Good for you!
Out of lemons that is.
Saturday was the first full day of fishing for me since my neck surgery in Sep. Knowing that I was leaving in the morning made for a hard time to get to sleep. I was like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. I woke up 5 minutes before the alarm went off and was soon on the road. I picked up 1/2# of minnows and headed to Dardanelle. Not a single crappie put in an appearance, not even a little one. This is where the lemonade comes in.
The catfish were tearing it up. Several times I had 3 poles down as I spider rigged down the old river channel in Illinois Bayou. I really don't know how many I caught but I feel 50 would be a conservative guess. None were over 3# but the limit I kept were all fine fryers. When I got home the wife and I put them to the test and they ate mighty fine with a side of long grain and wild rice.
Now that the good Lord is allowing me to go fishing more I am looking for some crappie. We are completely out. I know He will bless me with that situation too, its just a matter of time.
hawgdog_jr, Kmag yo yo, Ranger188, slackline, "G", "D", Skd1966, kycreek, ArkieJason, Blackdog40 LIKED above post
That sounds like a good trip. Maybe you will find the crappie next time out.
I know you’re glad to be back at it. Catfish may not be crappie but they are still fun to catch and not bad eating.
Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.Ranger188 LIKED above post
Still....a good fun fishing trip
I have spent most my life fishing........the rest I wasted.
PROUD MEMBER OF TEAM GEEZER
PICO Lures Field Rep
Sounds like my last 4 trips to the D exactly. Caught over 30 catfish on fishing the Bayou channel in less than 3 hours. New meaning to the word "SLIMED" Tried another area of the lake last week, same result only add in Stripers. Still yet, another day fished the chute. Seems as tho I caught every fish in the river system but crappie. The crappie have been elusive this fall and winter there, but I'll be back up there next week . Glad your back on the water
Sent from my SM-N950U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
Blackdog40 LIKED above post
With the warm weather forecast for yesterday I headed to Atkins. Never been there before. I fished 2 hours and never had a bite spider rigging minnows. I watched 4 other boats and never saw a fish caught. To top it off there doesn't seem to be anywhere to get out of the wind. I did not dress warm enough to stay so I headed back to Dardanelle. I drove to Piney campground and it looked like the water is low. The ramp edges were dry and the calmer water was way on the far side. With only 4 hours of daylight left I headed back to the bridges at the mouth of Piney. I've done a lot of bass fishing in Piney but have never crappie fished it. My thinking was there has got to be some somewhere on one of these bridges. I caught 2 slabs and who knows how many more catfish. Also added bass and yellow bass into the mix.
If a guy likes to catch catfish and needs a guide, I'm your man! They are pretty fun on a 12' buggy whip.
Getting out and fishing again is great ---- catching is a bonus --- enjoy.
-------> "Go ahead --- leave me on the dock --- see if I care" <-------Blackdog40 LIKED above post
Glad to hear you are back at it PAC. I, too, am out of commission from spinal fusion I had three months ago and am chomping at the bits to get going again. Hoping to be back on the water by late March to nid-April, but we shall see. I now know why it took Tiger a year to get back in the game. Good luck to you. Stay with em! Paul
Retired golf addictRanger188 LIKED above post
My story sounds the same as some others Saturday the 22nd I started on Atkins. Not a bite so I packed up and headed to Dardanelle. In two hours I figure I caught around 30 catfish. It did not matter how high or low in the water column you fished. Not one crappie but a bunch of catfish, one drum, and one bass. Thinking about taking the kids just to let them have fun catching those slimy fish.