Lost at sea

[Guest]

So I'm on the Kankakee today trying to find some small isolated pools/holes out in the middle of some giant flats. This was pretty easy with last years low water. The waters up higher and the wind was really whipping so I couldn't tell where I was so I used my anchor and drift method. I should get a GPS or take better shoreline sitings. Anyway I found the deeper water by sticking the kayak paddle down. Then I'd drop the anchor down to the bottom. Next I would pull up the anchor from the bottom but leave it hanging down 3 feet or so. The wind or current would move the boat until the anchor caught the bottom where the deep hole starts to get shallower. The area I was fishing has a lot of limestone flats. The current/winter ice will push pieces of broken limestone along the smooth bottom, but if the bottom drops off deeper the broken pieces will pile up. If the bottom gets shallower again you get a nice pile broken rock. These piles of rock along with the depth change break the force of the current. Smallmouth can hold in these spots with little effort and wait for food to come to them and crevices in the broken rock provide hiding places for crawfish and minnows. I was able to manage a couple fish with each anchoring at times boat control got pretty ugly. Spinnerbaits and tubes worked best today. If you're not sure where you are give this a shot you'll find the edge.

 

[Eric]

The K3 tends to have a much higher flow (CFS) than our other local rivers. Those unfamiliar with it should be very careful drifting with a low anchor. You grab in the wrong spot, at a fast flow, and you just might get dumped. Just saying to those that are new, be careful.

[ronk]

Speaking of cfs understanding how a particular river's cfs reading indicates the actual force of its flow is tricky & seems to be related to that river's size. A 1200 cfs reading on big rivers like the Fox or the Kank indicate an easily manageable flow whereas on a small river like the Dupe the force of the flow would render it unwadeable.Conversely while a cfs of about 400 would indicate an ideal flow for the Dupe on the other 2 rivers it would indicate prevailing drought conditions with unaturally slow flows.

[Guest]

Good points eric i added this to the Indiana board should have put it here as well. safty is always the number one thing. Thanks. The big thing is catching the edge where the bottom comes up. Seems like the fish in these areas are usually active. I can really feel lost on these big rivers especially when you get white caps and you're way out in the middle. For a while I was wishing I was on the small creek again. Just get a progression of lures going fan cast a spinnerbait, then a crankbait, then a tube. Move up or down along the edge of the drop. You don't want to try this in fast current areas. If the current is too fast you'll snag the anchor. Just cut the rope if it gets dicey. If the current is to fast to hold safely that's good the bass will be using shoreline eddies. You can anchor in the eddies and work those pretty easy. Hitting the small creek this week.