Trolled the mouth of Island Creek Friday.Caught 6 blues.Biggest was around 6 lbs rest 3 to 4 lbs>Was using spoonplugs and r/t.Charturse sp char r/t.marked fish from 15 to 20 ft.Shad from 5 to 15 ft..Very unsure of the depth of the fish I caught tho.Had about 100 ft of Berkley's 30 lb fireline out.Seems I would snag the bottom in 22 to 25 ft.Fishdoc does this sound right.I am guessing I was way to deep.S/P was series 100.How much line did I did to have out?Thanks for all info and hope this helps someone..Tight lines to all.

Need to change the amount of line from 100 ft to about 180 ft

Now i am no fishdoc for sure but i my little experence, the number 100 size s/p should run 12-15 ft with 80 feet of line, maybe a little more with fireline or the like, If you had out 180 ft i guess it is possible to get the bottom at 25 feet but fishdoc or DRY#2 can answer this question alot more positive than i can.

Thanks finattic the line counter reels I had when it showed 1 it was 1yard not one foot as I had thought.I was I was well below the fish which accounted for only six blues.The fish were really stacked a crossed the mouth of the creek.Still learning this.Again thanks.

TROLLED SAT MORNING HAD 11 BLUES 1LMB 2 LARGE WHITE BASS
1 12# STRIPER. 3 BLUES OVER 15#. BIG FISH WERE HITTING
GOOD. ONLY HAD A COUPLE PERCH THINK THEY WAS SCARED OF THE CATS.

the #100 spoonplug runs 12-15ft on #20 mono, but 25% deeper with #20 fireline or 15 to 20 ft. this only takes 80-100ft of line, so you prolly was runnin 22-25ft. i like to check my depth by trollin progressively shallower til i hit bottom...then ya know. whenever ya markin fish, always try to troll above them. had more success this way. but at least ya caught some...i done been skonked two days in a row, been a ling time since that's happened!!!!

Dang ... FISHDOC skunked? !!!! This is an amazing world that we live in. Now I won't feel so bad when I have "one of them days".

Thanks alot fishdoc.Owe my catch to you and your detailed info.But like all else got to put time into it and learn by trail and error.Took me awhile to learn the bass and am still learning.What makes it interesting. Lost 3 rigs but all and all was a good day.Hope you catch a bunch on your next trip.If I can help you shoot me a line.Tight lines to you.

Fishdoc thanks for your tips on trolling. Went out on Saturday July 27 and trolled early morning and got skunked. On Saturday went out again early morning but on one line ran a Rapla DT16 Silver with gray back and with front hook removed and a roostertail (lost my spoonplug). Had out a 180 feet of line. Caught 3 nices blues, 1 LMB about 5 lbs and 6 white perch. They were all on caught on the DT16. Nothing touched the spoonplugs or rooster tails on the other 3 rods. I was trolling in 16 to 30 feet of water across from the hazard bouy at Ivy Hill. I guess this plug looked enough like a shad that it tiggered them.

Before I set out my noodles yesterday afternoon I tried trolling like ya'll do on Kerr Lake. I used 14 lb vanish line with identical leaders to a rooster tail and a fat free shad. I trolled less than an hour. Now, I'd like to say I slayed them but had no bites. I did have one short hit. I had to improvise for the ball bearing swivel. I used a barrel swivel and an O ring. I set the rig like fish doc explained. I have a line counter mounted on the rod and ran the baits about 150 ft behind the boat. Oh well, will try again. If anyone has any tips to share I am all ears. I am thinking about using a shad rap or flat A deep diver. Let me know if I am doing anything wrong other than not giving it enough time... Oh, do you tend to do better in the morning, mid day or afternoon. Has anyone tried it at nite? Thanks guys for any help and be careful in this heat.

Bo

Hey Bo the one that I caught friday were from 11 am till around 4 pm.Only thing was too much line out and running to deep or I think would have done alot better.All fish hit chartreuse s/p series 100.None caught on r/t.Took me couple times before I did any good..But it does work.

Thanks unknownbassman for the info. Thats what this message board should be all about. I appreciate it when someone offers information. I fished tournaments in the past and understood the reluctance to share info. This is just a message board and should serve to help one another. If anyone wanted to come down and fish Roanoke Rapids lake I would be happy to help. I also fish Lake Gaston at certain times of the year and would offer info also. Please don't think I am upset with others, just offering my two cents of an opinion. Ha!!!!

Bo

ps My opinion may be overpriced at 2 cents!!

Fishdoc. We trolled Saturday the 4th. Had around 50 or so total fish. Most were caught near Big Island. 30 or so came in the same spot at 12 to 14 ft deep. We would come out of the 20ft to 14 ft. then when the boat was in 12 ft we would get double hits. We were running 1 100 spoonplug on 30 lb power pro, 1 200 spoonplug on power pro and 1 lead core rig with a 250 or 300 plug. We had 17 keeper blues, 3 channels, 1 lmb, 1 white bass, 1 crappie and 1 white perch. Those were the keepers. We had a bunch of throw back white perch, cats, and at least 6 LMB we turned loose. Bite was over by noon except for a few stragglers. My brother in law was sort of in awe. The largest we caught was near 10lbs. The week before we only had 10 keepers but largest was 16 lbs. We need to get together soon.
DRT

great report! glad to know ya had a good time. ya got mail!