Terrible day – only 26 stripers

[Bassfan]

The final count is not a good representation of the day Saturday since it was a slightly odd day that was unlike the wide open bite of the last month. The season is changing and it shows in the bite.

Started in a spot known for early boils but they didn’t happen. Saw a few pops and picked up my only topwater fish near shore.

Jigged up 6 more and a 3" bass while waiting for surface action. Three times I fired up the engine and went to where the birds were circling like a boil was about to break and they faked me out all three times.

Started trolling and first fish was a green carp. Soon after picked up a double just as TO and 3 clients cruised by. Picked off one or two more before I saw that some short boils were starting and the fleet of boats was following them. Sat in for a while and picked up one late fish after the action was over but all day I was late to every boil trying not to go charging in too fast or they were too far away. Lots of other boats were pulling some fish from the boils but it seemed like too much of a hassle to compete for fish.

It got a little windy for a few hours and from 11 to 1 I didn’t catch much so I went back to trolling. First hookup was a triple followed by another triple. They were almost all small ones 1-1.5 lb. but reeling them in it felt like I had a good one.

For some reason I rarely get triples and back to back triples was a first for me. Later in another area I picked up another triple and for the day had 3 triples and 3 doubles so 15 of the 26 came in multiples that ran up the numbers quickly but didn’t feel like a lot of action.

Missed a lot of opportunities where I trolled through a group of fish that would normally produce a hit but when I checked the rigs they had grasses streaming from them. The heavy weeds and grasses are starting to die for the winter and floating junk is ending up on the rigs a lot.

No fish over 2 lb all day and only a few of those but the little guys were nice enough to give me something to do.

[cutbait]

Right on...

I think we are spoiled Jim from the fever pitched schools of fish where we were getting 5 fish per school

20 and 26 fish fells slow. Slow and steady bite.

WTG

[catchingsomefish]

Sounds like you had a nice fall day out there Jim.....hate it when the birds fake you out.................LOL...................Dave

[trail blazer]

WTG JIM,,,,,,,,,,

Sounds like a great day to me,,congrats

TRAIL BLAZER

[FishingwithDave]

Awesome report Jim! Boil fish, jig fish and troll fish - that's a good day.

FWD

[fishinone]

Congrats Jim!

Only 25? How terrible! LOL I can't believe that we complain about that.

[catfishkid1]

My heart bleeds for you Don't you know how happy I would beeeeeeee to only limit out!!

[shinbob]

Another report of a "slow" double-limits day, LOL, nice!

I really need to start using rigs with 3 baits on them. I can see how that multiplier effect kicks in. Two rods with 3 baits each would give me 6 chances for each pass, and since the schools seem so sporadic (as I experienced on Friday), each pass really counts.