Shad Fishing Trip Turns in Bottom Fishing Trip - Contentnea Creek #catfish

Took my  friend Ron to a down east river 4-13-13 as he has been wanting me to take him there for over a year so finally we make it work out. Our goal and his wish was to fish for shad. We hit several good spots for shad and nothing. Not 1 hit. After speaking with several other anglers we decided the fish we either gone back down or upstream out of our reach. What would we fish for now? I didn't bring any crickets for bream and if no bream we could not catch bottom fish. We bass fished a while with no luck and came upon a place where little bitty minnows were running from my bait. I then dug out a Mepps #1 Black Fury and got quite a few hits on it from some nice bream but could not hook 1. How do you lose a fish on a treble? Ron caught a couple of bream from this spot but nothing this place is noted for. We floated down stream casting to every likely spot. I kept catching 12 inch bass on that little black fury. Ron hooked a big gar on a little bait and after a long battle he landed a nice 15 lb gar. I kept telling myself that a bass was gonna end up as cutbait but we finally managed to put a few more bream in the boat.

Ron needed to leave just before dark so that only gave is 30 -40 mins to bottom fish. Now Ron is an expert saltwater fisherman but this was new to him. We tied up to one of my holes and I put 2 rods out with cutbait. I told ron that I would tell him when to set the hook. Immediatly we were getting hits. 1st was a 8lb striper and then a 10 lb blue. Not a bad day for a busted trip. I think all 3 were his biggest freshwater fish.

Rod bottom fish were caught on- Abu 6500 with 30 lb line and 20 lb leader with a 2 oz zinker and a 7/0 circle hook

Bait - cut bream

Boat used -Coleman Scanoe with 2.5 Merc

Water temp- Toasty 70 degrees

I could not keep these small but fun bass off of the Mepps Black Fury

"Ron had a nice 15 minute battle with this Gar that was a tad over 15 lbs. I am holding it cause he didn't want too.    tag -  Gar Pictures North Carolina

"

Bottom Fishing with cut Bream got Ron this 8 lb Striper and the 10 lb blue

Mack

#contentneacreek

#catfish

#fishing

Eastern NC Lake Bassin

Blackwater Pond Bass

4/5/2013...My son had the week off for spring break . I Only had Thursday and Friday off and Thursday the weather was terrible so that left Friday to take my son fishing. Where would I take him? Eno River white bass came to mind as I have been catching a few there but, according to usgs it was high. The Neuse ? that is our favorite spot but USGS had it up in wake and Johnston co with our area soon to be hit. I decided to take him to a very out of the way lake that is a good 2 miles off the main road for some bass fishing. I knew the water wouldn't be muddy as this is a black water lake fed by a small blackwater creek.

The lake is in an area that has plenty of Fox Squirrels and Red Cockaded Woodpeckers or RCW"S as a lot of people call them. 2 white rings around a tree denotes the location of a nest. These are endangered birds so you must not get near their nest.  Note: picture of cavity tree was taken with a zoom lens.

We arrived at aprx 230 pm and immediately our spinnerbaits were being smashed by eager bass. No monsters but a couple of 3 lbers with most being 1.5 - 2 lbs. White was a good color but my big bass bait the ole Black double copper spinnerbait was getting the most hits. The bite died at 430 or so when the sun really came out. We only managed a few after that.

Wildlife seen today was a Kingfisher, a Great Blue Heron, Geese, and 1 Beaver
Air Temp 64 degrees

Water Temp 59 deg

Boat- Coleman Scanoe powered by Motor guide

My outfit was a 7 ft MH with 50 lb braid (cause of trees)

His outfit Saros 3000 Spinning reel on Med rod with 30 lb braid

Baits Used- Spinnerbaits, Both Booya's  White 3/8th and a Black Booya Tux and Tails

Get them here-  white  https://amzn.to/3VAmGHo
Black Tux and Tails    https://amzn.to/3EUefzN

Here are a few pics of the Bass and Lake

Note - A Black Spinnerbait with Hammered double blades is one of my favorite Big bass baits and is also my favorite in "Blackwater" Lakes and Rivers.........Mack

#bass

#bassfishing

#colemanscanoe

Penny's Bend White Bass Reports for 2013

3/29/2013
I am probably going to be fishing Penny's Bend and some of the surrounding water more this year since I have taken a job in Granville co. I haven't fished here in 2 years but I gave it a go on the 29th of March.
 I have been hearing reports of good catches on some days and  bad on others . I arrived at PB at aprox 5 pm and started throwing a small chartreuse sassy shad. I immediately caught a handful of eager White's. I then called my buddy Steve to tell him . I NEVER SHOULD OF DONE THAT! ..I did not get one more hit. I took the water Temp and it was a chilly 52 degree's. Dang it! I tried almost every lure I brought with me and the only one that got a look was the Sassy Shad.  When I last fished here in  March 2011 the water temp was 62 Degrees( see http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/pennys-bend-white-bass-32411.html) and the fish were biting good so better fishing should be in store. I decided to hit a spot below the bridge but nada.   As I am about to leave,  well known Master Fly fisherman Kevin Frank comes walking up river. He reported that the downstream bite wasn't that good today either.
Here are a few pictures from today.

***You can get your sassy shad here - https://youtu.be/XUwSAeM6cVU

Use on a 1/4 oz jig head

My  next trip(s) here will be added on to this post . 

#pennysbend

#whitebass

Rat-L-Trap Clinic

One of my friends called me Friday am(3/22/13) and wanted to hit my very best spot around 3 or so....I was reluctant to go as I thought the cold snap would give the bass at this spot lockjaw. I also had planned to go to a Boat store and look at Jon boats. He finally talked me into it and I hit the road to go and pick him up.
About 1/2 way there I got a call from work telling me that I needed to be on a conference call at 4pm. Crap! we would be fishing then. We arrived at this spot after a mile hike at 3:40. I caught several nice ones on Rattlin baits at at 3:56 I had to truck in up into the woods to get away from the rushing water so i could hear the call. The call lasted right at an hour and right at 4:56 I was back standing on the rock slinging the ole Rat l trap...2nd cast..bam . Caught another. I will not name this fellow fisherman(Steve-also know as Nat's Dad) cause I spotted him 1 hr while on the call.

Date 03/22/13
Rod Used 7' Allstar
Reel- Shimano Calcutta 200
Line- 12 lb Pink Ande
Water temp- 50 degrees
Time - 330Pm - 500PM

Get the Lure here - https://amzn.to/3FuS6K8

Thanks For Looking ...Mack

First Shad of the Year!

Rode up to Weldon 3/16/2013 and got there right at 530 and fished till dark. Caught right at 10 hickories. The other bank fishermen and the boats I could see were catching a few but no one was on fire. Water temp was 49 degrees. Weldon falls was barely a drop(river was right at 7000 cfm) and I saw an old fiberglass tri hull make the run up towards 95 today. Best part of the day other than catching my first shad for the year was Eating at Ralphs BBQ right after dark. Got to see my sister in law too as she works there. Not a great day on the Roanoke River but any day you can catch a shad isnt too bad.

Rod used was a Lite action spinning rod the reel loaded with 6 lb line. This cost me my biggest hickory today as she snapped my tandem rig. 8 lb line may have been bettter. Lures used were pink headed arkie jigs in white and chartreuse(see photo) 1/8 oz on bottom and 1/16 on the top of the double rig. 

#shadfishing

#weldon

First Fish of the Year

Finally made it out fishing Tuesday 3-12 as work has kept me pretty busy. I went to a local neighborhood lake  and managed only 1 Bass but she was a good un! Caught on Booya 3/8 oz spinnerbait on 12 lb Ande line. Reel is a 4600 Abu on a 7' All-Star rod. Water temp was 55 degrees and the time was 630-730pm.

Mack

Back To The Fox Squirrel Woods

My son and I headed back to our hotspot for the Wiley ole Fox Squirrel.  Last week when we went my son saw 3 Fox Squirrels but didn't get a shot on one which is ok since Colby got one but he wanted to end the Fox squirrel season right by getting one.
So, back to the Hotspot we went. My good friend Rodney met us there and we split up. We kept seeing lots of grays but I told him to hold out for a fox Squirrel. The day was pretty uneventful until right before dark.  Right before 5 I hit the Squirrel in distress call and had 4 grays charge us and climb up a tree 30 yds from us and they wouldn't quit barking. We probably would of shot them since it was late in the day and they were small we passed on them to let them grow. I told my son lets head to one more spot.
We got there and he immediately spotted one and we chased it up a tree. The ole 37A Winchester barked and my son had a nice silver Fox Squirrel . He was shooting 6's today. The pictures don't do his Squirrel justice as it is a silver one with a red tail . When we met Rodney back at the truck he had also connected on a Saddleback colored one. A nice day in the woods. Mack

Thanks for Looking

The High Cost of Fox Squirrel Hunting

I have been real busy with a new promotion and trying to fill the freezer with Deer meat. The freezer is full  with 2 deer taken this year so now  I can get to what I really like and that is small game huntin.
Todd, Colby, my son and myself  headed to the Squirrel woods in search of some big ole fox squirrels. Last time we did this all four of us managed to limit out which imo is pretty hard to do with Fox squirrels. This time was nearly not as good but it is not always about killing. It is about  spending time in the woods with people u love. We met up at a gun shop around 11am and Then I proceeded to spend over 200 bucks on ammo. OUCH! Then we went To Smithfield Chicken and BBQ and I spent 19 bucks. Then  to a nice tackle shop and I laid out over 100bucks for some lures. throw in gas and Wendy's that night and my lay out was nearly 400 buckaroos. Ouch again.




But, Time spent with son.......PRICELESS



Ok,  back to squirrel hunting. We made it to our squirrel woods by 1 pm. Colby and My son saw 2 Black ones as soon as they entered their Hotspot. My son(Mack also) got 1 gray squirrel and Colby managed a head shot on a nice Saddleback color phase one after a long wait under the trees they were hiding in. Todd and myself struck out but we saw 3 other fox squirrels but with it being windy and the woods crunchy there was no sneaking up on these squirrels. I could of managed a few grays but was holding out for a fox. We saw lots of Fox Sq sign, Deer sign and some Hog sign. Hopefully I can make it there in a few days. A nice afternoon in the woods. Oh, Todd brought along a Winchester Leveraction 9410 shotgun. If you have never seen one of these it looks just like a Win 30-30 but it is a 410. That is one nice shootin gun. I may have to find one of those. Anyway here are a few pics. first is just a pic of a little hotspot I have .

Thanks for looking, Mack

Winter River Bassin

I rarely fish in the winter as I am usually too busy Chasin Fox Skirls:) ,Deer, and other little fury critters. Early spring through fall i can usually be found on a river but not in the winter unless I am chasin ducks. My good friend Jeff called me and asked was I up for a float on one of our favorite rivers. I reluctantly;) said yes as I was tired from taking a new Job(promotion) last week and chasin deer. Glad I said yes. Now, this river in the spring and summer will produce on a good day 40 plus bass 2-6 lbs but I was unsure about this time of year. She didn't produce those numbers but It was a great day on the water with plenty of nice chunks caught.

Date Sunday December 9, 2012
Time-1-5
Water Temp- 53
Lure used- Mainly a Boohya Spinnerbait  and the same for Jeff
Boat used - Old Town 158
Reel used by me- Abu 4600 C-3 loaded with 12 lb Ande on an All Star 7 ' rod
Wildlife seen- 1 eagle, several Herons and Kingfishers.
Probably 30 bass caught between the 2 of us.

Here is a pig that Jeff caught

Here are a few that I caught.

Almost all Bass caught right up on the bank with wood.
Here is another fish Jeff caught. Note the Little one- she has guts hanging out of her side and still smashed his spinnerbait. Tough fish! Evidently this fish had a run in with an Otter or a Heron,

A good day on the river. Thanks Jeff!

The " Well house Buck "

I haven't had much to post about this winter as the Hunting has been only ok at best. I have passed up a lot of does and a few decent bucks but I have been waiting on the big one. I also just received a promotion so my hunting time between now and the end of deer season may be limited so I have planned to shoot the next deer that was either a big doe, a cull buck, or a monster buck. No small young bucks would be shot.

Last Thursday(Nov 29, 2012) I headed to a special spot to deer  hunt. This is a spot where my friend Eddie and myself actually would get off the school bus when we were 13 or 14,  go grab our single shot shotguns and rush to this hardwood ridge to shoot squirrels. His was a Topper 58 12 Gauge and mine was a Winchester 37A 20 Gauge.  Man did we kill a bunch of   tree rats on this place!

              This is the Ridge with a pine thicket to the left.

This creek is at the bottom of the Ridge.

Behind this Ridge is an old Pecan Orchard that is grown up.  It has A well house that was Eddies Grand Dad's sitting at the top of the orchard. I shot this buck right at sunset making his way through the orchard.  He is probably one of the smallest racked bucks I have shot but he was a good cull to take out of the herd and it was special day to shoot a buck on this old stomping ground. He was  Shot at Aprox 60 yds with an Ithaca 37 Deluxe with a 24 inch Deerslayer barrel. I was shooting Remington Sluggers. This Ithaca with a 28 inch modified barrel has also killed a lot of squirrels and a few rabbits in this area as well. He was a very big bodied deer.   Thanks for reading , Mack

#deerhunting

#deer

Small river float w/Jeff

Several weeks ago(9/1/12) Jeff and I made a trip to one of our favorite rivers in the Piedmont of North Carolina.  Today our main quarry would be crappie . Here is Jeff with an average Crappie from this river.

This was my first fish of the day. All of my Crappie came on a Jig head with a Kalin grub . The color was "Acid Rain" . Most were caught by casting to one particular hole but we also caught a few trolling. 

A nice eater.

                                                                 Jeff with a decent bass.

                                    Me with a decent bass. If my memory is correct I caught 4 bass and Jeff maybe caught 6 bass.  Most of my bass fell victim to a Black Buzzer.

This guy below was the only other fisherman we saw that day. This has to be the smallest Jon Boat I have ever seen. 8' perhaps?

We brought back some of the biggest crappie and a couple of nice Green Sunfish. All Bass and the smaller pan fish were released. The fish below were released into Crisco!

A big Thanks to Jeff....oh, and  I need my nice cooler back!

Fishing with Gerald

Gerald and I have been trying to work out a fishing trip for aprox 2 years now. Last week we finally made it happen. Gerald suggested an old North Carolina Millpond that I actually fished a few times in the 90's. An old man whom lived on the millpond used to let me fish there. This millpond gave me my second biggest redbreast weighing 1lb even (my biggest Redbreast came out of Contentnea Creek and weighed 1.2 lbs).
The man who I knew has now passed away and you have to know someone to get into this pond. Gerald knows someone who lets him have access and I immediately jumped at the chance to Fish with Gerald at  this old millpond. We got and early start at 7am after  getting crickets but we would bass fish first and then go after the Bream and Shellcrackers this millpond is noted for. Gerald is an excellent fisherman and he wore me out on the bass using plastic worms and a senko. Here are a few of our bass,

The '"Swamp" areas of this Millpond had quite a few of these, a sign of the ducking hunting that once took place here.

We had decided that at around 9am or so we would switch from bass to panfish and we  proceeded to catch  some of the nice Bream and Shellcracker this place has.

Wow!   I had missed this place.It was like visiting an old friend who you hadn't seen in a long time. There were many highlights on this trip one of them being a Red colored Fox Squirrel that Gerald spotted walking down the bank. Gerald said "look at the long tail on that squirrel" I said that's a Fox Squirrel. Awesome!! I had known for years that Fox Squirrels were in this county but I had never personally laid my own 2 eyes on one in this county.  A big thanks to Gerald for taking me fishing. Mack

#holtspond