Thread: Bank Fishing on the Big Indian

This time of year I enjoy hitting the area creeks with my UL outfit and pitching small jigs from the bank to get bit. Our lakes drop at least 30ft and where the larger streams empty into the lake all sorts of fish will visit these moving waters in search of an easy meal. I rode over to Douglas and found the shallower creeks and river churning mud from the recent warm rains so I backtracked to Cherokee and found some decent looking water to search for a much needed nibble. A Trout Magnet on a 1/64oz jig head got the call, Bison colored and a green/pink color worked well in the moving water. First up, a healthy Largemouth thumped my offering and made a bee line towards deeper waters. My new JDM reel started squealing like an Alphahawk video! Spooled with 2.5lb Ester line the Diawa’s drag slipped flawlessly and smoothly when the fish made his runs and soon the bass came to the shore for his photo opportunity and subsequent freedom.
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?What fun was that! A color change to the Bison and a Gill quickly slapped the bait and cut a shine in the shallow water.
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A pretty little specimen he was, a brave fighter that was released to grow. I like this new setup, the bites are certainly telegraphed clearly with the Ester line, but I am not sure there is much difference from the 3lb Nanofil, except the Ester does sink as it’s specific gravity is 1.38, heavier than nylon or braid. A few more swing and misses from little nibblers and all of the sudden Wham and zing zing zing from the drag and I was hooked up on something for sure. Fishing in 3ft of dingy water I did not expect a line sided freight train on the other end and I fumbled with the drag adjustment in a panic to accurately fight the fish and enjoy the ride. After a couple head turns and runs I finally caught a glimpse of my quarry, a Cherokee Bass, or Hybrid as we call them. Now when I have 6 spider rigged 12ft long rods hanging off the front of my boat and one of these rounders gets hooked up, I cuss enough to make a sailor blush. But with the single pole in the moving water these guys are a hoot. I kept his sharp gill plates off the line and went up to my ankles in mud to drag him to shore.
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?A nice fish and fight, I thanked him with a couple photos and let him go. It started to rain and I called it a day. If you can, try the creek mouths in the winter with small baits, you never know what you will catch.


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Very nice write up and photos to match. Well done!!!