Haw River Float 9/5/14

Nat's Dad called me Wednesday Sept the 3rd to see if I wanted to fish a spot we hadn't been to since last year. We had fished upstream and down but not here so I jumped at this chance to fish here.

Friday afternoon was the day. ND was mainly throwing a Spro Swimbait and his average size bass he was catching was better than mine.  I started off with a pearl fluke and a white buzzer and wasn't gettin any luv. I finally switched to a Cordell Spot and a White Spinnerbait on another rod. The average size I was catching went  up and I ended up with a good solid 5 lber. We probably had 15 bass a piece which is ok as a good day on this river will get you 20-40 bass.  We also caught a lot of  Redbreast , 1 crappie, and the only white perch I have caught this far upstream.

Wildlife seen was lots of Geese, Woodducks, Great Blue Herons, Little Green Herons, White Egrets, lot of Ospreys, and 2 big Bald Eagles which we got to see 1 snag a fish out of the river.

A really good day on the water.

Mack

Great Pee Dee !!!

This past weekend  9/28/14  Jeff (Fish Whisperer)  and  I made a 7 mile float on the Great Pee Dee River.  We launched at daylight and made the takeout at 2 pm. This section is right above the fall line and there are long shoals on this 7 mile stretch. This stretch is also home to several Indian Fish weirs that the Pee Dee Indians made many moons ago. This float was about as scenic as it gets. Glad we decided to make the trip south.

Right at the Put in-

Not a great day catching fish, but overall it was an excellent trip  We saw several "pods" of 20-50  lb Blue Cats Hitting bait. It was like a scene from Wicked Tuna.   Jeff caught 4 cats on a spinnerbait but I couldn't buy a hit w/o bait.

I switched from a spinnerbait  to a Cordell spot and "bam"  fish on!!!.  This fish was making some really long hard runs and I jumped out of the canoe as I didn't have a net and landing it it the water would be better. Plus i didnt want to put down my drag chain and have it wrap around that/.  After a good long fight I landed my first Biffalo. At first we though it was a carp but after looking at the pictures it was determined to be a Buffalo.   Yeh!!!!

I was hoping for a Robust Redhorse..lol.. but a Buffalo was an awesome addition to the fish I have caught.

Stripers were hitting as well,  but there was absolutely no sign of bass or bream.   Lots of Native mussels in the water and lots of Geese, ducks, deer seen as well along with a lone Eagle.

Jeff with some nice fish.

http://vid35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/mack4321/DSCF2863_zpsbe6f2f80.mp4

Indian Fish Weir

Another Great float with my Buddy Jeff.

#greatpeedee

#greatpeedeeriver

#peedeeeriver

Central NC River Shoals

Had to "Settle" for Bass

Well my plan Saturday was to go to the Pee Dee river with my life long friend Rodney  and fish for the ROBUST REDHORSE.


 Figured I would have to wade through a lot of Bass, Blue cats, and stripers to get a robust redhorse but it would be fun.  Ok,  just kiddin about the Robust Redhorse as it is endangered and the odds of catching one are slim to none but our plan was to float the Pee Dee and catch Bass and cats.

 Scratch that. Found out I had to go to my sons football meeting at 11 am so I had to hit up some place local.  We chose Buckhorn Dam on the Cape Fear because of it proximity to the both of us plus the time factor.  Our quarry was going to be Blue and Flathead catfish.

One WARNING.  Buckhorn is a nice place but it can be a place where a lot of hoodlums Hang out and I don't go don't there w/o a gun.  Note- when Rodney arrived at the dam there was a guy smoking a crack pipe.

 Met my friend Rodney there and we fished from 230- 800pm. I had to use my Frogg Toggs because of the rain which ended about 4 pm. The rain was actually a blessing as it kept the temps cool and probably increased the fish activity.  Our goal was to catch bait and then catfish, problem was usually here  I can catch all the bream  I want to but today they were not biting.
I tried everything I had. Spinners, grubs, ul Rapalas, even red worms. Nothing. finally after a couple of hours I grabbed the ole trusty Lews Speed Spool loaded with 50 lb braid and started slinging my favorite spinnerbait. Immediately I hooked into a chunky Largemouth and that may have went 3 lbs. Ended up catching no more Largemouth but caught 3 bowfin. 3lbs to 9 lbs. only got picture of smaller one as I released the 2 bigger ones while still in the water and caught aprox 20 Spotted Bass ranging from really small to maybe 2 lbs. Lost several big gar and no lunkers caught but it was a fun day on the water.

Here is Rodney's first Spotted Bass

 A nice 3 lb chunk Largemouth I caught on a spinnerbait

 A nice spot

 Another

 And another

3lb Bowfin

Wildlife seen was Ducks, herons(watched several catch some nice bait that I couldn't) , eagles, ospreys, 1 deer, 1 raccoon, and lots of 3 - 6 inch eels trying to do the salmon thing and swim up the dam. Some were making it 1/2 way up then falling back down. Note- I have caught eels above this dam so either some make it over in lower water or they crawl around.


*Date 8/2/2014
*Where- Cape Fear River
*Boat Used- Old Town 119
*Main Outfit used-  Lews Speed Spool 7.1-1 ratio on 7' MH Daiwa rod
  load with 50lb PowerPro
*All Bass caught on a Booya Spinnerbait


 Thanks for lookin-   Mack

Catfishing Below a Dam with Todd

Saturday June 21st I called my old friend Todd and told him we were going cat fishing. He said where are we going??. To a dam where we wade out 300 feet to the middle and catch catfish I said.  Catfish during the daytime??  Yep!  Catfish during the daytime and not just channels and blues but Flatheads during the daytime.
I picked him up and off to the bait store to get aprox 20 gold fish. Not cheap at 2-3 bucks a piece so we must luv to fish.
We waded below this 600 foot long dam and tossed the goldfish right into the turbulent water below the dam.   We missed a few fish and slung off some Goldfish but it was worth it.
My rod used was a Ugly Stik Tiger Rod paired with a Shimano Baitrunner 6500 spooled with 25 lb line.   7-9/0 hooks and 2-4 oz sinkers.  
All of this video is from the 21st except the last picture which I threw in from the last trip.

Not many caught today but it was a FUN DAY.

Enjoy.   

#flatheadcatfish

#danvillevirginia

#danriver

Catfish Adventure Below a Dam

Steve and myself made a trip to one of my favorite rivers on Friday the 13TH!!!. First we had to stop and buy goldfish at 2.75 a pop but these were Jumbos. We made it to the spot and the river was a little higher than normal. After a little thought I went back to the car and got my life vest. Steve already had his on and by the look of the rushing water I had better have one on also.   
We had to pretty much swim a channel with a backpack on, rods and bait buckets. Then wade though waist deep fast water. This was all to get out in the middle where the fish are. This Dam is 600 feet long so we had to get out 300 feet . Boy was that a workout. This spot is not for the weak and is very dangerous hence the life jackets.

Anyway action was very good with slightly rising water and a full moon. The water flow today was aprox 2300 cfm.    Steve caught several Blues before I even had my first hit but we were after Flatheads. Sometime later I heard Steve yelling and look over and he is fighting a big one. Then the line went slack. Crap, cut on a rock. A short while later I get a good hit and I got her head up and kept it up. Brief hard battle and I released her back to fight again. Most of our hits came by casting the goldfish right up against the base of the dam.   An awesome day on an awesome river with a good friend. Cant beat that.

Outfit I used- Shimano 6500 Baitrunner on a  7' Ugly Stik Tiger Rod , Bait Goldfish, Terminal tackle - 2 oz bank sinker swivel then a 6 inch leader using an 8 or 9/0 Hook. 

An Awesome day!

A good night of Catfishing Using Goldfish and Cutbait

Dan River VirginiA

June 7th 2014

I went  to one of my favorite rivers in search of some cats 6/7 430pm -430am 6/8.

 I arrived at my spot a little after 4 and  I was at my first hole 430 ish, 

 Bait today would be 12 bream I caught earlier and had on ice for cutbait. These would get the garlic bath. I also bought the last 8 goldfish a bait store had so these would be my flathead bait.

Gear and Outfits used- 
Abu 7000c on American spirit Nite Stik , 40 lb Cajun with 3 oz bank sinker and 9/0 j hook.
Shimano 6500 baitrunner on Ugly stik tiger rod loaded with 25 lb big cat. 2 oz sinker with 9/0 circle hook.
Abu 6500c on white ugly stik loaded with 30 lb big game. 2 oz bank sinker with 7/0 j hook on 3 way rig.6
Oh, I cant leave out the boat.  Sears 12' Jon with 55 lb thrust motor. Water too shallow for my gas motors.

I immediately started getting hits on cutbait(didn't used goldfish till 30 min before dark) from blues 5-10 lbs with the biggest at 10-11 lbs. Moved every hr to a different hole and caught fish on each hole and also lost several big ones, still nothing big.

^^^^This equals this \/ \/ \/

  
I also brought along a Banana (oh no he didn't!) because the forum post the other day had me laughing. I bring bananas a lot while fishing and it has never hurt my fishing.

anyway, aprox 245 I set up on my last hole. Apox 3 am I get a good run on the Abu 6500 set with a goldfish. I set the hook and the battle is on!!!....It was crazy for a few as I had to hold this strong fish and wind in 2 lines that were out. After 5 mins I bring in a good 35lb flathead to anchor the blues I caught today. Can you say Banana Smana??.

                                               ^^^^^ This equals this \/ \/ \/

I set the lines out again and get one more run at aprox 4 am. A small 5 lb flattie. I release her and head home. A nice night of fishing.

going to bed..........

#catfishing

#danriver

#fishing

#danvillevirginia

What is my most popular Blog post????

Ok, What is my most popular blog post?  Does it have something to do with Shad fishing?  Roanoke Bass fishing????
  
No.    But, lets back up a minute.  In 2009 I started this blog inspired by a blog I found on wordpress that was a canoeing and fishing blog. I started this blog to  chronicle  my treks down the many rivers I venture down(or up)and to also have a good time with it posting my favorite passion of mine which is  fishing.  I am a somewhat poor writer but I don't  really care. It is what it is.  I do sometimes try to post items that I think would draw viewers to my site but most time I do not.   Example:  I thought my post on Roanoke Bass and Shad would be popular(and they are coming in at 4th and 10th) but I never thought that they would be beat by a squirrel article and a canoe article. 

Anyway, almost instantly I kept pondering expanding my blog into my hunting treks but didn't for a good while as I thought they would be a distraction and also draw too many negative comments.  One boring day in 2011 I had nothing to post except a hunting post and I decided heck its my blog I will post what I want to.   One of my first hunting post was about Fox squirrels in North Carolina and I actually thought at the time that it would draw few if any viewers and was mainly for me.
Boy was I wrong!  My fishing blogs best post doesn't have anything what so ever to do with fishing!!!  And # 2 is about canoes!!     Dang,   Shows what I know.     Here is a list that will show you what I mean.

This is for a month but I can sort it any way and the Fox squirrel post is always # 1 whether it is sorted by day, week , month or year.   Oh well.   

	Pageviews
Fox Squirrels in Eastern North Carolina ( Sci... Dec 11, 2011, 8 comments	4562
Canoes that I use For River Fishing...... May 6, 2012	2218
Big Bream, Shellcrackers and some suprises.... May 13, 2011	603
Roanoke Bass .....The forgotten Bass Oct 4, 2009	601
A Grand Day Carp Fishing Oct 8, 2011, 3 comments	568
The Yadkin River Slam Dec 17, 2009	480
Haw River Float trip July, 6th 2010 Aug 12, 2010	463
Neuse River Camping for Catfish May 2, 2012	446
Penny's Bend White Bass 3/24/11 Mar 24, 2011, 1 comment	443
My 2010 Shad season In Review. May 29, 2010, 1 comment Mack	364

              

Awesome day of River Fishing

Jeff and my self made a float on a Piedmont River Sunday May 25th.   The Bass were hitting a Booya White Spinnerbait and a Zoom Pearl Fluke.   They were really getting after the Fluke and the technique was to skip them under overhanging bushes and trees getting the Fluke really close to the bank and working it out fast. Today We probably caught 20 plus bass apiece with Jeff getting his personal best river bass that was pushing 8 lbs.   Also caught along with the Bass were 3 good size Jacks.  Both of my Jacks hit the spinnerbait and the hooks held.  Last year at this same spot I lost 7 Jacks in one day!! .   
Midday I also trolled for crappie catching 20 or so and they all fell for a chartreuse roadrunner.   Several bream were caught along with the crappie so Jeff had a nice cooler of fish with several crappie, Bream and 2 nice Jacks.

Towards the end of this float is a dam and I talked Jeff into fishing the pools below it and I think he is glad he did catching his best river bass to date down there and I also caught my best fish of the day there.  Mine fell for the spinnerbait while Jeff caught his on a big beetlespin on 6 lb line!!!

WOW!!

 

 

We also saved two toads today as Jeff found an old perk hole that had 3 toads in it. One was dead and the other 2 could not get out.  I lightly hooked each one released them and then filled in that death trap.

 

Wildlife seen today was lots and lots of Great Blue Herons, a few wood ducks,  and some ospreys.

A great day of fishing.

 

Boat used- Coleman Scanoe with trolling motor

Best baits today-  Pearl Fluke, White Booyah Spinnerbait and the Chartreuse RoadRunner.

 

Mack 

 

 

One Beautiful Catfish!

Black Flathead Catfish

Went fishing with my good friend Aki and James  5/20/2014 on a Central piedmont flow. We fished from aprox 4:30 to 8:30 pm.  Our quarry today was catfish and hopefully flathead catfish.   We caught bait with rod and reel(crappie and bream) and also with a castnet (shad and shiners).
Then we set out 2 rods each and began our wait . 30 mins later my rod with a crappie for bait was bent over and I reeled  in this nice 15lb flathead that was the darkest flattie I have seen.  James said he has caught a few dark ones here but this was a first for me.  All the flatheads I have ever caught were that normal yellow brown.  Not a huge fish but I was happy to of caught one that color.  We actually didn't land another fish but it was a good day.

Reels used- 

Daiwa Procaster PS55 loaded with 30 lb Cajun line
Abu Garcia 7000C loaded with 40 lb Cajun line
Both on American Spirit "Nite Stiks" 7' Med Hvy Rods

Rig was my usual Bottom rig for cats consisting of a Bank sinker and short leader with a good hook.
 

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my YouTube Channel at  Mack's River Fishing YouTube Channel


#catfishing
#flatheadcatfish
#northcarolinafishing

#crabtreecreek

Riverbassin Tournament Trail Charlotte Stop yields 2 Citation Roanoke Bass

I had eagerly awaited this stop in Charlotte but I had a problem....My best spots which were inbounds the last 2 Times in Charlotte(2011, 2013) were now out of bounds. I finished 4th both of those years and being able to hit my honeyholes surely helped. This time I was forced to fish a  section of river I had never fished.  My plan was to start off with a white spinner bait, a few topwaters and a fluke.

Legal fishing time was 6 am and by the time I was on the water it was 6:15.   My first cast yielded nothing but my second cast with the spinnerbait brought on a vicious strike.  I was expecting to have a good solid 2-4 lb bass by the fight but was a little shocked to haul in a good solid 13-14 inch Roanoke bass.  Awesome!  Citation size in North Carolina for this species is 11 inches or 1 pound and this one would make that easily.  I was so surprised(and half asleep) that I didn't get an exact measurement on this fish but it was a good start even though this fish didn't count for the tournament.
Several cast later and my bait is slammed again.  My first Largemouth of the day??.  No,  another citation size Roanoke bass at a solid 12 inches!   Not the fish I was after but I will never complain about catching big Roanoke's. 

Here are a few pictures of these fish.
The Bigger Roanoke Bass ( Ambloplites cavifrons )

The 12 inch Roanoke

A little while later I landed a 11 inch largemouth but I would need fish a lot bigger than that.   Several cast later I landed the first decent Largemouth of the day.  

Not bad but I would need bigger fish to do well in this tournament.  I ended up catching only 7 or 8 bass with the best 3 all being around the 15 inch mark.

My 3 best Bass fell to the White spinnerbait, Pearl Fluke and Zara Spook. 
I ended up with 45.5 inches which put me in 15th place. I just couldn't get that good solid 21 to 22 inch fish that would have put me in the top ten. I was still happy finishing 15th out of 38 entries since this was my first time at this strtch of river.  

 More info on this series of tournaments can be found at http://www.riverbassintrail.com/

Thanks Mack

#roanokebass

#ambloplitescavifrons