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[size 2][font "comic sans ms"]Hit the lake around 6:30. Launched the float tube by 6:50. I didn't mark a thing in the shallows. Finally started marking fish between 15'-20' down. Alot of fish hanging around the edge of the brushline, single bushes, and rock piles. Didn't do much catching but I managed a few stripers. The trigger color appeared to light blue. They were hitting an Excaliber crankbait (light blue top with a yellow belly) and a chrome and blue rattle trap. I also tried an Excaliber crawdad with the yellow belly, nothing. They weren't hitting any shad like. Shallow or deep, if it was shad color they didn't want it. Also nothing happening on the topwater. Due to the limited real estate on my tube I cound'nt take too much gear out with me or I'd probably have a better report. But then again that's what the next trip is for. Next trip out things to bring list: marker bouys, sunscreen, and an anchor.
Take care,
David
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Hi David,
I noticed the same thing at Temple Bar last Monday. 15 to 20 in edge of the tumbleweeds and milwort near melon sized rocks. How about near points or off the side of reefs and bars? Blue didn't work for me. Brown did. Maybe just the location - who knows? Saw some bass fingerlings at Temple - thinking must be some bluegills around also. That' why I fished the blue. Also fish a Kalins smoke holograms grub.
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[size 2] [font "comic sans ms"] Just a few things I forgot. Surface temp was 70.3° and the brushline ended about 20'-25' from shore in some areas. The fish seemed to steer away from the tumbleweeds that were in the shallows but then again I steered away from them also.
Take care,
David
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Fished Saturday down at 33 hole and the Vegas Wash. Just checking things out. Talked to a guide. Noticed shad - not really tightly schooled at 25 ft generally. Maybe the beginnings of a thermocline? They (clients)were catching stripers pretty regular at first red marker downstream from the Wash. Guide said chumming was the key Saturday and fishing live shad. I dropped a spoon for a bit and nothing even though I was in the shad schools - I can see the spoon on the sonar. My temp was 64 in that area and 65 near the harbor (Lake Mead Marina) about noon. Maybe I need to calibrate?
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David,
Storage isn't an issue for me on my inflatable pontoon craft, but a few years ago me and a friend made storage tubes and strapped them to the sides of our float tubes. Mine was made out of small innertube, but my friend used a small styrofoam lifeguard ring. We both attached wooden discs in the middle. Mine held a tackle box, a couple of rod holders and rods and a small cooler. I also attached a mesh bag to the ring for fish storage. My buddy had the same basic setup. Both worked great, but if I did it again I'd go with the lifeguard ring. It was really thin and had very little wind resistance. It also was virtually unsinkable. I made straps for everything so I wouldn't lose gear in a chop.
Just thought you might be interested in making one.
Later,
Mark
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[size 2] [font "comic sans ms"] Hey there Telbone, long time no type. Welcome back. I like the floating real estate ides, I'll have to give the lifeguard ring a try.
Take care,
David
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[cool]Hey Telbone, here are two pics of a mesh bag (laundry bag) attached to a fun noodle for the pool. I use this when fishing in the SoCal. harbors. It makes a great live storage for your catch. I got the idea from baytubers.com. It also can hold beers or sodas if you are fishing in cold freshwater. It tows easily behind the tube on a tether.
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Exact same idea but the lifeguard ring was a storage heaven for a float tuber. You can rig it up real nice and even a fish finder and small battery. You have to be careful how you position stuff. It has the added benefit of being a lifesaving device in an emergency. I almost forgot... put something in the bottom of your net fish sack to keep it spread nicely and drop some weight on top of it... permently attatching the weight in the center of the spreader is a better idea however. A couple of zip ties should do nicely. This serves a dual purpose. It keeps the net bag nice and spread for the fish and it also anchors the ring and fixes the overbalancing problem(this only occurs when you really load up the ring like my buddy does. Play with the weight to get what suits you. I only used mine for one summer, then I caught a pontoon boat on sale and love it, but I thought of several tweaks to the storage ring. First, if you attatch the tray to the undside of the net, but outside instead of inside like I was doing, you could weave a strong thin cord through the net webbing and attatch it to some kind of highly visible bouy or float. This would be to retrieve the tray and brick if it accidentally gets hung or ripped from the net. It will also allow you to pull up the weight and grate and unattach it for easier movement, if you don't overweight it won't be hard to move anyhow, but my second idea for improvement may require it. Second, use a solid material for the mesh bag spreader. I used a thin plastic grate that was laying around in my garage, but if you use a solid material ie.. something similar to a Fast Food Tray the increased drag should help in seriously inclement weather, such as springs up on Mead without warning. If you keep the storage ring on some type of fast connect system, then you'll be able to separate yourself from the ring and retrieve it when it's safe to do so. Keep your name and phone number on it so someone can call you just in case. Since I'm being thourough I may as well add that two holes and a large zip tie make an excelent bungee anchor. I made sure the squarish connect end of the zip tie was at the bottom of the disk so it didn't snag my gear. Leave a loose ring so you can easily attach a bungee, then put a drop of super glue or epoxy in the head of the zip tie so it doesn't move. Simple, fast and it works good. You could also use the anchor points to hang the net, though I did something much more elaborate and time cosuming before I realized I could just use the bottom of the bungee anchors in a dual purpose.. live and learn. A had cut a diamond shaped hole in the center of the disk... It was just big enough to accept a 3lb trout, but I don't keep anything bigger... I like a nice medium sized fat fish for the dinner table, so you'd have to increase the size of the hole if you wanted to keep bigger fish like stripers. If you have an item larger than the hole then strap it over it as a cover. My mini ice chest was my lid and it was a snap to move and replace. Velcro straps held the whole disk to the ring and made for a fast disconnect once you're done fishing. I never did, but attaching a fish finder and small battery would be a snap. I mounted two rod holders that was capable of handling a fly rod. Again you need to keep balance in mind when putting all this stuff together. I wish I could show you a picture, but I gave my ring to one of my fishing buddies son when they moved a few states away. I liked it on the float tube, but it was a pain with the pontoon and electric motor. The pontoons storage was adequate for my needs and I no longer used it anyhow. I did buy a float tube again recently in hopes I could get the wife to go fishing with me, so I may build another storage ring for her.
I'm sorry this is so long winded, but I wanted to be thorough. It's worth the effort to make one as they're pretty handy.
Thanks for the picture of the noodle fish holder, Big E. I saw that design somewhere a year or so ago and vowed to use one on the pontoon. For some reason never put one together and forgot about it. Just so happens I have all the materials handy so I'll try it on my next trip.
I have a small mesh bag that I tie firmly a few feet above my anchor. Fill this with a couple of beers and/or sodas and they'll get cold real fast below the thermocline. I hardly do this however as it's easier to just bring one of those smaller soft ice chests with me.
Later,
Mark
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