Mohave 3-22-14

[wolfs4evr]

Go figure... Haven't launched out of Cottonwood in nearly 2 years and there is a big azz tournament happening. Almost 50 boats launched. I got there about half way through the launch so I just hit the parking lot and got a good spot for the truck/trailer and waited it out. Once we launched I hit the "off" spots, etc to avoid the tournament guys.

Anyways. Couldn't ask for a better day. More or less zero wind all day and in the low 80s. Water temp started out at 60 or so if I remember correctly but got into the 62 range really fast and up from there way back in coves later on in the day. The river was a couple degrees colder than the lake. So with that being said the lake Smallies are on beds and I think are already on egg watch. The river Smallies are scouting bed locations but haven't set up camp yet. The lake fish were certainly more active than the river fish.

Water clarity was essentially unlimited. I was sight fishing in 35 feet of water easily enough...

Only landed 8 fish. 1lmb and 7smb. 2 of the SMBs I caught about 10 miles up the river. One on a 6xd diver down deep in a cove (15-20 foot) and the other was on a drop shot close to the shore. He was scouting a bed location/area but I never seen a actual bed anywhere. The LMB was on a jig/craw trailer combo in about 35 feet of water. Another SMB was on a 6XD and one on a squarebill. The rest were on drop shots and were bed fish.

We ran into StarsnStripers a couple hours into the day and got to say hi and exchange a little fishing info that each had experienced so far for the day. Always nice to meet someone off the forums out there.

A couple pics of the day...







This gopher snake was just about every inch of 6 foot... FASSST on the water. I had one heck of a time catching up to him with the TM once I seen him for some pics.



One of the river Smallies we landed.


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[StarsnStripers]

Yes sir it was a beautiful day indeed. Very nice speaking with you in that cove. I luckily beat the tourney guys to the ramp and was on the water by 545. Fished the first two cove by myself for only one lmb bout 3lbs on a squarebill then headed south. It was pretty slow til bout 1030 or so then I found the smallies in 3ft of water and had a field day. Got a few on cranks then learned how to sightfish with a jig. Now I understand why people do it what a blast... ended up landing 10 fish all but one being smb and the biggest was a giant 24" fatty. I'm guessing she went 5-6lbs
Its the one laying across my cooler wich is 20" wide. Fishing by myself so all pics are ok but not great.
Hope to see you again soon on the water and compare notes again. Hahaha
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[wolfs4evr]

I should of stayed on the lake verse heading up into the river shortly after we talked. Wasted a good portion of the day up there messing around. I did that mostly due to the tournament though. Just to avoid them and let them have the water. The river is always good for sight seeing and messing around.

There isn't much, that I can think of, any more exciting than catching a good smallie on a med light spinning rod bed fishing!!! The greatest time of the year is here now! At least to Madi and I [] All she wanted me to do was cruise around the shorelines finding Smallie beds for her... lol

There is one HUGE downside once one learns to sight fish the beds... The desire to do it all the time! Days that there is zero wind seems to be far and few this time of the year. It just sucks to head out there ready to catch some bed fish and the wind takes away 90% of your ability to see them... Soooo frustrating! The last couple years have been tough to bed fish due to winds and the days I was able to get out. Hopefully this year I will have better luck on the winds and the days I am able to get out.

Back to Echo this upcoming weekend if the weather allows. Got my Mohave trip out of the way for the year...

Good catches!
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