August 14th 2009 river lessons.

[LBM]

Ron schooled SlabbyJoe and I on the Wakareusa yesterday but that was expected with Ron at the helm since that is my usual experiences with him at the helm. Still an enjoyable day on the water and for me I caught more fish than I had on my previous ventures on the Wakie.

We were dipping minnows in and around log jams and stick ups. The water at the ramp was very good looking water I thought but it was noticeably murkier as we got closer to the bridge at the lake. Not being experienced on river water I thought that that was backwards as to how the water clarity would be.

We caught more fish above the ramp than below and this was the first time I had ventured up from the ramp. We all caught fish but two of us were really out fished by Ron.

I was surprised that some were black's or anyhow they appeared to me to be black crappie. Here is Ron with two of his fish. The expression on his face indicates just how bad he felt about the meager amounts of fish Doug and I ended up catching. :D

[esoxesox]

I too have been suprised and curious about the number of blacks I have been catching in the Waka. Many times, the lower end of the river can be "murkier" than the river proper. The wind blows across the shallow flat where the river dumps the sediment. That wind blown water gets pushed back up the river. Most of the time it is just the upper layer of water that is murky, underneath it is clearer. Keep fishing it with confidence with those conditions. It won't be long until the big whites start showing up. The white bass(tards) and crappie will work through the shad, diminishing their numbers. When that happens, the jigs bite can be great. I never want the Waka to get muddy and rise but I'm hoping that with the forcast, that will happen. The river needs a migration trigger.

[Big Nate]

I hit Rock Creek at Clinton today. The bite was kind of slow but did manage to bring 10 good fish home. All were caught on Pumpkin/Chart Beaver Tails in 6'-7' FOW 4'-5' down. The good news is there is tons of shad starting to show up... and the bad news is there is a a Green tint to the water past the log jam. Come on September :D

[Big Nate]

Someone also came in with a grader and filled some of the deep holes in the road to Rock Creek.

[Ronald Meeder]

Wakie, first time for me on the river, I will be back. First off I like fishing that kind of water, and the bite was favorable for me. Felt like when we were within 1/2 mile either direction from the ramp, when I dipped a minnow there would be tug. LBM and Shabby Joe were also getting tugs, LBM even caught a Flathead Catfish. We ended up with 18 legal crappie, half of those black crappie, and black crappies were a surprised.

[fishlessDan]

Those black crappie could be coming from my pond. I have a pond that is in a high flow area and drains into the Wakie. It is stocked plum full of Blacks and I'm sure some of them head downstream during high flows.

[Ronald Meeder]

Thanks FishlessDan, bet there help with the members on the CDC to keep the crappie populations down in your pond. Tooooooooo many crappie in a pond, not good. Keep the releasing the crappie, I LIKE black crappie. Were you out yesterday?

[slabby joe]

Thanks Ron & Lee for letting me tag along, the river is always serene and enjoyable. I was glad to be the comic relief :D for you " slab pros", and who knows maybe I learnt' sumpin'

[Fish Taxi]

Nice job, guys.

[fishlessDan]

Ron, I haven't been out since you seen me and the kid at Clinton. Kinda saving my time off for the end of Sept. and first of Oct. Got a couple 2 day trips booked that week and want to make sure everyone goes home happy. I said a few years ago I was done guiding, but with this economy, a guy needs to make a buck when it's there.