# Alum 3/24 - Misadventures + Big Joshy's = Awesome Day



## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Hit Alum yesterday with Newbreed after battling all week as to who's boat were going to use. I won, only to find out after launching I had neglected to charge my trolling motor batteries  He runs back to his house while I putt around, grabs his two batteries and brings them back to the ramp...only to find out that my wingnuts on my batt terminals were a completely different size. After 2 hours of horsing around with the batteries, I say screw it lets just drift/cast. It actually worked out quite well 

We expected the bite to be shallow like everyone on OGF had been reporting, but hoping that front that came in moved them off the wood into the deeper parts of the channel. Based on our results, we couldnt have picked a better day for me to drop the ball on charging my batteries 

Every fish came on Big Joshy swims (2.75's) in 6-10 FOW. Cast, let em fall with a 3 counts them roll em back SLOW. We had numerous doubles, and at one point it was every cast. 65 degree water temps, and the bite was on all day long. Caught a few bass (not pictured) and didn't keep a crappie under 10". Newbreed's neighbor likes white bass, otherwise those wouldve gone back in the lake. 

One of the best bites on Alum I've experienced, and although I felt naked without my trolling motor, we made it work!


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

One more pic....


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

at least you made it work!!!! good job.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Nice!! Now that's what they call turning lemons into lemonade. And since it was your boat...I think I know where you were .


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Ha!!! LOL got to love those first trips got mine almost ready walked shore and banged them deeper yesterday as well. Congrats everything swimming love those swims. Got them on slush 2.75 and a few on 2.3 silktruese. Love seeing that eyeball. Great job!!!!


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Yeah that eye was the only one we boated. Wish I could count the other one I lost at the boat, or the eye/possible musky that almost took the rod out of my hand on the strike that I couldn't get a hook on.

Ours came on Chart and Slim's


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## Zfish (Apr 5, 2004)

Wow, Who knew you could catch fish. We'll have to put it on the calendar ! Looks like a very productive day ont he water. I bet good ole Misfit is up there some where laughing pretty hard


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## cpr_mike1 (Feb 25, 2009)

Looks like a lot of fun! Congrats on the catches.

I am not a huge crappie guy but I had to post for a Hilliard guy lol.


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

I almost suggested throwing in the towel but glad we stuck it out. What an incredible action filled afternoon. You cant beat the feeling of a fish knocking slack in your line! My elbow is shot (tendenitous) but i manage to work thru the pain today and boat another 30 fish in 1.5 hours. The small ones i was onto today didnt want the swim baits they wanted verticle micro tubes. we did pickup 2 fish that were 12-13"

awesome weekend


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Nice work Shake. 
Here's a larger picture for those that are getting "older"


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Those are some massive white bass. My first thought was hybrids. The crappie aren't too shabby either :B


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks d!

Yeah those whites were a blast. Hit like freight trains and when you stumble upon em its one after another. I've never attempted to eat one, but hybrids are awesome once you nuke the redline.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Looks like the dynamite trick worked well!


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

We used just enough explosive to make sure a side of skin remained for the transport home


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Looks like an awesome day! Will be out there this week, hopefully I can experience some of the same luck.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

My Son and I fished the south end today and did fair, fishing was so so until around 6.30 or a little after and then it picked up pretty good. We fished around wood and caught alot of smaller crappie but the later it got the better the size got, we ended up catching a dozen or so that went 10-11" a few gills and a small LM. All the fish were caught on minnies under a float.


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

Smallmouthcrazy, did you get a water temp in the south end? Yesterday thought my finder was going crazy. I measured 45 degrees by the beach. We did not spend much time down there. Headed back above cheshire where temps were in 60s.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

moke11 said:


> Smallmouthcrazy, did you get a water temp in the south end? Yesterday thought my finder was going crazy. I measured 45 degrees by the beach. We did not spend much time down there. Headed back above cheshire where temps were in 60s.


No I didnt I was fishing from the shore..but it did appear that there was a ton of people around 36/37 if that helps.


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## skycruiser (Aug 7, 2009)

daaaaaaaaang nicely done fellas!


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

Fished around some wood yesterday in a cove on Africa. Bite was definitely different with the weather change. Managed a few really nice crappie but that was it. Didn't have the boat, but by the looks of your adventure I know where I should be drifting in the next few days. Hopefully the eyes will start to come up.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Shake & Newbreed - First I would like to say wow what a nightmare trying to get the boat in the water - I would have liked to seen that on Camera - Secondly great job on making a bad situation into a good day catching fish. Congrats.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Looks like a very good day!

We had a good day out yesterday on Apple Valley. Without a trolling motor our drift speed would have made fishing pretty difficult. When I first read your post I thought you were also out on Sunday but I see it was Saturday. Your location on the fish was pretty much spot on with ours.

I may have to try and get me some of those Big Joshy's to try. I generally use 2" twister tails but those look nice and I have been hearing a lot of guys loving them.


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## gone-fishing (Aug 27, 2011)

we had a similar day on sunday, minus the battery trouble...probably my best day at alum also.

handful of those huge white bass, dozen or so crappie and 3 nice smallmouth. id say from 4-12 fow, a few were a little deeper...most north of cheshire

think the water temp at the cove by the campground was 49...not much happening south of cheshire, unless it was the time period that we were there.

Had a blast!!! Wish one of the kids were with me though


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Gone-fishing....We were north of Cheshire the whole time, and I too was wishing my son was with us!


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## Gobi Muncher (May 27, 2004)

Nice job on the fish!!!! Which ramp did you use? I figured with the extra drawdown that there wouldn't be one you could launch from.


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Cheshire..plenty of water, and they have docks in.


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## Gobi Muncher (May 27, 2004)

Thanks!!! May have to give it a shot this weekend. Still haven't really figured out the saugeye there, but time will tell.


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Rocky/sand points near deep water, in 3-5 FOW is where I'd start


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## mjn88 (Feb 18, 2011)

Crappie bite has slowed way down for me. Last week got about 20 keepers in a few hours. Yesterday and today put in 3 hours without a bite. Fishing a few spots north if cheshire.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

My Son and I braved the wind yesterday and gave it a shot again, first tried around 36/37 for about a hour without and luck(wind really had the lake churned up and muddy) then went south again and didnt do to bad around wood, caught a couple descent LM and a handful of crappie, most were smaller but we caught a few that could have been kept, as it was the other day things got a little better about 1-1 1/2hr before dark. As luck would have it the wind really died down as we were leaving.


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## gone-fishing (Aug 27, 2011)

we returned today and caught a big skunk!! both of us

what a difference a few days make!! found a couple very dense,tightly packed schools of crappie, couldnt get any to go...maybe if we had brought a few minnows...


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