Got skunked on the Altamaha X 2

[rangercatman]

Went down to the altamaha past two nights & got nothing.... fished previous spots where I have had luck. I am wondering if anyone else has fished the altamaha & had any luck lately? .... :sad2:

[Baitkiller]

???? I've read where the American & the Hickory Shad make a run every year up to about to about Jessup. Also that the are Threadfins are there too. Does anybody use fresh Shad for cut bait there??????

[Cuda-Cada]

Rangercatman,
Where were you fishing at? What bait did you use? What types of areas did you fish? Did you fish all night long or just parts of it?
The river is still very low. I am surprised that you didn't at least catch some smaller ones. My notes show that Oct./Nov. are some of my best flathead fishing.
The past two trips I have had I caught a total of 7 flatheads from
4-22 pounds.
I am going next weekend for two nights. I will let you know how I do then.

[rangercatman]

Fished all night from 1130pm to 0630am - from under the the johnston county bridge(301). I used fresh hand size bluegill all night... I had about 25 bluegill, I changed bait about every 45 mins on two rods. ... Something (think it was a turtle kept biting the bluegill in half & it was almost a clean bite) kept biting my bait but never runnin with it. I read a thing on the flathead posts about lite biting flats ... maybe they were gummin the baits? I dont know.... I wasnt ona boat so I couldnt change location. A couple of guys had a bush hook set near me @ the big eddy under the bridge & they got nothing so , I dont know maybe just a bad area. ......I keep goin there though cause A couple of monts ago I had a flat snag on some rebar Or wood under the bridge & I saw him before he dove & snaged he was an easy 20lber-- so... I know there are flats in the area. Hope you have better luck please let me know how you do.

[catmax]

i fished right before that bridge after jaycees landing and lake bluff. the water is so low around lake bluff. but i hooked one sat ngt at the bridge that took me to the coast and then simply spit it out.he pulled the boat with two ankers out.

[matt22va]

ranger,
what you got there that's eating half your bait is most likely blue crab. I fished under the bridge by jaycees because it was too low to put my boat in and sure enough, we got ate up by Crabs. I was totally shocked a blue crab would be as far up as Jesup but I kept a couple of nice ones in the cooler just so I remembered the next morning. I figure it brings up a new option though for bait, I've never heard of anyone using blue crab for flatties but as thick as they were I bet the cats are eatin them.
matt

[rangercatman]

thanks ....;;..
I thought I was going crazy......

[Bobby Parker]

I have been fishing below the 301 river bridge a good bit lately. I fish from dark until about 10:30pm. I have to work so I don't stay to late. Except for the last time I went I have caught at least 1 the last 5 times I went. Also had trouble one night with something eating my bait, but couldn't tell it untill I pulled it in. There are crabs in the altamaha, because I picked up a handful of bodies and pinchers off the back while hunting off the river thursday. I've been running this river for over 30 years and never seen it as low and dangerous as it is now. If you go please be careful.
God Bless
Bobby

[Catfish_Commando]

We all need to hook up, "with tow ropes", for those stuck in the sand, and make a run for it!


I went out last weekend, water was 12" to 18" in some bends, I couldnt get through.

Lets set a date, and see what we can drag up :embarassed:

We could do a soda / beer fest "Cook-Out" at my place afterwards :ooooh:

[greg]

I am up for that Paul :)

[Catfish_Commando]

Greg,

April 17th thru April 25th sounds good to me :wink:

I dont know when Wayne County is doing their Catfish Festival yet?

[Cuda-Cada]

I just called last week and they do not have a date yet for the Wayne County Catfish Tournament.

[rangercatman]

DId they have a rough idea on the dates?

[s_man]

Dave, you gotta move around. Spots under bridges where everyone can pull up and fish are not top producers. Yes, if you fish there every time out you will eventually catch fish. Go up or down stream and find some wood along the bank for a good 100 or 300 yrds. Set up above that or in the middle of that stretch. Fish closer to the bank 3 to 12 ft off. You won't find the big ones if you fish the same spot exclusively. Try a different spot every time out till you connect. I wasted my first 2 yrs Flathead fishing by going to the same spots time after time.

[Cuda-Cada]

I called and they said May 5th. That stinks because I will have to miss it this year. My daughter's sweet 16th B-day is that day.