Canal Rpt

[bdowning]

Fishing alongside Don O and IronMike, it was slim pickins in the east end (west tide) last night. Got a few hits but no hookups on big rubber fished right on the bottom. Not much bait showing but the guys picked up a few schoolies/blues on small stuff.

Saw much more bait in west end and some bigger fish breaking way out, but they wouldn't take big wood or jigs. Did manage a few more smalls and had a decent fish put on a long run on the schoolie rod, only to suddenly swim towards me and throw the hook.

A sidenote: I saw what looked like small whiting (brown back/white belly) pushed up on the rocks in several locations.

-bd

[jeffsod]

small whiting (brown back/white belly) pushed up on the

Hmmm, note to self get down to canal and try some pencil poppers soon...

[bb1]

What color "wood" was being used?

I have only had luck w/ chrome (Cotton Cordell)...so I took a white Gibbs PP and put a lot of silver sprinkles on it w/ clear paint to try next time out.

I have not seen anyone else hook up on top water...but Nelson @ RT has been using a yellow 1/2oz Gibbs PP w/ a scholie spinner that he says has been working.
:p

[bb1]

Bill, do you switch over to bucktails or crips w/ mono during false dawn...or daylight, or do you stick with the big rubb'a w/ braid?:p

[bdowning]

Well it's been so long since I've seen dawn at the Canal I've forgotten what it looks like. Usually I'm back in the coffin well before first light :D. But when I do fish false dawn there, it's usually smaller rubber, bucktail jigs, and either Polaris or Pencils. Sometimes Crippled Herrings. Sometimes Danny swimmers, especially if I see wakes of big fish in shallows. I don't think it's necessary to switch from braid to mono after first light unless you're after tunoids.

Last night I was using a blue/white 2 oz Gibbs pencil because the smaller pencils simply wouldn't reach. Another thing that works sometimes when they are breaking way out and picky is to take the hooks off a big plug and use it as an inline casting float to throw out a fly or Red Gill eel on a leader hanging off the tail end of the plug. I've also used a high/low rig of a Cripp Herring with a Red Gill tied off a couple feet higher. The Red Gill is often a schoolie/blue attractor, but sometimes you get lucky :cool:

-bd

[bb1]

Top water pluging @ night...now why didn't I think of that???
I know it works for freshwater bass.

Mornings have been best for me...a few hours before false dawn, but after the sun is up it turns off like a bulb.
Chunks on fish finders then...I hear drifting chunks isn't even working.

Has anyone had any luck w/ big slug jigs in the daytime?:p