# Alum Today 8-29-17



## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Fished Alum again today from 7:00 - 1:30. Fished the south pool. Water temps at 75 and water still clear. Started out kinda slow in the morning. I caught 2 small largemouth and 2 channel cats. 

Then the sun popped out and the smallmouth got active. Caught 5 in a row in one stretch. Ended up with 10 smallies total. 

Had one really good one about 3 1/2 - 4lbs on. Put up a great fight, bulldogged and went air borne several times. Got it to the boat after it finally gave up and I decided to knock the lure out of its mouth with the net! Lol! At least I was able to enjoy the fight!


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## Bustin'bass (Jun 5, 2016)

polebender said:


> At least I was able to enjoy the fight!


That's what people who lose fish always say. 
Good day of fishing. Did you see any schooling bass? I've ran into some, the last 2 weeks and was able to catch a few.

I was there on Monday, the 28th and ended up with 5 largemouth, 6 smallmouth , 1 saugeye and 8 bluegill. Most of my bass were caught on topwater. I caught all of the bluegill in a small area, on consecutive casts. That spot was loaded with them. I was casting a dropshot along the bank and they wouldn't leave it alone.

I was at Alum last week and lost a big smallie. It hit a popper and jumped. When it went back under the water, it just came off. After my temper tantrum and I quit crying, my bait was still out, so I started to pop it and it wasn't on top of the water. I realized that I had a fish on. It ended up being a 12 inch smallmouth. Easiest fish I ever caught. No skill required. I told a friend of mine, even he could've caught that one.


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## RMD (Aug 24, 2017)

Hi Polebender, I am new to the forum and to fishing in general. Was wondering if you could tell me where I could do some bank fishing in Alum. I don't own a small boat or kayak so I need a place to go that's accessible by foot lol. I have only been fishing for bluegill with a worm and bobber. Is there anything else I should use for these "smallies" and are they even accessible to bank fishing? Any advise would be greatly appreciated! My husband doesn't fish so he can't really help me out . Thanks


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Bustin'bass said:


> That's what people who lose fish always say.


Yea, I know! I figured most people wouldn't believe me but it doesn't matter! Losing this one was just because of my big mistake! And I've lost enough smallies from their diving and acrobatics that it just doesn't bother me anymore! Lol! Still disappointing though!
And I haven't noticed any schooling fish yet. Though I have been catching a lot of perch lately!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Man polebender,your always having the ladies request info,your so dreamy....

Rmd no boat,and being new. Consider trying out the smaller creeks an rivers for some more consistent action.
But you can't go wrong tossing small baits along most any rip-rap at alum...

Pb-nice bass as always!


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## RMD (Aug 24, 2017)

Hi Saugeyefisher, Thanks that bass was probably beginners luck just enough to get me "hooked" which it surely did!


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## Bustin'bass (Jun 5, 2016)

polebender said:


> I've lost enough smallies from their diving and acrobatics that it just doesn't bother me anymore! I have been catching a lot of perch lately!


I haven't caught any perch, but I've had them follow my baits in.

I was in Canada, two months ago and on Wednesday my friend and I lost a bunch of smallmouths due to their jumping. It didn't make any sense, we caught them all week but that day they were throwing our baits. I lost 9 and he lost 6. We called it " Loser Wednesday ". WE don't talk to much about that day. Lol.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Heading down to Alum tomorrow. Dedicating the day to early top water and then search and drop shot.


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## Bustin'bass (Jun 5, 2016)

Shortdrift said:


> Heading down to Alum tomorrow. Dedicating the day to early top water and then search and drop shot.


It's supposed to be cloudy. I wouldn't give up on topwater. It was cloudy when I was there on the 28th and I caught them on topwater, at 1:00pm.
I primarily threw topwater and the dropshot. Those techniques are working well right now.


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## PapaMike (Jul 12, 2017)

While traveling from Columbus to Windsor this week I saw many roadside ponds just waiting to be fished. Many were covered with surface vegetation, begging for a popping frog or something.
Along 23 and I-75 are places I have to investigate. I saw 8-10 medium farm ponds along I-75 north of Findlay to Detroit.


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

There is nothing more exiting to me than to see the smallmouth leave the water. I caught a 2 pounder yesterday at Alum. It came out of the water 2' up and 3' sideways. Reminded me of those flying carp you see on TV. I can't see to get top-water to work (maybe I should tie one on!). I do much better with drop-shop in 15-20'.


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## ShoreFshrman (Sep 25, 2014)

RMD said:


> Hi Polebender, I am new to the forum and to fishing in general. Was wondering if you could tell me where I could do some bank fishing in Alum. I don't own a small boat or kayak so I need a place to go that's accessible by foot lol. I have only been fishing for bluegill with a worm and bobber. Is there anything else I should use for these "smallies" and are they even accessible to bank fishing? Any advise would be greatly appreciated! My husband doesn't fish so he can't really help me out . Thanks


Try, the dam I've caught a few there, mostly small ones but still fun


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Fishin Finatic said:


> There is nothing more exiting to me than to see the smallmouth leave the water. I caught a 2 pounder yesterday at Alum. It came out of the water 2' up and 3' sideways. Reminded me of those flying carp you see on TV. I can't see to get top-water to work (maybe I should tie one on!). I do much better with drop-shop in 15-20'.


Same way for me. I've had some success with a jerk bait lately but if I could take one rod it's a dropshot. I caught a bunch in 28 feet last week. Mostly small though.


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## Rangerman12 (Mar 29, 2015)

Has anyone been catching any quality brown fish. I'm stuck on dinks with drop shot and similar presentations. If so what baits are u getting size I can't get a bite on tube.


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

Drop shot with KVD dreamshot 12-20' on points south end of Alum. If old Africa road crosses the point at that depth then all the better.


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## kfi (Nov 11, 2013)

Finatic that is a cool photo. Decided to go out this afternoon in the mist/rain. Caught this one in 34' of water using a roboworm on my dropshot rig. Wasn't expecting anything that deep. Unfortunately couldn't find much else.


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

kfi said:


> Finatic that is a cool photo. Decided to go out this afternoon in the mist/rain. Caught this one in 34' of water using a roboworm on my dropshot rig. Wasn't expecting anything that deep. Unfortunately couldn't find much else.
> View attachment 244731


You really cant fish too deep in Alum. You can catch singleton smallies in the real deep water but they seem to school up and feed in 10 - 20'. That's the depth to catch several smallies in one location. To me at any depth they are still the fightingest fish for their size.


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## Rangerman12 (Mar 29, 2015)

Finatic where do u get those photos


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

I have fished Alum since before it was built. Those were taken when we flew over when the water was down for building the marina. I'm retired and fish Alum regularly ... mainly for smallmouth unless the wife wants saugeyes for dinner.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rangerman12 said:


> Finatic where do u get those photos


Go through fishinfinatics posts. You'll find over the years he has been kind enough to share alot of cool pictures/maps at alum. Covering points,flats,roadbeds. 
Finatic, has put some very valuable info on here for all of us to use.
Thanks f.f.!!!!


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## Rangerman12 (Mar 29, 2015)

U ever got I seat open fishin fanatic I'd love to pick ur brain haha


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

Heck I got an open seat on my boat Fishin Finatic can keep warm. Gas on me.


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

It's much easier to learn about the lake today than back when I started. I would go to webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#boating and Copy and print the Old Africa Road that runs along the east side of the south pool. I would mark the areas where the road is in 10-20 fow. Fish those areas. The feeding fish will be mostly on the point but only 2 or 3 times a day while the less aggressive ones will be where the road crosses a gulley where there is likely a culvert or bridge.

Tight lines


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## Rangerman12 (Mar 29, 2015)

Will u only fish these spots if u mark them on graph or just ease in to them and fish them undisturbed


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

Originally I looked for the fish on the sonar using the big motor. That tends to spook them ... especially the feeding ones on the points. Now I pretty well know the places that will hold the fish so I try to hold off in deeper water and cast to them even with a drop shot. I find it works best to hold the boat over deeper water in the gulleys and cast up on the point. By the time it gets back to the boat I'm fishing straight down on the culvert.


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## Rangerman12 (Mar 29, 2015)

Do you use a longer leader when casting the drop shot because of the angle?


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## Fishin Finatic (Oct 22, 2010)

I generally use about a 3' leader. 1' between the hook and sinker and 2' between the hook and the swivel at the braid. The drop shot is just a tool. I like it mostly for vertical fishing. It lets me know where the bottom is relative to my lure and it allows me to impart a little movement to the lure without having to change its location. When it is cast it just keeps the lure a little off the bottom.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Nice Fish Polebender!


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