Labor day slab in NY

[Spoonminnow]

My wife and I went out fishing for her birthday since the day was much cooler than a week ago and less windy than the day before. Other than the bass and picks we both caught, slabs were schooled in two places out in open water: around a very large boulder surrounded by 8' and over a large hump surrounded by 10'. The action lasted one hour in each place and then turned off.

She had on a sassy shad type lure, with the belly cut off to make for a slimmer profile and slinky action. It was rigged on a 1/16 oz ball head.

My bait was Power Grub design rigged the same and a Bass Assassin small rat tail rigged on a 1/32 oz ballhead. Both of us used light action rods; she with 6# test trilene XL and me with 8lb test braid.

Needless to say, the fish were down only 3-4' from the surface.

Best bite was 1-2:30 pm under a bright sunny sky, water temp 73 degrees and wind from the south at 15 mph.

Schooled fish will be the rule as the temps cool and the water clears.

[Fishaholic]

senkosam...long time no see bud...nice report, thanks for sharing the specifics.

[Spoonminnow]

Also good hearing from you again Fish. Been a long time.
Always enjoyed your posts.

Never did much ultra light for panfish, but I think I'm going down to 4# test just to see if there's a difference, 6# test braid even (2# diam). I like the zero stretch of braid, but like 1/32 oz lure better and 8# test braid doesn't cut it (except for yesterday).

Frank

[Fishaholic]

I tend to play with 2 and 4 lb. test extra limp line for my crappie fishing...I'm able to cast 1/124 oz. jigs when the condition demands a more subtle approach. I use 1/32 and 1/64 oz jigs the most, but when they're really negative I jump to the other two extremes...really small, and larger than what seems right.

[GCD]

Other than the bass and picks we both caught

What are you refering to as picks?.... Chain Pickeral or Walleye?

I ask because my wife is from Canada and calls Walleye Pickeral, and refuses to call them anything else!:D

[Spoonminnow]

I'm able to cast 1/124 oz. jigs when the condition demands

I didn't even know they made jigs that light! I think my hooks weight that much.

I will drop down to 4# this weekend.

Thanks Fish


Chain pickerel. The lake has quite a few including a 5 lb caught in a May. I've been losing too many large bass frogs and 3/8 jig+trailers to those baracudas . I started using wire leaders. We'll see if they can cut through that!

Seems the XT line in 6lb is tougher for the pics to saw through than 20# test braid. Maybe it slips between their teeth. LOL

At least I didn't lose any crappie lures Monday.

[Fishaholic]

it's possible they're not cutting through it at all...a lot of times pike thrash and turn hard against your line and cut it with their gill plates - they're sharp as a razor. I caught a 39 inch pike on 4 lb. test line, and lost a good bass bait to an axe handle sized one using 20 lb braid...go figure, lol.

[boatman44]

good catch

[bugman]

Congrats on a fine day of fishin.

[Ben B]

I didn't even know they made jigs that light! I think my hooks weight that much.

I will drop down to 4# this weekend.

Thanks Fish


Chain pickerel. The lake has quite a few including a 5 lb caught in a May. I've been losing too many large bass frogs and 3/8 jig+trailers to those baracudas . I started using wire leaders. We'll see if they can cut through that!

Seems the XT line in 6lb is tougher for the pics to saw through than 20# test braid. Maybe it slips between their teeth. LOL

At least I didn't lose any crappie lures Monday.

braid is far less abrasion resistant than mono. i always use a mono leader when fishing around structure with braid main line.