Piney Z Lake 7/4/13

[Poopong McPlop]

It was raining as we pulled up at 2. We had to wait 10 minutes for it to die down before we could unhook the trailer and roll her on down. Surface temps were in the low 80s and the water level was up a foot and a half over full pool. Wind was out of the SE, but later switched to directly from the east. We figured the bass were inshore and the other fish as well, and maybe specks too due to the surface temps being unusually low for summer. We began our usual ritual of checking out new water so we headed to the west side of the lake. First we stopped to jig the FWC brushpiles , where I instantly lost two double rigs before giving up and heading to the southwest corner of the lake. There's an underwater finger with underwater sloughs that I've seen before and I thought it may be a productive area. Turns out it was. After running a big school of gar off. We found some great offshore spots and could have limited out on one spot alone, but we always keep moving when there's more great water to explore. On our first honey hole we found a ton of nice BG and even shellcrackers too. After spending an hour there the rain came. It poured for 15 minutes and we took shelter under a low hanging tree. When the skies cleared we headed to the cypress trees to look for the big coppernose BG. I wasnt sure the cypress trees would be productive because the sun wasnt out to concentrate the fish like normal. We didnt spend too much time there and pulled one bull, but for the most part they were completely unproductive. As it got closer to 8 we headed to our offshore spots on the south east side of the lake. They were buried underwater and not as productive as usual, so we headed to our best honey hole offshore spot and caught nice BG until 8:30 when we decided to head in. The trailer was extremely easy to recover with the water level up. A big 10ft gator tried to creep up on me while we were loading up, but he tore off out of there when I charged towards him. All in all, a great day at our favorite bream/bass lake. We caught about 200 fish on the day and kept about 40 large BG and shellcrackers. We didnt catch any 1lb+ BG or RES or any LMB, but overall had an excellent haul. Another great day at the Z. Were headed to Joe budd pond saturday for opening day.

[SS-342]

I enjoyed the report. You got the proof to back up the talk of which some I didn't understand. Must be "top secret" BG language.

Wish I could fish like that!

Thanks!

[tallykenj]

Sounds like you've got some cleaning to do.

[Poopong McPlop]

BG = bluegill or coppernose if theyre big and mature theyll have a copper patch on their nose. Bulls school off shore suspended just below the thermocline in summer or on the bottom on humps or breaks.
RES = red ear sunfish. Aka shell crackers. A more difficult fish to find. Theyre always offshore on the bottom. Without electronics, theyre harder to find than bass. Theyre bigger than BG.

LMB = large mouth bass

Cleaning is one thing ive gotten really fast at this year.

[SS-342]

Thanks for explaining the shorthand.

One thing for sure---you know how to do it!

[Poopong McPlop]

I'm getting better at it thats for sure. Its definitely a lot different and sometimes more difficult than saltwater and spearfishing. Impounded waters (large resevoirs like talquin) still confound me. The fish have sooo many places to go. Ive yet to establish a strong summer pattern for any species at talquin. Bottom mopping has really helped me get those shellcrackers to bite at talquin when nothing else works.

[Rhettley]

Nice cooler of fish! That reminds me of the fishing I did as a kid. I used to love slow rolling a tiny beetle spin in 10 to 15 feet of stump filled water and pulling up big blue gill on a little spinning rod. Putting a fly up under overhanging branches covered with mayflies was another favorite. I grew up fishing Lake Seminole before I heard the call of the ocean. I need to get back to some pond and lake fishing.

[Poopong McPlop]

I forgot how much bream fishing was too. I spent all last year on salt, spearing and flats fishing. This year has been most fun and cheapest year of fishing that's for sure

[kenfly]

Great report as always!