Too easy fishing in big lake

[MEM1971]

Was at the fishing hole early this am around 0520. When I decided to move i realized I had been there for 3 hours. I caught 20-25 specks and 3-4 reds. All my family now has plenty of trout so I only boxed enough for my girlfriend to cook up for me. When u fish alot no need to eat fish out of the freezer right! And they were good. Everyone keeps saying catch us some flounder. I need to. I saw 3 flounder or possibly same one 3 times come all the way out the water right up on the bank and I love the trout bite so much I just kept throwing to other side of the boat for the specks. Its hard to beat the way a 20" and above trout hits a mullet floating under a poppin cork! I like plastic and top water as much as the next guy but its just not the same. Anyway we all have different opinions but before u dog fishing live bait at least try mullet. Idk if ill ever throw live shrimp again lol. Poggies have been catching a lot of fish for me too and I used a couple today. Had livewell full of em and mullet and was planning on fishing till at least noon and running further south since I spent so much time up north lately. But I guess with lights on early for awhile andareators going and having so much fun I forgot to set the low volt alarm on the depth finder and the Yamaha barely cranked up for me when I decided to make a move... I ran a circle to charge up for a bit and saw one bird picking and put down trolling motor to go have a look and was almost there and decided I better check battery and it almost did not start again. My morning was too good to spend it in hot sun working on batteries or worse being towed in and ruining someone else's day so I threw all the pogie and mullet over board and was back at launch for 915 or so. Didn't even get hot yet and got plenty sleep for graveyard shift. Anyway its really easy fishing out there right now so y'all go get u some.

[ckinchen]

Great report. I have never thrown mullet under a cork, may have to try it.

[jccnash22]

Great report! Thanks for sharing

[MEM1971]

I have fished same spot 3 days this week and pulled over 100 fish out of it. Fishing has been so easy. One throw with cast net has been more than enough live bait so no need for buying shrimp although I did the first day. Have burnt less than 6 gallons of gas in last 3 trips. Anyone thinking of taking their boat out or hiring a charter and doing some Big Lake fishing it has been really good so quit wishin and go fishin. All the fresh water is gone. Strong tides muddy some areas up but the lake can clear up in 24 hours and sometimes over night. I have seen porpoises as far north as turners bay and moss lake. I'm gonna try and give it another go in am and maybe check out some different areas if I don't have any battery trouble. It looks like my on board charger not doing its job anymore. I'm sure it will be a little more difficult being the weekend and with the Salty Catch going on. I have not caught a 7 pound or better trout since 1999-2000 when I caught my 29inch 8 pounder. It was long and very skinny! I want another one bad. But did not fish the lake for 5-6 years until April this year. I could spend everyday out there! Anyway will post how it goes Saturday.

[oldsettlement2]

Thanks for the report!!!!!

[Sightwindow]

It's been a while since I did mullet under a cork. Do you let them run with it for a while? Where do you hook them? I seem to recall using pretty big ones - the only ones we could catch - and surprisingly small trout would eat them, but only hooked if you let them really "walk off with it".

Thanks, enjoy the reports.

[ratherbefishing186]

I forgot that tournament was this weekend....this should be fun.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Sightwindow

It's been a while since I did mullet under a cork. Do you let them run with it for a while? Where do you hook them? I seem to recall using pretty big ones - the only ones we could catch - and surprisingly small trout would eat them, but only hooked if you let them really "walk off with it".

Thanks, enjoy the reports.

I hook a mullet by inserting the hook up through the lower jaw and having the hook come out the top of the head, a little behind the mouth.

I like fishing with the 3" or 4" size mullets, but a 6" or 7" will catch trout.

Also, if you catch a 6" croaker.... that is good bait for trout.

IMO..... fishing live bait, is kind of like catching on a top water bait. Let the fish take the bait for a couple seconds before lifting the rod tip up [not a jerking motion] and reeling.

[ahlangle]

Very cool, glad you're on em and thanks for report.
I see mullet everywhere lately and most are like 8"+.
Can you put mullet in livewell with pogies?

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by ahlangle

Very cool, glad you're on em and thanks for report.
I see mullet everywhere lately and most are like 8"+.
Can you put mullet in livewell with pogies?

Yes, mullet will stay lively but pogies [shad] are harder to keep alive.... especially when the water is hot.

Don't put too many shad in the live well or they all will die. Keep a good water flow and put about 30 in a small live well and maybe 50 in a large one.

[Jrchip1]

I've been doing Mullet, cocahoe, shrimp and pogies under a cork all my life. Once I find a good bite, I'll experiment with artificials. I also catch my own live bait, always. Sometimes it can be a time consuming hassel, but worth it.

[Sightwindow]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Yes, mullet will stay lively but pogies [shad] are harder to keep alive.... especially when the water is hot.

Don't put too many shad in the live well or they all will die. Keep a good water flow and put about 30 in a small live well and maybe 50 in a large one.

I think his main question - as is mine - is can you mix the two species, mullet and pogies? The main thing, I'm sure, is not crowding them. I do know pogies are very sensitive and release out of both ends, fouling the water. My question is: can mullet thrive with pogies doing what they do? Can pogies thrive with mullet doing whatever it is they do?

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Sightwindow

I think his main question - as is mine - is can you mix the two species, mullet and pogies? The main thing, I'm sure, is not crowding them. I do know pogies are very sensitive and release out of both ends, fouling the water. My question is: can mullet thrive with pogies doing what they do? Can pogies thrive with mullet doing whatever it is they do?

The answer is yes, you can have both in the live well. A few days ago, I had about 15 mullet and about 10 shad, along with 3 flounder and a small redfish. Several of the shad died, but they may have been caught in the net and injured.

My livewell does not get good water "out-flow" so I can't circulate a lot of water, which would help keep more alive.

[MEM1971]

I have had shrimp pogie and mullet in live well early in am while cool. Its best to keep shrimp and pogies seperate if possible. Mullet will stay alive along time. Only problem i have had keeping mullet alive is catching them up north and fishing way south on a hard incoming tide which was basically gulf water green and sandy and it killed all my mullet. I caught a 18" trout on my last live one that day and could not get them to hit dead so trolled out when across channel were i saw bait day before and got very lucky on first throw caught net full of big thick pogies and went right back to the spot and finished limiting out. Ive always hooked my live bait thru the eyes. Weird right. Along time ago fishing for crappie the perch kept going for the eyes on my shiners. Ever since ive hooked everything thru the eyes. Now im fishing 2,3&4" mullet. If i were fishing anything bigger id go thru bottom jaw out top head. And yes i have caught nice trout on 8" mullet. But that was fishing jetties on bottom. This is first year i started throwing them under a cork and its a blast. Everytime i go im hoping the mullet are still there lol!! The bigger trout have been just slamming them most of the time. Alot of times they will hit it trying to wound it i guess and then suck em up. I always give them time to get it in their mouth good and just lift rod tip up until i feel them good then give a little hook set. Doesnt take make for trout but reds have been mixed in there too so been giving it a little extra at times.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by MEM1971

I have had shrimp pogie and mullet in live well early in am while cool. Its best to keep shrimp and pogies seperate if possible. Mullet will stay alive along time. Only problem i have had keeping mullet alive is catching them up north and fishing way south on a hard incoming tide which was basically gulf water green and sandy and it killed all my mullet. I caught a 18" trout on my last live one that day and could not get them to hit dead so trolled out when across channel were i saw bait day before and got very lucky on first throw caught net full of big thick pogies and went right back to the spot and finished limiting out. Ive always hooked my live bait thru the eyes. Weird right. Along time ago fishing for crappie the perch kept going for the eyes on my shiners. Ever since ive hooked everything thru the eyes. Now im fishing 2,3&4" mullet. If i were fishing anything bigger id go thru bottom jaw out top head. And yes i have caught nice trout on 8" mullet. But that was fishing jetties on bottom. This is first year i started throwing them under a cork and its a blast. Everytime i go im hoping the mullet are still there lol!! The bigger trout have been just slamming them most of the time. Alot of times they will hit it trying to wound it i guess and then suck em up. I always give them time to get it in their mouth good and just lift rod tip up until i feel them good then give a little hook set. Doesnt take make for trout but reds have been mixed in there too so been giving it a little extra at times.

Sounds like we fish about the same. Maybe one day we will meet up on the water. On my last trip, I met a nice young man that was out in his Yak and wading some. We shared information about fishing the area.

[saltysully]

great report! Thank you for all the really good info!!

[Goooh]

Water was dirty this morning, been out here for a week and couldn't get back on them today - will be going back this afternoon