Fish-Hawk.Net

First I want to thank you all again for all advice from the board before I went. The trip was a success even if the quantity or quality wasn't there, its such a beautiful lake. Loads of islands and scenery.
The fish were deep, or so I was told as pounding the shorelines and obvious cover produced only small fish or rockbass. We tried fishing the shoals with little luck, using cranks, tubes and worms. We tired over and parallel to weedlines again with little success fishing out to 15 feet of water. Like I said we were picking up some small fish and an occasional 3 pound smallie but far and few between. That is until the cold front came in Thursday and instead of turning off the fish turned on in a big way, I caught several nice pike and some nice smallies and a 21 inch 4 3/4 pound largemouth. I kept hearing how this is the normal fish for opening day, and have seen the spring/early summer is often better so will have to try again.
All fish were released, even the largemouth which i kept alive in livewell to get some pics of as i was fishing alone and you know no one ever believes you caught a nice fish when you fish by yourself with no proof,lol. Thanks again and tight lines...... Bob

[img]<a%20href="http://s425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 0pike"></a>[/img]<a href="http://s425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008029.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008029.jpg" border="0" alt="nice 3 lb'er"></a><a href="http://s425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008033.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008033.jpg" border="0" alt="Erics Fish"></a><a href="http://s425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008038.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp33 ... 008038.jpg" border="0" alt="4 3/4 lb"></a>

that is a nice fat fish! well done

It's a beautiful lake and the fishing can be quite amazing I'm told.....

Those are some nice fish!

Man, if there were fish that size in the Rideau in the rapids where I fish, it would be nice......I don't think many fish get to be over 2lbs max in this part of the river.....tons of Sunfish and perch, and crappies, but not very many big bass.....tons of small ones though. I caught about 90 fish yesterday....with the biggest being 2 half pound Bass, 1 large, 1 smallie. lol.

Very nice Bass!!!

Take Care,

==Tom==

BassinBob,

Sounds like a tough start, but a very good finish. I'm glad you had the chance to experience such a gorgeous lake like Charleston.

W.

Ummmmm........

Look at some of the pics Justin posted from the Rideau....
There are some big bass there. Just targetted so much they are wary of things....

Try deadsticking or jigs. Your luck just might change!

J

Congrats on some nice fish and great pics.

Charleston has been tough taskmaster for me this year too Bob....

The one thing I have not seen much of this year is the smallies chasing minnows to the surface. I'm not sure what that means, if anything. With all the hours that have been logged on Charleston this year I know I should have seen more minnows being herded to the surface.

DropShot'r