Late Start is Still Finding Steel

[Medium D]

Needless to say, the pressure on the inner-coastal streams has been nothing short of EXTREME....
I have stuck to a couple principles that have continued to work and today paid off extremely well.
First off I’m not into boat racing, I fish to enjoy the day, work the water, RELAX… and did I mention enjoy the day…
Secondly, the weather pattern that we have experienced for the past couple weeks with these bitter cold mornings has convinced me that the 9 or 10 o’clock start time sounds like a good idea.
Today was the standard program…. go high in the system, plan on a long day, keep moving and cover water. As per usual, it was a 9:30 start time we fished behind and good number of boats and beat the water. Float drifting, “with the stick weight of course” and side drifting also produced a couple…
Batting clean-up still produced with the crew going 7 for 10….. Get your sun glasses, nothing real huge but bla-bling, bla-bling.

Nice Hatch Hen to start the day

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Don gets on the board

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Don gets it done again

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Another nice Brat

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Nice Chrome Nate

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The smallest Nate of the year, but it's still "Wild Steel"

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The Box at Days End

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The bottom line is Fishing is suppose to be fun. Sometimes you need to find ways to keep the stress level and the competative nature at a minimum and enjoy your day...

[Robbo]

Bling, bling...great day man

Were they bitin' the color of eggs you brought the other day or was it the other color? I gots to know

[Medium D]

Same color, same batch I brought the other day, Peach.... Orange/Pink BorX O Fire combo.... Great for clear water
Rumor has it red works well also...

[Fish-Culture]

Nice work Duane, particularly given the conditions of late. Might have to try that stick lead dealie you've got going on, its just really hard for me to put the free drifter down.

[Robbo]

He used the stick weight in the sled all day with me this week and didn't lose a single lead to the rocks. The only lead he lost all day was to a no-see-um root wad that grabbed everything. If your free driftin it might be somethin' to check out.

[Fish-Culture]

So you can compatibly fish the bobberdogging technique in the same boat as free drifters without drifting faster (or slower) than them? I assume you guys are running stouter casting rods for the bobberdoggin', like what a 10-10.5, 10-12 rated rod? And a shorter leader after the lead than a "standard" free drifting leader? I think will go re-read the tech thread again, Ive got a certain river in mind where I think this will work out really well, Thanks!

[Medium D]

Yep, running the same length lead for both side drifting and float doggin. They do, for the most part travel at the same speed with no issues.
Also you are spot on as far as the ideal float doggin set up. I like to use a 10'6" rod, something around an 8 to 14 or a 6 to 15 weight rod. Leader length is usually about 22" max. Most guys seem to think it's too short, but it keeps it down where the fishy's are...

Good Luck,