TRF Fishing Report

[CatManLee]

Was out on the river this past weekend and the fall jig bite has begun to show a little improvement. On sunday I was able to boat a few eyes in a couple hours of fishing. I was anchoring right on the edge of the channel and thumping a jig on the bottom in 10'-12' of water. I ran out of minnows pretty quick due to little bites and didn't really catch anything very big, but it was still alot of fun. My biggest walleye was only 12" with a few more at 10-11" and one reeeaaally small eye. All were released of course, but I'm gonna head back out tomorrow morning and see if I can catch some bigger ones.

I also caught a couple dozen rock bass in another spot, caught a nice northern, some sheephead, and a sucker.

I also had what I think was a very large Walleye on caught on a jig/minnow in another location, but it got off right next to the boat. I'm not sure exactly how big it was, but I can guarantee it would have easily went 26" or more. I didn't get a perfect look at it, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

I'll let you know how I do tomorrow. Talk to you later.

[Wiskers]

Smallies are putting on the feed bag.

I have been switching to floating jigs tipped with a leach and a split shot up about a foot. Just before the jig I put on about 3 small beeds then a walleye blade. Has been working great as you can see. I caught about 20-30 fish in just a few hours. I was sight fishing and I could see schools of them just cruising the shallows. That was a blast.

[CatManLee]

Smallie fishing is fun isn't it! Nice fish. I don't target them enough, mostly because I usually fish above the dam here in town. Below the dam, they are pretty abundant if you know where to look and man do the put up a good fight.

I think a floating jig set up like you mentioned would work great for these smaller eyes I've been catching. They only seem to bite when the bait is just off the bottom and moving very slow. I tryed a slip bobber, but the bottom depth varies so much in the area that the bait can go anywhere from 6" to 3ft off the bottom. I'm gonna pick up some floating jigs and try it.

I still haven't found any bigger walleye in the area, but caught a few more fish between 9" and 11". I can't believe that there are only small fish down there, but who knows?

I've been using minnows, maybe I should try some leaches and see if that changes anything.

Talk to you later.

[Wiskers]

That jig set up should work good. that is what I use this time of year in the river. Remember to get some of them Walleye spinners too.. that little extra flash helps a ton.

[HunterLee]

I did go one year in the fall during college below the dam on one of the bends with a slip bobber and nightcrawler. Got 4 or 5 smallies that were 4 to 5 pounds. Too bad i ran out of crawlers might have caught something else.

[CatManLee]

Went out again this past weekend and tried the floating jig rig. Caught a few more walleye, but still all were under 12"'s. Also caught alot of rock bass and had a whole bunch of fish steal my minnows. Gonna have to try something totally different soon.