All types of fish will start biting after several days of warm still sunny weather in shallow still black water.Middle of the day till early in the night.River and lake water can still be quite cold.Water colored like the Santee lakes will be slower.The lakes shallow black water feeds were targeted the early time of the year when we lived on the Santee at Santee. Even the shallow clear water at the head of Chapel Branch warmed before the mouth at the lake where we lived at Ballards Landing which was one of the public landings STOLEN from from the public.I heard of it being public and used by all from old men who built the first 301 bridge across the lake.They claimed it was public on both sides where the cove entered the river.The roads went to each side of the mill dam that still is right up from the mouth and on to the river.There was a large camping area on the highway side where people overnighted and rested stock.including herds of stock being driven to city markets clear to the coast.Public roads paralleled the bluff of the river and swamps on both sides they claimed.Inland goods were loaded there and floated down to be loaded onto ships at the mouth of the river and goods brought back up when the river stage was right.It was still known as a public landing when I lived there in the later 50's.Fishermen,Gypsy caravans,Goat man,truckers,Airstream trailers and tramps under the bridge. All staid there constantly. It was all yours.How did it get to be theirs?Did the people of SC give it to the ones that claim it now or were they just rich enough to take it?Something stinks clear over here to Georgia.Same goes for the "Public" land bordering the lake. I love you Brothers and Sisters.peewee
There were several 20's and at least 1 30 caught in yesterday's tournament on Kerr Lake in Oklahoma. All caught on 3 ft. flats and the water temp was 42 degrees. As long as the water is liquid and there is something there for them to eat the blues love cold water and will go shallow.
Find the food fish and you will find the blues. I hunt with my fishfinder looking for schools of bait. I know the predators will be lurking close by.
I don't believe there's any magic number. I've caught Blues in Shallow water when the temp is as low as 33deg & as high as 75deg. Like mentioned above, "if there's bait fish there's bound to be cats". J.
Being cold-blooded like a lizard :smile2:oooh: after a good cold spell around here then the sun pops out hit some shallow flats and hang on!!!! Not only do they like food a "little" warm light probably feels good after being in 39* water for 3 months:tounge_out::wink:
Yesterday I tried out a new spot on the James River. It was windy as could be gusting 25 MPH out of the west, south west. I went up on a flat on the north shore where all that warmer water was stacking up. It was loaded up with bait and bigguns in 5-7 foot of water. I caught a 32 and a 36. :big_smile:
When you fish water that shallow do you go up in there in the boat and look for them on the sonar, I would be afraid to scare the away.
Chris we have had the best luck when possible letting the wind blow you up into the shallow water. If the wind is wrong use your trolling motor. Make as little noise as possible setting out anchors etc... Other than telling you depth your sonar is useless for locating fish in shallow water.
From my experience it is impossible to find any thing on a graph in 10' and shallower. Then sonar cone just isn't very big at that depth, maybe 12-18 inches and most fish will swim out from under the boat
I will have to give it a try, yesterday I was on the water and thought about it. So go to a bay that has a shallow flat off a channel ledge where the bait should be getting blown into and fish it is what you are saying. Now that bait they are after is probably going to be shad do you still use skip jack, my number one bait or should I try to net some fresh shad in that situation. Thanks
i've always for some reason overlooked shallows and flats right after a warm up, but i'll never make that mistake again, haha sometimes i wonder how stupid i really am
