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Sunday, 06/01/08- Hit the water early (4:45am). Nice calm water for the run to Las Vegas Wash. Pulled into the cove with the floating outhouse to find it loaded with bait. Quickly filled the livewells with 4"-5" shad. This is the best bait we have caught this year. Everyone tossing a net today was successful.
Headed to the area outside of Hole 33 and started putting shad to work. Stripers soon started slamming the live shad. We managed to put two five pounders, several four pounders, and a lot of three pounders in the box today! I was using a light action combo thinking we would catch little fish. To my surprise, something big grabbed it, snapped the pole as it rested in the holder and pulled the hook of the leader! No kidding! You gotta love live bait.
This was our best day of fishing in 2008. All fish were in fine condition. Wind started blowing about 10:00am. Off the water by 11:00am. Now is the time to get out there and toss a net!
BaySport
P.S. Took pictures with the cell phone but can't get them to load. Will follow when I figure it out.
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[cool]Hey BaySport, way to go!! The last time I was in that cove there wasn't as much bait. My buddy and I did see some other guys tossing the nets but only getting 2 or 3 at a time. They are big though. Nice to hear that the shad are up again. Are you fishing close to Sand island? I'm in a floattube and don't want venture out into the shipping lanes. Have you tried closer to the shore or are the fish deeper?. One of these days I hope to manage the numbers that you pull in. Here is a pic of a shad I got about 5 weeks ago in my landing net.
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I was out early sunday near 8.0 road. Shad started rolling in and breaking the surface in pretty large schools. I didn't have a throw net but managed to catch about 6 that beached themselves on a rock that was wadable from the shore. You might oughta try there BigE. Full schools were buzzing the shore and breaking the surface not far out. If I had a net I could have caught more. If I had my toon or tube out I coulda caught a lot more.
They were pretty big too, 3-4". Live shad were definitely more effective than frozen chovies and I'm glad I caught some. Definitely investing in a net for next time. W caught 5 stripers in the 1-3lb range that morning(total for trip including night before...7 stripers, 3 cats, 1 carp).
I missed quite a few hits though and I believe i should use a larger hook. I was rigging them with size 1 gamakatsu finesse wide gaps on a dropper loop with a 1/2oz dipsey swivel... hooking the shad through its forehead and bottom lip.
I imagine I'd have a better hookup ratio with a larger hook. Thoughts?
I didnt see any stripers swimming around other than the ones we caught whereas I saw a lot of carp swimming and breaking the top for shad.
Tried some shad imitation cranks and a buzzer but they didn't produce.
I caught a larger one on an UL combo, almost too much for the reel but that was fun.
All fish were successfully released except for a 7lb carp that was thrown in the trash... where it belongs.
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Are you fishing close to Sand island?
No, not that far out. Between the green bouy and Crescent Island. Sunday morning was still and calm so we drifted, sometimes making adjustments with the electric motor.
Have you tried closer to the shore or are the fish deeper?
Last weekend our range was between 60'-80' of water near the edge of the channel. Fish were marked at a variety of depths but most were caught around 30'. There were plenty of boats fishing Las Vegas Wash where it is not as deep.
Can't wait to try it again!
BaySport
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[cool]Hey BaySport, thanks for the info. I may try it out this weekend.
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I was rigging them with size 1 gamakatsu finesse wide gaps on a dropper loop with a 1/2oz dipsey swivel... hooking the shad through its forehead and bottom lip.
I imagine I'd have a better hookup ratio with a larger hook. Thoughts?
Gamakatsu finesse wide gaps are great for live bait fishing. They are light and thin and allow the shad to move. I also like Gamakatsu octopus hooks. Use a lip set sometimes, but perfer the dorsal fin set. I use #1 - #2/0 hooks depending on the target. Sure, I have my perfered ways of rigging.....knots, hooks, leader material, etc. My pard Don, ties on any hook in the box, uses no leader material, fishes with a heavy action 8' fiberglass meatpole, and catches a lot of fish. Who knows? If it works I keep using it, if it don't I change it. Sounds like you had a fun day of fishing!
BaySport
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It was fun indeed. I'll try the dorsal and the lip (only) set. I'd probably get even more hits if I didn't kill the shad straight off driving a hook through its brain. I know what you mean as far as "if it ain't broke..."
I learned the dropper loop rig on a recent ling cod/rockfish charter I did in April at Channel Islands, CA. First time at sea, great experience all around. Since then, I've tried that rig in all my usual haunts and so far it has outperformed my usual carolina style bait rig... for trout & cats.
Best part is that it's quicker & easier to tie... and when I do snag I usually only lose the sinker. It boils down to what I and the fish like. And I like it if it works.
Thank you for your input.
So is there really a floating outhouse out there or does it just resemble one?
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Man, I am so envious. What a difference live bait makes? You should consider opening a "live bait barge" on the lake. I bet you business would be good...in the Spring and Summer months...oh, and Fall, too, of course.
Best regards,
Paul
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