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[Norm Minas]

Well the cold weather is bringing the ice back to the river. Some stretches just have ice along the shore in the slower stretches, others are flowing ice shore to shore and others have some shoreline ice with ice chunks flowing. The gauges are suspect due to the ice but the eyeball exam says it's about normal flow for this time of year. The only time I took the water temps it showed 32.4, why bother checking again, that's cold no matter how you slice it.

Air temps were in the single digits, I heard on the radio wind chill was below zero. I know the wind was blowing hard enough to send large white caps upstream. It was cold enough that taking my hands out of the gloves to clean gunk off the lures and getting them wet made them ache.The line guides iced up just about every other cast and had to br cleaned. Other than that it was a beautiful day, for some reason I had the river to myself.

I tried jigs/plastic and jig/pigs on current seams with a variety of speeds. I let it bounce along with the current and dragged/let sit by using a little heavier jig. I didn't get any fish and after re tieing 4 times with bare hands that was enough of that. I tried slow rolling and jigging single spins, no go. I tried rattlebaits, jerk baits and floating and suspending minnow baits, no fish on those. I gave the topwaters a go in the upstream whitecaps as that is a pattern that works at times, just not today.

The only thing that worked was casting a glass shad rap downstream and bringing it upstream along the current seams. The only retrieve that worked was to slowly reel for a couple turns of the reel handle and let it hover and shimmy in the current for about a thirty count. Then start it again and repeat. When I felt it hit a large rock/boulder, I would drop the rod tip and let it slip back downstream. I would ease it forward with the rod tip until I hit the rock again. I would repeat that about 5 or 6 times and go on. Twice, while doing that, I felt a little something extra weight wise and set the hook. I only got two smallmouth bass but they were both in the 17 to 18 inch range.

Not a bad way to spend a day off work.

[heysambennett]

Hey Norm-

That's great. I use the exact same method in the Fox for eyeballs. We're iced in pretty good up here, so my fishing has been almost non-existent. CB and I got out this weekend when it was nicer and managed to snag about 30 shad each. A few of them were in the 18" range. First year I've seen them this big. Was hoping for different species sitting out on the edges of the school, but no luck there.

-SB

[Norm Minas]

Sam,

I have many more people tell me you can't catch fish doing that than do. I once had a guy wade half way across the river to tell me I was fishing all wrong, even as he watched me catching fish doing that. He said all the books said it wasn't the correct way to fish crankbaits.

Tueday, less wind, more ice, no fish.

I heard it may warm up again by the weekend, hopefully you'll get some open water.

[Ken G]

I do that same thing in the warmer months. There's always something sitting behind a rock. Either entice them or annoy them, they'll hit for either.

I just don't have the stamina to be out there like I used to.

I'd like to hit the creeks near me, but they're all low and my favorite one is practically bone dry. We need moisture.

[Norm Minas]

i can live with snow better than extreme cold

[Nick]

I do that same thing in the warmer months. There's always something sitting behind a rock. Either entice them or annoy them, they'll hit for either.

I just don't have the stamina to be out there like I used to.

I'd like to hit the creeks near me, but they're all low and my favorite one is practically bone dry. We need moisture.

I think we just got it

[heysambennett]

Well Norm, sounds like I got my wish. I'll be out tonight using the deadstick crank method on some boulder spots for eyeballs. Hopefully this rain holds off a bit and I can get some. So hit or miss this winter for me...

[Ken G]

I think we just got it

We got nothing around me Nick. Did nothing for the creeks. With 58 degrees Tuesday, was hoping to go hit a spot. There's always the shit plant, but I'm pretty bored with it. Although there are a shit load of eagles hanging out in that stretch.

[Nick]

I think we just got it

We got nothing around me Nick. Did nothing for the creeks. With 58 degrees Tuesday, was hoping to go hit a spot. There's always the shit plant, but I'm pretty bored with it. Although there are a shit load of eagles hanging out in that stretch.

Good to hear...I might be down there this weekend

[Special Ed]

Flows out of Montgomery were up pretty high yesterday. If we get some good storms today like they are saying this weekend should be ripe at just about every holding location.

Especially the shit plants.