# Fishing rocky fork lake?!?!



## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

Wondering if there are any avid rocky fork lake fisherman on here? I have fished it for 5 years and the shovelheads seem to be disappearing. My guess is from all the people setting trot lines. But I fish from the bank and am wondering if anyone is doing any good there for shovels?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree the limb lines there are crazy!! Ive never caught a shovel there but always hoped I would. Ive done many6 catfish tourneys there and still never seen one. BTW there is a night tourney there next Sat night ( 31st) at North shore ramp, both shore and boat anglers, PM me if you want more info

Salmonid


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

Thanks for the info. I'm new to this so I will try and figure out how to PM you.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

we fished there today, saw a dozen limb lines out,, never a good sign, anyways got a bunch of channels including 10.25 lber, couldn't find any shad.. water in upper end very murky/muddy, mid lake clear, temps were 67 early and 71 by 5 pm, found some 79 degree water in back of several coves.

Salmonid

PS click on my name, and then click on send Personal message that will get you there.


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

I went and bought a cast net today and tried for 3 hours to find shad at rocky fork. Couldn't find a single one. I tried 3 different coves but no dice. I did manage to scare that crap outta myself by netting a water snake.


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## jessejames556 (Aug 5, 2013)

Three weeks ago the shad were going nuts in 0-1 ft of water all along the southern shoreline. They were clearly having a field day feeding on something up shallow. I did not see any sign of this when I was there on 05/22 and 05/23. I really don't recall seeing any large schools on my sonar either this time around.


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

I was out in the morning and afternoon. I'm going out later in the afternoon today and try to catch some. Maybe if I give the shallow coves some extra time to warm up, I will have some more luck. If not I'm in trouble cause I won't have any bait for the river tonight.


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## swervin (Jan 30, 2014)

Rocky fork used to have some nice flats. We haven't fished it for years though. Back when we did fish it size was good but we would only boat a flatty about every three trips. Plenty of nice channel cats though. Our best catches were around the lower end of the lake.


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## jessejames556 (Aug 5, 2013)

Good luck. I always seem to find a bunch of them in the area just west (uplake) of the sail boat docks in the area around the crescent shaped shoreline. Last summer I fished out there and all you could hear was thousands of them tapping the surface all around you. 

Is the lake busy this weekend?


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

Wasn't real bad yesterday...prolly a dozen boats and a couple kayak's. Beaches were crazy though with all the swimmers.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I estimated at least 50 boats out on the lake yesterday afternoon, it was pretty busy and yeah a few folks out on the beaches swimming. 

Salmonid


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

Yeah I guess it was still pretty early when I was there. I'm sure more boats came out after I left.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

Whats the difference of keeping a fish on a limb line vs someone keeping them with a fishing pole? Isnt the end result the same?

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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

The difference is u sit the line there and leave. It takes no effort because u don't even have to be there to get a fish on it. And the problem is 99% of the people doing that, are selling those fish to paylakes an taking them at a rate higher than they are growing and reproducing. Hince the reason lakes are not near as good as they use to be for catfish.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

the real problem with limb lines at RFL is that they are never labeled with their names, they leave them hanging from trees when not in use and can catch anglers with there hooks, and they catch more then catfish, earlier this year a Blue Heron was caught and dead on one by the dam there, we called the GW but he didnt seem to interested in it at the time but took the info, yesterday same limbline was in the same spot, no name tags on it either, we looked. Like Jug fishing they can not be left unattended for more then a few hrs and when not in use, must be taken down, lots of illegal activity goes on at RFL from the Good Ole Boys club over there, LOL Im pretty sure thats where a lot of the flatheads have went, probably getting taken to local pay ponds for sale or barter. 


Salmonid


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## jessejames556 (Aug 5, 2013)

That's too bad. I didnt realize it was an issue, as I am always targeting bass and I am not well versed in catfishing. Is it frowned upon to cut these unattended lines?


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## Shovelseeker (May 20, 2014)

I'm sure it would be. I'm never on a boat so I don't personally see them. But a lot of the people I know say they see all kinds of them. But I garuntee that I would cut them if I saw them.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

I dont catfish or limb line but i can see this is more personal opinion then factual.

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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

on the part about going to pay ponds, lets just say I have lots of insider info this has been going on for a long time down there. Several of the paypond owners are the ones doing the limblines and yes, its legal, but I hate seeing our resouces going to be put into a paypond to die a slow starving death and your right, that part is personal to me, it is my opinion and right or wrong, I just hate seeing it. 
Let the flames begin....
Salmonid


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