A productive and unusual day on Gibbons Creek

[berger1b]

It was an interesting day today on the water. We started fishing with frogs along the shoreline with patches of lillypads and could not get any response. Switched over to my favorite bait ( those that know me know what that is) and started catching fish on the 4th cast. We ended up with over 30 between us with all over 12". A good number of 2-3 lber's and big fish at 5.55 lbs. We only fished until 2pm.

Now the unusual part. Most of the fish were covered with varying amounts of red spots like ulcers. I have seen this before but not this bad. Felt sorry for the fish but it didn't seem to slow down their aggressive behavior.

The fish in the picture looked was the big fish if the day. When I got her in the boat i noticed a short piece of string hanging from her butt. I started pulling on it and it was about a 1" piece of monofilament attached to a 2/0 worm hook! I gently pulled it as far as it would go and turned it up and slid the barb end out without any problem. The hook was not rusted at all. Only thing I can assume is that a previous angler cut the line on a swallowed hook. I just wonder if she would have ever passed it on her own with the way it was turned and how did a hook that size travel that far? Strange!
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[Stompy]

Good day I plan on going next week a couple of times, but only for half days.

[TX Strampion]

Amazing that a hook could make that journey.

Now, on a lighter and much less gross note, that's an awesome picture. Great backdrop, too! Looking good bud.

[Aggieranger05]

I noticed the red sores last time I was there. I do fisheries work and have seen it several places. Usually due to a high number of bacteria in the water. Should disappear soon.

Gibbons has been really good lately. Lots of fish moving offshore in 12ft. There's a few banks that have been great for topwater in the evening.

[Corkpuller]

Sounds like a great day on the pond!

Most will gut hook one, but only Bergy can get one butt hooked

Actually that's pretty interesting. I ain't never pulled a string out a fish ass.

[11pounder]

It had to have been a female to have a string hanging out.

[berger1b]

Good day I plan on going next week a couple of times, but only for half days.

John, I agree on the half day. We were only going to fish until noon because of the heat. Went to one last spot and the bite was still on. We left them bitting. Good luck.

[berger1b]

Amazing that a hook could make that journey.

Now, on a lighter and much less gross note, that's an awesome picture. Great backdrop, too! Looking good bud.

Thanks Cliff. That was a pretty shoreline. It was very inviting first thing in the morning.

[berger1b]

I noticed the red sores last time I was there. I do fisheries work and have seen it several places. Usually due to a high number of bacteria in the water. Should disappear soon.

Gibbons has been really good lately. Lots of fish moving offshore in 12ft. There's a few banks that have been great for topwater in the evening.

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear they should start getting better. Do you know if there is any hydrilla on the lake? We did not see a lot of vegetation on the lake. At least nothing like in the past.

[berger1b]

It had to have been a female to have a string hanging out.

I seen what you did there. actually it looked like a post spawned female.

[berger1b]

Sounds like a great day on the pond!

Most will gut hook one, but only Bergy can get one butt hooked

Actually that's pretty interesting. I ain't never pulled a string out a fish ass.

Thanks Troy. That was a first for me. I did catch a fish on Fayetteville that was so skinny I was surprised it was still alive. It had a large soft plastic swim bait stuck in its throat. There was no hook. I bet he was one happy and hungry fish when he went back in the water.

[richg99]

Great story. Hmmm I thought Gibbons was now only open on weekends??

[berger1b]

Great story. Hmmm I thought Gibbons was now only open on weekends??

Friday - Sunday. A couple of more days a week would be nice.

[Aggieranger05]

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear they should start getting better. Do you know if there is any hydrilla on the lake? We did not see a lot of vegetation on the lake. At least nothing like in the past.

Unfortunately there's not a lot of vegetation. There's some lotus, American pond weed, cattails & rushes, button bushes. I see very little hydrilla or other submerged vegetation.

Hopefully whoever buys the power plant likes to fish. I'd like to get vegetation planted in the lake and fish more than the weekends.