P 7/24 report

[Suntzu]

I had been down on the P. I had caught 67 pike this year, not one over 30" so I gave the river a break for the last two weeks. I am going to be out of town for the next two weeks so I left work a little early and figured I would give a stretch I hadn't been to in a while a try because it was fairly easy access and I wasn't committed to bushwacking

I show up to the fishing a huge spinner bait 4" willow leaf. For the first time ever, ever for many years, this stretch was crystal clear. It is always the color of yoohoo but today, crystal clear and running summer low

Best day ever, literally, in 4 hours 27 pike to 38", 8 in excess of 30", all in a 2 mile stretch. I rolled just as many. I never went more than 4 casts without a pike taking a swipe. Only stopped because to continue would have required bushwhacking. In shaded holes I would often catch 4 or 5 pike

This section which I have fished dozens of times was always muddy and never produced more than 5 fish

I have a proposal. Instead of a pike a thon take a weekend and have a carp a thon. We find a place that will take a donation of carp, pick a section of the river, and have a contest who can pull out the most carp by weight

The difference between muddy water and clear was remarkable

[JDTuna]

Dude thats awesome! Congratulations on the epic day!!!

[CabesaRoja]

WOW! What a fantastic sounding day!

[Suntzu]

Just when your ready to give up on the place it sucks you back in

Water was so clear I could see fish swimming 20 ft to hit my giant spinner bait
A lot of fish must have moved into this stretch because if the clean water coupled with the flatheads just starting to school up

[FASTEDDIE29]

Where's that cooler water? That's what the Pike are looking for this time of year. Sounds like a banner day all around man. That's a lot of Pike caught in a short period of time. Way to get out there and dominate the area. Just AWESOME!!!

[buzzbaiter]

Originally Posted by Suntzu

The difference between muddy water and clear was remarkable

Absolutely and I've been harping about the carp for years. They do get less active with colder nights and mornings. River is often muddiest mornings and clearest around dusk.

My best days all came in a clear section of the river. In fact the SAME section. No other section - and I've bank fished about 30 miles so far - has given me more than 14. With most avg around 2-3.

I too was out friday afternoon. Below is a pic showing how low and clear. That water is not muddy. That brown is the sandy/silty bottom. You can see how low it is. On the left side of the picture u can clearly see a log(and tire). caught a pike off that. It doesn't look like much but thats where they sit and well camoflaged they are. Didn't get as many as you but almost.