Ok guys I log onto the BOC almost everyday and everday I read about you guys catchin theses great cats on Badin, Kerr, Tillery, ect.... Well the point im gettin @ here is how do yaall even know where to start? Badin Lake isnt a very big lake by comparison but when your in a 14' jon boat its ENORMOUS! We went out on Badin Sat, put in @ Garr creek and went out into the main lake..... as soon as I entered the main body I felt like an ant in farm pond! I bought a map of badin and ive read articles and threads on the lake and felt confident when I got there..... but once i was on the water i felt lost. I turned back and fished just inside the mouth of garr creek and caught 4 channels. I did ride a bit into the lake towards the train trussel and around the flat rock wall.. theres a big drop right there and i wondered about fishing there but i guess im still just a lil green on findin the right spot. How do you guys go about your fishing spots on a day to day basis? I know some of yall just know ur honey holes and that'll be ur 1st move but if it doesnt produce or if ur on a new body of water what would you start looking for. I'd be much appreciative if someone can help me on this one????:embarassed::sad2:oooh:
Jonathan dont be intimidated by the big water in your small boat. I regularly fish Lake Norman from one end to the other in a 16 foot boat. However the one thing that is intimidating as well as unpridictable in a small boat is the weather. Storms on the big water can make it trecherous so if you dont already own a marine radio with a weather band it would be a great investment. As far as the fishing holes they vary from day to day as the fish move. Its been my personal experience that creeks such as Garr creek at Badin that have a large congregation of bait fish hold smaller fish. Some may have a differing opinion but thats my experience. My suggestion would be to go out into the main lake and ride around awhile. Look for bait fish and structures on your depth finder. Brush piles on the depth finder = pan fish, pan fish = catfood, brush piles = good fishing holes. Besides brush piles look for drop offs, humps and deep water ledges. All these locations will usually hold fish mark them and try them on a few different occasions on different trips before you chalk them off as dead holes. The number one way to catch big fish is to be persistant at it. Thats my two cents worth maybe someone else can add something more to help.
Shimano gave some real good advice and being persistant is key. A good depthfinder is a must (if you don't have one, buy a good one and you'll cry only once ), $500.00 and up is where you need to be looking. Learning how to use it right is another part of the learning curve. If your serious about fishing, it will be worth it. You said you did some riding around, that's what it takes to find them and the structure to fish. Sometimes striper fishing I ride for quite a while before even putting out a spread. Fish are hunters, constantly moving around looking for prey to ambush, find the bait and find the fish more often than not. Look for shad flippin, watch for gulls diving, look for loons diving these are all mother natures fish/bait finders. Learning lakes like Badin and Tillery are tougher because there isn't topo maps to look at and pinpoint likely spots before hitting the water. Nothing beats time on the water, fantasy fishing on the BOC is good, but doing it is much better. Hiring a guide and asking tons of questions will be a lot cheaper than not hiring one. I never did and should have, I would have saved a lot of time and gas, however I still was fishing:big_smile:. Don't get discouraged, Rome wasn't built in a day. Everyone has bad days, sometimes they are just on consecutive fishing trips. Good Luck, Jim
Jim & Shane I really appreciate the help! As for the guide Im gonna hire one this year for fathers day and take my Dad and My Bro. Any suggestions on a good guide on Badin? Thanks once again guys! :smile2:
