Trolling for Stripers Sunday 9/18

[diamondbear]

I started trolling and it was way slow this morn. as I was in the I/O tower area with everyone else . The fleet was anchored or tied off to the bouy line at the I/O and it seemed to be pretty good as I trolled by looking for someone hooked up and my rod goes off and it was the only fish I got for like 2 hours working this area . I saw fish deep but they wanted MEAT . So I trolled over to my favorite spot and it was really slow but saw fish so I worked the area seeing and saying hi to ghkset [ Vince ] and one and only fatalbert with family [ alberts one of the original holdover trout day guys from the begining of lk. opening ] and at about 12:00 noon to 2:00 it was wide open and getting better but I had to LEAVEM biting as I had things to do at home , getting a fish for almost every pass . I was using my downriggers today as I read somewhere that leadcore was gay ? But anyway I tried different depths and ALL MY FISH came in at 65ft. today , I trolled higher and lower but for what ever reason the 65ft. mark was the spot today . I reached for my rod when I got bit as I was grabbing my rod there was a little 2 ft. rattlesnake cruising along side of my boat . I only got 6 fish today but my biggest was 12 lbs. and the next was 6 lbs. with little fat schoolies to fallow . The stomach contents was almost nothing as these fish were fat but empty stomachs . // db http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/db_bucket_photos/IMG_1257.jpghttp://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/db_bucket_photos/IMG_1253.jpghttp://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt74/db_bucket_photos/IMG_1261.jpg

[Karyn]

Very nice :) great report and nice photos. Now I want to go, but the snakes scare me.

[Big Daddy]

Way to go steve I was there yesterday and fought hard for my 9 fish. first time not getting a limit in the last 20 times out. I did bust off 6 or 7, 8 (# line) ( farmed a few) so my bad. You are a trolling machine my friend. How's the deer scouting going.

There are some big boys out there. Congrats on the 12#er.

TO was fishing by me and had a fish on that even lit up his eyes as he could not turn his head and the fish tried to spool him and I saw another guy steal a big fish from TO I think he is getting soft in his old age the old TO would have swam over and took his fish back LOL hahahahahahaha

I also Hate them SNAKES.

Gret job again.

[GdHkSet1]

Steve,
What a great day to troll today, you nailed them mothas! . Glad to be trolling with the best out there, I saw you high tail it out of there, thought you may have returned- I stayed around for another 30 minutes or so before I headed in myself. I hit the marina point and was trolling @ 60' and got busted off from something big in a depth of 98'. See ya again another time.
You at work:
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk51/GdHkSet/STRIPERS18SEP11013.jpg

[Geraldlim]

Nice job Steve! Good grade of fish!
I was there yesterday too. Big Daddy I think I saw you wave at me as you passed by kinda late in the morning - was that you?
I worked hard for a limit yesterday. I also farmed 2 really nice ones, one just came off and another cut the leader after a nice fight. Friday struggled for 8 fish to 8.5 lbs.
I'm getting good at losing nice fish! LOL

[skunked again]

Nice 32 inch fish! I fequently find empty stomachs but it is good to see they are all healthy. Nice report.

[TrouTracker]

To Steve- Great job of staying in your hot spot and finding the fish. Now, that's a nice 12lber! Would have loved to see that rattler swimming in a picture. Mr. Stripey is starting to find other sources of food. Anglers are finding crawdads and the freshwater shrimp in their bellies. I know they're having a tough time finding the shad this year as they've put quite a dent in their population. Remember the giant shad balls of years past? I haven't seen that this year and we should have seen plenty of those. Congrats again on finding the big boy!

[dixoncider]

Is that deal with the snakes normal? I saw one also...Thanks for the report..looks fun out there...maybe next week I can get in on that..

[Karyn]

So, I have to ask- not to sound dumb, but were you near the shore or out in the lake- like far away from the shore- when you saw the snake?

[dixoncider]

The snake that I saw was close to the shore, maybe 30 yards and swimming between the back of a cove. he went up on the shore..they swim pretty fast..

[J.Nguyen]

nice catch..

[Karyn]

I guess in a boat you are somewhat "safe." I know they go in the water to cool off- but still freaky. We were out on a Jeep run and a friend of mine got bit by a baby rattler; needless to say, she spent a few weeks in the hospital. The last time I was at DVL I was doing my good deed for the day and was picking up trash and out came a big rattler- NOOOOO thank you! I think a boat is the way to go : )

[okiplug]

Hey db,

Sent you a PM.

Glenn aka okiplug

[JigStop]

They are pretty much harmless in the water because they are expending their energy to swim.

[diamondbear]

The rattler was swimming about 100 yrds. from shore and after netting my fish I came around looking for it to take a pic , but the wind put a chop on the water and never found it . I have freinds over the years at DVL have seen them swimming . When the MWD drops the water level the snakes will move into the little holes and cracks but when the water level comes back up it kinda messes up there world , ha A few months ago I found a 4 ft. gopher snake swimming for my boat in the middle of a big cove as it got near I picked it up and took it back to shore .