What a difference a week makes

[Oregon slabman]

Last week I thought I had a pretty good handle on the summer pattern that was developing. Wrong again. Yesterday my wife and I went out to get away from the chores for a day. I started where I found crappie and perch last week. There were fish there but they were 35' deep and laying horizontally. Tried them for a short time but no biters. I do better when I can find a mounded school. Next stop gave up a few fish but pretty slow. We got into some small bluegill and some nice smallmouth at the next spot but no luck on crappie. My wife wanted a catfish for dinner so I put out a rod for her and she caught a 4lb'er pretty quickly. We moved on to about as far as I care to go in a day, about 15 miles. As I metered this spot I went over the pyramid I was looking for. There was a mix of fish there but the bite was really light on the fat summer crappie. I put on a brown Trout Magnet and that was the ticket. Cast up current and work it back through the school deep and slow. You really had to pay attention or you would never be aware of the bite. I switched the wife over to the brown T.M. and she went to work on them. Not a huge catch but satisfying to catch some on an off day. They are in incredibly good shape, fat and heavy.
We see wildlife out on the Snake River pretty often. Yesterday coming in we spotted this eagle dragging something up the shore. It had a still alive catfish. I wish I could have seen that catch taking place.

[DockShootinJack]

That is a nice box of fish. It seems the summer pattern is always changing

[BobC]

Very nice photos and story. I liked the eagle pic. That catfish would make a fine dinner!
Bob

["G"]

Good catch and nice pics...thanks for sharing

[6poundtest]

Nice trip and write up, thanks! I'd say you have a few dinners there in the cooler, too.

[snake River]

Last week I thought I had a pretty good handle on the summer pattern that was developing. Wrong again. Yesterday my wife and I went out to get away from the chores for a day. I started where I found crappie and perch last week. There were fish there but they were 35' deep and laying horizontally. Tried them for a short time but no biters. I do better when I can find a mounded school. Next stop gave up a few fish but pretty slow. We got into some small bluegill and some nice smallmouth at the next spot but no luck on crappie. My wife wanted a catfish for dinner so I put out a rod for her and she caught a 4lb'er pretty quickly. We moved on to about as far as I care to go in a day, about 15 miles. As I metered this spot I went over the pyramid I was looking for. There was a mix of fish there but the bite was really light on the fat summer crappie. I put on a brown Trout Magnet and that was the ticket. Cast up current and work it back through the school deep and slow. You really had to pay attention or you would never be aware of the bite. I switched the wife over to the brown T.M. and she went to work on them. Not a huge catch but satisfying to catch some on an off day. They are in incredibly good shape, fat and heavy.
We see wildlife out on the Snake River pretty often. Yesterday coming in we spotted this eagle dragging something up the shore. It had a still alive catfish. I wish I could have seen that catch taking place.

Looks like you did pretty good old neighbor you’re making me wanna move back to Oregon you know that don’t you. The fishing here in Texas is slow but we do manage to catch a few every evening one or two largemouth bass and maybe a couple of bluegill and of course Crappie we have been catching them all on little hair jigs we have a 45 minute strike zone in the evening and that’s it.

[Spoonminnow]

Bet those fish put a big bend in your rods! Nice go'in!!

[Ketchn]

looking good to me , these here summer fish are pretty smooth critters to deal with for sure

[llg]

How do you keep your boat so clean?

[Oregon slabman]

How do you keep your boat so clean?

I did a lot of catfishing in July and it was a mess. I gave it a good cleaning the beginning of the month.