I am new to spoonplugging and I purchased the home study program reading it cover to cover 10 or more times. I have fished in small lakes and had good success using the concepts but those lakes only had one area of deep water and only a few structures. Now I am moving to a very large res Buggs Island/Kerr Lake on the NC/VA stateline. This lake has alot of area and alot of deep water. I am trying to break the lake into sections and start there. Posted is a pic of the creek on the northern side, upper end of the lake.
I have tried the long point, the 2 bridges, and the area on the upper right corner but makes trolling difficult with docks there and on the left of the pic. i am trying the area on the left side middle above the #13 next.
So, I have a lot to say but let's start with some more detail about the reservoir.
1. In the creek we are discussed, is this the deepest water? In this area yes the creek is 20-25ft in this area and that goes all the way out to the main channel which is 50ft. there is a section where this creek drops in the main channel that get a little deeper. The area I am fishing (pictured) has a bridge just out of the frame to the right and further down the channel to the bottom.
2. How far from the main river are we talking about? 3 miles of more
3. Discuss water color, breaklines, bottom make up. muddy to stained this time of year probably a 3 or 4 most of the time not very clear
4. Any current? no sometimes wind
5. I'm assuming a LM bass population? Please discuss what you know about the fish populations. very good for LM Bass, crappie, striper, cats there is a big shad forage base.
6. Can you post a much farther zoomed out picture of the area/lake as a frame of reference? I know there have been some people who have won tournaments from this area.
New to spoonplugging repost
New to spoonplugging repost
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- Steve Craig
- JB2
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:22 pm
- Location: Arizona
Re: New to spoonplugging repost
Welcome to the board Navyangler.
First off the Home of the fish is deep water. In this case, the deepest water in the area we are fishing. You are wise to choose this area, literally fishing a "lake within a lake". Looking at your map, you and i must spend our time where we have the best chance to catch a fish.
When interpreting a map, we start in the area of the deepest water and go from there. If there are any manmade structures in the area, many times these can be some of the best and easiest areas to begin. In your top photo, I see a causeway with bridge. I personally would start right there. You have a "structure situation" there, with plenty of deep water, rip rap, direct access to the deep water, and a side feeder creek running down the length of the eastern side causeway.
Just downstream from the causeway, you have a big wide sweeping bar with some very good looking features on it.
About half way to the causeway from your long bar in your bottom photo, there is a very nice looking hump right next to the main channel with a side feeder creek coming in beside it. Fishing Water!
Directly west of your long point/bar is another great looking bar with a pretty good looking finger sticking off of it right into a 21 foot hole that needs checking out.
Mr. Perry gave us some guidelines to follow and that was we need not go any farther upstream in the lake or creek arm, if we dont have at least 20 foot of water in the main channel . On this one it appears to have those depths, but there may not be. You have to check it out.
Your long point/bar needs to checked out as well, as there could be a nice school of fish in that 20 foot hole.
Water color in this lake will make a HUGE difference in how we go about our fishing.
Good luck and good fishing.
Steve(aka the Bad apple)
First off the Home of the fish is deep water. In this case, the deepest water in the area we are fishing. You are wise to choose this area, literally fishing a "lake within a lake". Looking at your map, you and i must spend our time where we have the best chance to catch a fish.
When interpreting a map, we start in the area of the deepest water and go from there. If there are any manmade structures in the area, many times these can be some of the best and easiest areas to begin. In your top photo, I see a causeway with bridge. I personally would start right there. You have a "structure situation" there, with plenty of deep water, rip rap, direct access to the deep water, and a side feeder creek running down the length of the eastern side causeway.
Just downstream from the causeway, you have a big wide sweeping bar with some very good looking features on it.
About half way to the causeway from your long bar in your bottom photo, there is a very nice looking hump right next to the main channel with a side feeder creek coming in beside it. Fishing Water!
Directly west of your long point/bar is another great looking bar with a pretty good looking finger sticking off of it right into a 21 foot hole that needs checking out.
Mr. Perry gave us some guidelines to follow and that was we need not go any farther upstream in the lake or creek arm, if we dont have at least 20 foot of water in the main channel . On this one it appears to have those depths, but there may not be. You have to check it out.
Your long point/bar needs to checked out as well, as there could be a nice school of fish in that 20 foot hole.
Water color in this lake will make a HUGE difference in how we go about our fishing.
Good luck and good fishing.
Steve(aka the Bad apple)
Religion is a guy in church, thinking about fishing.
Relationship is a guy out fishing, thinking about God!
Relationship is a guy out fishing, thinking about God!
Re: New to spoonplugging repost
Everything can be answered by depth and speed plus weather and water conditions. If you are properly identifying key structure and fishing it in the right manner then you may need to recheck these areas a few different times under different weather conditions. Not sure why you haven't found them on the spots you've checked but it could be weather related. The answers will start to appear as the fish will eventually tell you where they are.
Having a game plan to carve out new areas each time you fish is a good plan to attack this water. It sounds like you are on the correct path. If you are thoroughly working the new structures like you say you are then you can go back and recheck them the next time you are out there MUCH QUICKER. This way each time out you can attack new areas but recheck the stuff you've already learned. You will build great confidence this way since eventually you'll know the area better than anyone. If there are fish here you will find them under the right weather and - proper depth and speed control.
Having a game plan to carve out new areas each time you fish is a good plan to attack this water. It sounds like you are on the correct path. If you are thoroughly working the new structures like you say you are then you can go back and recheck them the next time you are out there MUCH QUICKER. This way each time out you can attack new areas but recheck the stuff you've already learned. You will build great confidence this way since eventually you'll know the area better than anyone. If there are fish here you will find them under the right weather and - proper depth and speed control.
Re: New to spoonplugging repost
Thanks guys,
I just wanted to make sure that I am not way off base on the places I am selecting to fish.
Steve:
Directly west of your long point/bar is another great looking bar with a pretty good looking finger sticking off of it right into a 21 foot hole that needs checking out: That is the area that I planned to check next time out it looks like there is a good shelf there.
I figured I would map these areas then head downsteam of the causeway. I have already checked the 2 bridges but only caught a couple small dink fish.
I also saw the hump there are brush piles all around it which make it hard to troll and the wind has been wrong everytime I have been out there to fish that area effectively.
I just wanted to make sure that I am not way off base on the places I am selecting to fish.
Steve:
Directly west of your long point/bar is another great looking bar with a pretty good looking finger sticking off of it right into a 21 foot hole that needs checking out: That is the area that I planned to check next time out it looks like there is a good shelf there.
I figured I would map these areas then head downsteam of the causeway. I have already checked the 2 bridges but only caught a couple small dink fish.
I also saw the hump there are brush piles all around it which make it hard to troll and the wind has been wrong everytime I have been out there to fish that area effectively.