# 2 trips one fish!



## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

November *2nd.* I picked up my brother around 09:30 and headed for the river. River was not too muddy and had a fast current. Both of us got taps right around 11:30, cleaned off my chicken liver. Then at 11: 55 I got another tap, and my brother had another tap later. We called it a day 14:00 since we got only 4 taps no real hard bites even for our efforts.

November *4th.* I picked up my grandson for a trip in my boat. Since the fog was thick till around 10:00. We were pleased to see the fog had lifted by the time we got to the ramp, and the motor finally kicked over. Our lines were in the water by 10:50, chill in the air, and some current but no wind to worry about. I got a bite on the dead line at 11:18, cleaned of my “RED HOT SMOKIE” chunk.

11:45 my grandson did hook a 23 inch 3.pound 5 oz Hybrid Bass, that fish also hit the “RHS”. That was all the action at that spot. We tried 2 other places where I marked fish, but NO action at all. We called it a day at 14:00; had hoped for more action, but at least we were not skunked. 

That maybe the final boat trip for this year since it is turning cooler and now the rains have pushed the river too high for my boat to handle safely in the current. This has be a lousy year for catching fish, let alone catfish! Since my grandson is able to help with boat, this will give me a few more years to see if any catfish are left in this part of the river.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

Don't feel preggers, I am beginning to wonder if the river is empty myself. LOL

Could just be a run of bad luck but I think something has happened. No idea what it could be though.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Which pool are have you guys been fishing? Can't say much for catfish, but the smallmouth and walleyes have been on fire all year for us in the pike island pool. We've pretty much just fished gravel bars all season long with various baits from cranks and swimbaits to grubs and tubes.... on the same token, several guys I fish with also fish the new Cumberland pool into Pa. and have said that they struggled up there even though we were putting up great numbers in the pool below. Strange how this river works, isn't it?


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Bad Bub said:


> We've pretty much just fished gravel bars all season long with various baits from cranks and swimbaits to grubs and tubes.... on the same token, several guys I fish with also fish the new Cumberland pool into Pa. and have said that they struggled up there .
> Strange how this river works, isn't it?


Hi Bub.
When everything else fails, are you guys bottom drifting 1/2 & whole worms?
In the last 2 years, I've seen some stuff that you just wouldn't believe,,,, I'm still shaking my head in disbelief,,, & all pertaining to drifting WORMS through holes, in backwashes & over sand bars.

Numbers wise, I've always considered Pike Pool the sauger spot, & Cumberland & Montgomery Pool for more BIG EYES.
('ol friend Rivarat always proved that wrong) ;>)


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Doboy said:


> Hi Bub.
> When everything else fails, are you guys bottom drifting 1/2 & whole worms?
> In the last 2 years, I've seen some stuff that you just wouldn't believe,,,, I'm still shaking my head in disbelief,,, & all pertaining to drifting WORMS through holes, in backwashes & over sand bars.
> 
> ...


I tried crawler harnesses on one trip... but the water was very slack that day, and I was more trying to get my 7 year old hooked up on one than really picking things apart... with the temps really dropping now, I'm hoping to get to put more designated "walleye time" in. I feel obligated to target smallmouth at least part of the day during tournament season.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> Which pool are have you guys been fishing? Can't say much for catfish, but the smallmouth and walleyes have been on fire all year for us in the pike island pool. We've pretty much just fished gravel bars all season long with various baits from cranks and swimbaits to grubs and tubes.... on the same token, several guys I fish with also fish the new Cumberland pool into Pa. and have said that they struggled up there even though we were putting up great numbers in the pool below. Strange how this river works, isn't it?


I am mostly in the greenup pool. Might just be bad luck or bad timing but it sure seems that something is off.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Pooka said:


> I am mostly in the greenup pool. Might just be bad luck or bad timing but it sure seems that something is off.


Well... that's a long ways from us. Could very well be the pool that's off this year. This river is a never ending vicious cycle with no real rhyme or reason it seems.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> Well... that's a long ways from us. Could very well be the pool that's off this year. This river is a never ending vicious cycle with no real rhyme or reason it seems.



For sure.

I really don't know jack about it but I wonder if the seeming explosive growth in the Gar population in the GP over the last 10 years or so has anything to do with it?


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Pooka said:


> For sure.
> 
> I really don't know jack about it but I wonder if the seeming explosive growth in the Gar population in the GP over the last 10 years or so has anything to do with it?


Who knows... we've had huge populations of gar up here for as long as I can remember... and we still have the constant up and down in success rates.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

Here in the GP it seems like the Gar population blew up after they stocked the shad. 

A couple years back a club member pulled in a beast of a Gar that we now think might have beat WV record. If not, it was right behind it/them. -- Cut skippy on the bottom.


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