My guess that fishing on the rocks might change some, due to the channel being narrower. That will change the current lines and your flat is now further out. There could be a problem with snags because of new concrete. Floating the bobber downstream might be different because of the current. The flat in the channel is probably 30 ft narrower. Shouldn’t change the bite!
Due to draining the tubes, we will need some serious rain at the start of 2025. We lost a lot of crappies, shad, everything small that went out the gate at Rocky Ford. The re-stock will need to come from the other side and we need lots of water to come through the tubes.
Let’s Hope!
We had a great shad hatch last year so the fish should have gained weight. The largest blue cat on Tuttle should weigh 68 to 73 lbs. by my calculation.
Everyone has their opinion and I will express mine. Tuttle Creek Outlet has become a place used by thousands of fishermen every year. We should consider ourselves very lucky to have it at our doorstep. For me 6 minutes away.
It is used by all sorts of people. Seniors, disabled, mom, dad and kids, all types of working-class people. We understand that it needs maintained from time to time. We’re not stupid. We don’t ask for much but to just let us use the facility when it’s not being repaired. We the taxpayers pay for the repairs on the dam. It has been closed for most of the fishing season. I personally drove out every day and took a picture so I could see all the work being done. I could also see that more than half of the time it was barricaded off, it could have been open to the public. We the fishermen of Manhattan deserve better. We should demand it! I’ve been fishing the tubes for 55 years and nobody seems to give a damn anymore. It’s not fair to us and if it happens again, we should all stand up for what’ s right! For some of us it’s a part of everyday life.
This is what it offers!
No matter how many hours you spend on the water, you’ll never know everything about fishing. I learn something new every year. You will never understand why they bite one day and not the next. Every day and year will be different. What happened last year will not repeat itself the next. All weather elements will change your fishing day but believe it’s just a part of the equation. Fishing is complicated and the more you know the more fish you will catch.
Being on the water and fishing will teach you more than You Tube. You Tube is great for seeing how to rig and equipment used. Every lake is different. Fishing the Mississippi is different than fishing Tuttle Creek. Bait might be different on every lake. Fishing current is far different than still water. Your bait and tackle will be different on both. You need to figure out where and what makes them bite. Just putting a bait out is not always the answer. Are they on top or on the bottom. Is it night or day? Shallow or deep? The bottom is very important for still fishing. Current not so much. Are you waiting for the fish to come to you or are you looking for the fish? It all makes a difference. At my age I don’t need live feed. I know where the fish are most of the time on Tuttle but the secret is… are they eating today? Experience has taught me that. Where’s the food? In most cases they are looking for the food. Covering far more area than you think. Is it spring or fall? When fishing current there’s food everywhere. The big fish are just swimming around eating, grabbing everything they can. All fish love current. You’ll catch more fish in current than still water. Fresh bait will also help. Fresh shad smells more and all fresh bait is better than frozen. Size of bait and hook is important. What are you trying to catch? Is the water cold or warm? It all makes a difference! The amount of weight used is important. In current, like a river and you’re fishing for blues, it might help to use a smaller sinker and keep it off the bottom. In still water you might use more weight to keep it where you want it. Like the edge of a current line where there feeding. No matter how much you know, there’s going to be days that nothing works. That’s fishing! They don’t eat all the time. They can eat for hours and stop by the flip of a switch. Every damn one stops at the same time. They are sensitive to so many things and we don’t have a clue what that is. Sometimes they need some reason to grab it. They are looking right at it. Present the bait in a different way. Twitch it, move it, float it, maybe they will grab it! Keep trying different methods. It all makes a difference.
