Cold Water Teeth

[creekychub]

I tied some flashy jigs for a Missouri river trip this weekend and they ended up being the only thing to get bit. I managed my first open water fish of the year, a 29" pike.
View attachment 6
View attachment 7
View attachment 8
Along with the toothy fish we snagged several big and small-mouth buffalo, common carp, bighead carp, and a couple of paddlefish. Air temps were in the 20's the morning we caught the walleye. I think I'm just about ready for spring to "spring".

 

[AtticaFish]

Looks like some fun right there - that pike took your jig deep. Are you fishing a spillway up against a dam or bridge structure?

 

[LedHed]

Great pix & report

 

[Jig Man]

good eatin right there....

 

[Fatman]

Great looking fish and shows that the jigs worked great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hawnjigs]

Wow, that much concrete looks like its supporting a freeway! Looks like decent water clarity - is Spring a bit late out there?

Nice walleye! Can paddlefish be hooked in the mouth?

 

[redear]

way to go creeky!!

 

[Pup]

Now that's cool. :icon14: :icon14:

I used to do a lot of tailwater fishing for walleye. The Salamonie Reservoir Tailwater in Northeastern Indiana was my favorite. Used to fish close to the spillway baffle when I could get there early enough in the AM. Often, I would catch a mixed bag of fish, just like your group did. Talk about fun...

Had my best luck using 2-inch white curly tail grubs fished on 1/8-oz. ball heads. Sassy Shads came in a close second. Would cast with a 5' long UL spinning outfit spooled with 4-lb. test mono. My largest walleye is a 28-incher that weighed a shade over 8 pounds and it came from this tailwater.

It's been a while and I miss it. Thanks for reviving my memories.

 

[ARjigger]

Awesome pics Cchub...

 

[creekychub]

Thanks everyone! It's hard to beat a good tailwater, Textbook definition of a mixed bag.

Attica & Hawn: This is a major spillway below Gavins Point Dam (SD/NE border). We were fishing the slack water area below closed gates.

Hawn: Spring has not quite arrived around this area yet. The lake above the dam was still frozen so flows were minimal. As far as paddlefish, it is possible to hook one in the mouth, but it is purely accidental. Their soft skin is easily hooked by any walleye jig or lure you might be using. So it's common to hook up with a couple of these big boys on a trip up here, snap a quick pic, and let them loose.
View attachment 2
(From another trip a few years ago)

 

[Radtexan]

Sounds like a fun trip with some great pics !!! Thanks.

 

[eyecrosser]

Nice fish. Ready to catch some 'eyes myself. Spawn getting cranked up here in Kansas but weather past couple days hasn't been to friendly.

 

[StumpHunter]

Those pics are cool!! Congrats on the catch.

 

[Squeakyboatcaptain]

Great job!!! One day I'll catch a walleye!!