Rock Cliffs Today

[senkonate]

I'll be tubing the Rock Cliffs bay today from 4 to dark, if anyone wants to join me.

Senkonate
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[kastmaster]

Hey Nate,

How did you do at Rock Cliffs? What's the water level like and is access to the water any better?
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[senkonate]

Yes, I did tube Rock Cliffs yesterday. I walked in. It's not a bad walk at all. The crews were gone, so I was able to launch off the road (The road goes almost to the first "bay" on the north side). Launching a tube is now probably too difficult if not from the road. The area where the river comes in is now too muddy and shallow. You could launch from the river, but it wouldn' t be my idea of easy or fun.

I haven't been there in a few weeks so I can't say what the water level is relative to what it has been. That being said, I'm guessing it has dropped a lot. The big vertical "log" sticking out of the south part of the bay is MAYBE in a foot of water. The rest of the bay where we have been fishing is out of the water, and is now just mud flats. It is now easy to see why fish were holding there. Lots of little "bushes" and channels.

I took a lot of pictures to mark where underwater landmarks are for better fishing next season when the water rises again. However, I'm having trouble getting the images off my digital camera, so I will have to post those at a later time.

The water was VERY choked with algae particles, and the smell was unpleasant. I fished a little around the desending shoreline, but soon got sick of the algae, mud, smell, and lack of cooperating fish.

I moved out to where I couldn't touch the bottom, and found a big bush sticking out of the lake directly east of where the river comes in. It was a little deeper, and had a little less algae. From right around that bush I caught two 16"ers and one 18" smallmouth, all on Predator Maniac salt stick baits. The strange thing was that the 18"er and one of the 16"ers bit as I was realing the wacky rigged Maniac stick in very quickly. I haven't caught fish on a rapidly retrived Senko before. As I moved out I got bitten around brush sticking out of the water, but not in open water.

The area has definetely slowed down, which is unfortunate. That combined with the smells and toughness of launching, I probably won't be back until the water rises. []

I've really gotten myself a real smallie addiction this year, and if anyone with a boat wants someone to tag along, please pm me! Thanks.

Senkonate
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[doggonefishin]

Uh,oh that doesn't sound good at all in regards to the water level. It must be down another 4-5 feet from when I was there last. How far out did you have to kick to get to deeper water?
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[senkonate]

I'm not sure. That brush pile I caught the fish on is even with the first bay after the road where a lot of people shore fish.

That "bay" is actually no longer a bay. It's just shoreline now.

The positive of these dropped levels is that we can get a great look at structure and places where fish hold. Just need to hope the water will come back up.

Does anyone remember if it got this low last year, or previous years?

Senkonate
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[Tubeman]

It's at least six to eight feet down from the lowest it was last year. I fished there tonight. Launched the pontoons at the PWC ramp and fished west. Between two of us we caught about 15 perch and five smallies, the biggest being 11". Not a lot, or big fish, but the weather was great and there are a lot things worse than fishing.

[PREDATOR]

In response to
"[size 1]I caught two 16"ers and one 18" smallmouth, all on Predator Maniac salt stick baits.[/size][size 2]"[/size]
YEAH BABY! YEAH!
The real question is, did you open the package, take a look inside and say, "you have got to be kidding me!" ?
Or was it love at first sight?
Glad to see she worked out for you.
When the weather stabilizes, and the fishing picks up, the maniacs should produce you even more serious results.
I tell you what stitt, get a hold of me about saturday and monday. I have to co-ordinate with an outstanding offer from tomegun, but I may be on the look out for a fishing partner bolth days.
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[senkonate]

Yep, those Maniacs are for real!

When I first opened them, Yes, I was surprised. I've never fished a white Senko before. I'm not sure you can call these "white", they're kind of hard to explain. Check out the colors on the Maniac site.

The other thing I like is their durability. MUCH stronger than a Senko, no need for o-rings.

Senkonate
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