions fly his way as do I with my net. It took a while but he lands (or I land???) the fish. It is 27" EXACTLY! not. 010" more or less. He decides to leave so he can keep the fish fresh and I said, "good idea, you really need to leave NOW". I stay out four more hours and l have another four fish blow up the plugs but no fish for me again. I know I should have fished what he was but I'd much rather hit with top water. I'm not belly aching about my missing fish or the lost plug or the straightened split ring. How can I not belly ache about this guy never putting ANY time into fishing and coming out and landing a top slot drum on his very first try? I am totally blown away by this.
He called me eight times but I'm never talking to him again.

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[trigger22]

http://whereisthepicture.com/

I just tried 10 different pictures of mine and none of them came back with any results. It seems the only thing that site was looking for was GPS data from the picture. Be sure to turn location services off on your phones/cameras and this won't be a problem

 

[trigger22]

Tough break challenger, but at least you got some action. I was stuck in the office working all day. You also played guide for your buddy and put him on a good fish. I would imagine he's hooked on fishing now. I would suggest changing out those split rings for 2x strong ones. They'll save a lot of heartache.

 

[drumfisher]

How can I not belly ache about this guy never putting ANY time into fishing and coming out and landing a top slot drum on his very first try? I am totally blown away by this.
He called me eight times but I'm never talking to him again.


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I've had similar experiences... My sister who NEVER bass fishes, (she couldn't tell you how to texas rig a worm) went one afternoon with her boyfriend and caught a 6lber.... I couldn't believe it......I spend WAYYYYY more time bass fishin than she does...... I didn't talk to her for a while until I caught one bigger... Sent her a pic of it.....HAAAAHA