What did you Catch Today?

MB3

Well-known member
Beetlespins work on a lot of species. Not great on weeds though. Everything today was plastic worms hooked weedless. You lose a few but at least you can drag through slop.

As soon as the weekenders vacate Wallenpaupack we want to give that a go. We are expecting a learning curve for sure. Shohola is a solid lake, one of our favorites.
 

Don

Well-known member
Are there plenty of open water areas at Shahola.
I’m new to beetle spins and find them fun. I like their slow retrieve capability the most. the other benefit is, like Sol said, you can change them all around for different offerings. I like that bass hit them as frequently as panfish. But I do t know that I ever caught a Pickerel on them.
Did I mention that I like Pickerel.
 
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Gremcat

Well-known member
Beautiful scales, love carp, lost 2 before the 20+ mins fight landing this one. Mirror Carp are the only thing better. I’m a Sucker for scales, literally.
 

MB3

Well-known member
Are there plenty of open water areas at Shahola.
I’m new to beetle spins and find them fun. I like their slow retrieve capability the most. the other benefit is, like Sol said, you can change them all around for different offerings. I like that bass hit them as frequently as panfish. But I do t know that I ever caught a Pickerel on them.
Did I mention that I like Pickerel.
It's a big lake, plenty of open water. We cruise the shorelines. If you like Pickerel find the shallows and you'll find them. Plenty of Bass, always Eagles every trip. Good Crappie, Bluegills. We only ever fish 1/4 of Shohola. One day we are going to get to the other side and fish our way back just to find out what's there.

I caught a 25" Pickerel in Tobyhanna on a Beetlespin with with a curly tail worm replacement. We catch everything on them.
 

Melvinp

Well-known member
Hit the creek today for a bit waters up so couldn’t move around any but fishing was pretty good for time invested 1 smallmouth 1 fallfish for me 3 smallies for my fishing buddy definitely eating crawfish no pics so just a fish tail maybe tomorrow
Went back today not as good yesterday but got a few nothing special but didn’t get skunked and a nice shot of the creek
 

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Melvinp

Well-known member
Are there plenty of open water areas at Shahola.
I’m new to beetle spins and find them fun. I like their slow retrieve capability the most. the other benefit is, like Sol said, you can change them all around for different offerings. I like that bass hit them as frequently as panfish. But I do t know that I ever caught a Pickerel on them.
Did I mention that I like Pickerel.
White with 🔴
 
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Randy Z

Well-known member
Melvin P is being modest, for the time we spent on the creek we did awsome! They might not have been huge but we caught at least 20 fish between us in a 4 hour time. They may have only been between 5 inches and 14 inches but who cares!! It
White with 🔴
I hate pickles!!!!!

was a good 2 days!!!
 

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Don

Well-known member
That’s okay at least you weren’t made to roast in the sun in ungodly hot sand surrounded by screamin young citezens from all over the world.
 

Don

Well-known member
It's a big lake, plenty of open water. We cruise the shorelines. If you like Pickerel find the shallows and you'll find them. Plenty of Bass, always Eagles every trip. Good Crappie, Bluegills. We only ever fish 1/4 of Shohola. One day we are going to get to the other side and fish our way back just to find out what's there.

I caught a 25" Pickerel in Tobyhanna on a Beetlespin with with a curly tail worm replacement. We catch everything on them.
I went to shahola yrsterday. It is much bigger than Gouldsboro. I was amazed tha there were virtually no weeds. I felt like I was cheating. Covered Allot water and never got back to the upper lake. Save that for Cooler weather. Wonderful day. Better evening. Got into a few healthy pickerel. Gills seemed smaller and pumpkinseed larger. Only caught one 9” perch. Also caught what appeared to be a 10” SMB. Not many boats. I like that.
 

Don

Well-known member
Yeah it took a while for the green light to turn on at Shahola. One guy said the Crappy were active in the AM but then fell apart . Made up for it in late day.
 

truecrimson

Well-known member
4 hours on the creek. 2 successful UFO abductions
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1 more of each, on the same baits, threw the hook before I could get them in, but I did get a good look at them. 1 more unidentified threw the hook too deep in the water to see.

The creek is still up 2-3 feet. I'm sure it was great for paddlers but it was not great for fishing. The last time I got out of a kayak when I wasn't planning too was in 2014 or 2015 with MelvinP. Today I swam twice. Lost 2 rods, a Daiwa Minispin with the Shimano Sedona, and Daiwa Minicast with that Bass Pro casting reel. The creek was moving pretty fast all the way, even in the pools. I got turned sideways and swept into an overhanging tree doing shit I know better than to do (maybe I'll tell that story sometime). Swatara has been very forgiving of me and I took it for granted. I went over, lost the spinning rod.

The minicast I lost below the dam right before the Duke St bridge in Hummelstown. I ran the chute to river right, got turned in the current and swept into some over hanging trees. They pulled the rod out of the holder. I tried to catch with the lure retriever on the paddle and missed. Probably a good thing as if it was still attached to the tree that might have been a second spill. But I got through that one without going over.

I was thinking I should start using rod leashes again. But on a day like today they would have been anchors when I got sept under a tree and meant more spills.

The second turtle happened in the new rapids between the railroad bridge and the pylons. I say new rapids because usually that is a get out and walk section. Got turned and slammed into a rock sideways. It was just big enough to turn me over. I almost lost my third rod but the rapala hooked on my bow rope and saved it.

Those water proof plano boxes are water proof and do float, even when full of wood, plastic, and metal ;) i was blessed I didn't lose my yak twice. When I got I shook myself off like a dog and said "Let's do that again! :D

Seriously though, a guy drowned just down stream of where I took out a few weeks ago. Wear your life vest, leave the booze at home and be safe.

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Don't go through that.
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This is why I prefer rod holders with covers, and also why I like ones with solid bottoms. The ones that have a plastic X at the bottom are what I put in the old red pelican kayak. If water gets over those they act as a funnel to the inside of the yak. At these just fill up themselves. If you order this yak from Vibe it comes, or used to come, with rod holders with a cap. Buy it at Dicks and you get the open top.
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troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Damn @truecrimson ! Twice! That sucks! Have you ever seen the pool noodle type rod floats they sell at Dicks? They work very well and do not intrude much.

My first ever Kayak trip I spilled in the Schuylkill and lost my own made rod with a Sustain reel. Talk about depressing! I never should have taken that rod with me on that trip but the excitement of getting on the kayak didn't have me thinking clearly. To add insult to injury, I also lost a brand new, top of the line, latest and greatest Samsung phone on that spill. They were not waterproof at the time. :(

Because of that trip, until today, you will still find a complete change of clothes in my truck that I call my "Oh Crap, I Fell In Again Bag". LOL. It was cold that day I dumped and a friend's sweatshirt made all the difference to keep me warm so I make sure to never go without backup.
 
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