# Choctaw River



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Fished by myself today 8:15 to 12 noon...below 7 Runs.. Beautiful morning once again and once again the fish were biting although not bedding. Managed to put 12 shellcrackers and 19 bluegills and other bream in the box....31 total. 

River is getting right with color and water level. Lakes are looking good. Water temp today 69 to 70. 

I sat on a known spot all morning....never moved until time to head to the hill. I noticed a couple of other boats were doing the same thing....sitting for hours. The fish seem to be staging in deep water 8 to 12 feet, especially along a drop off. They are simply not up in the shallow 2 to 4 ft water along the bank.

Today was another earthworm day. Did not catch a single fish on a cricket. Ran low of bait and stared cutting worm in half. This reduced the bite frequency and quality of fish. The big boys wanted a full worm it seemed. I finally ran out of bait but it was time to quit anyway. Dang earthworms are expensive....20 for $3.50. Wish I could find some big wigglers, but what you get in a bait shop are usually puny little things. 

Stopped at the bait shop on way home for more earthworms and bait man said he has sold only 100 crickets in 2 days....everyone buying earthworms. 

Hopefully in a few days shellcrackers will go on bed followed up by other bream. I'll be out there looking.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Have you given up on the Croppie? I'm headed out hoping that they are stacked up in the shallows. Big tournament coming up on the 11th and I'm thinking about signing up...depends on how I do this weekend


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> Have you given up on the Croppie? I'm headed out hoping that they are stacked up in the shallows. Big tournament coming up on the 11th and I'm thinking about signing up...depends on how I do this weekend



They are in the shallows,pads and creeks over in Talquin...so most likely the same situation here. Will fish them from time to time but frankly I'm not adept at fishing crappie in the river in warm weather. Have just never put any effort into it. Would like to target them here this time of year but don't know anyone who has experience. Minnows are hard to keep alive when it gets hot.


----------



## Baknaction (Aug 3, 2014)

Wow, what a catch. Beautiful fish. Nothing wrong with fishing by yourself, but having a mate in the boat sure makes catching more fun & cleaning the catch faster. Would have given a wooden nickle to have been that mate. I'm totally into pan fishing. Enjoy your posts. Keep em coming.


----------



## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

Nice. Makes me want to get back into fresh water fishing.


----------



## PennFish (Oct 18, 2007)

Fishwalton you ever fish the old paddle wheel boat about a mile North of the old Hide A While launch? There and the old concert ramp on the west side up the river just a little. Have been on the river in years, the old paddle might be gone by now but produce a bunch of crappie.


----------



## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

Some of the best fried fish that I ever had as a kid was shell cracker that my friend's mom cooked. Never had any that good since then. Looks like a catfish in the back of the photo.


----------



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Nice! Earthworms seem to be the ticket river now along with bottom fishing. We're gonna try them tomorrow afternoon hoping for some big boys like that.


----------



## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

fishwalton said:


> They are in the shallows,pads and creeks over in Talquin...so most likely the same situation here. Will fish them from time to time but frankly I'm not adept at fishing crappie in the river in warm weather. Have just never put any effort into it. Would like to target them here this time of year but don't know anyone who has experience. Minnows are hard to keep alive when it gets hot.


Yep, Dad fished Talquin today until around 3 or so and had 24 keepers. He was trolling jigs shallow and they were all full of eggs.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

SHunter said:


> Some of the best fried fish that I ever had as a kid was shell cracker that my friend's mom cooked. Never had any that good since then. Looks like a catfish in the back of the photo.



Yep, one cat in the mix. Forgot to count it.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

PennFish said:


> Fishwalton you ever fish the old paddle wheel boat about a mile North of the old Hide A While launch? There and the old concert ramp on the west side up the river just a little. Have been on the river in years, the old paddle might be gone by now but produce a bunch of crappie.


No, never fished around the old boat. There is a stretch upriverfrom Cowford for 4 or 5 miles that I know little about. I'm told at very low water you can see the remains of the paddle wheel


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

skiff89_jr said:


> Yep, Dad fished Talquin today until around 3 or so and had 24 keepers. He was trolling jigs shallow and they were all full of eggs.


Thanks Tyler for the Talquin update. Don't know when I will get back over there now that the Choctaw is starting to get right. Will be fishing Dead Lakes at Wewa next Mon and Tue.


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Fine mess of bream !


----------



## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

that's a beautiful mess of fish right there. Sure enjoy your reports.


----------



## Geezer (Mar 30, 2014)

Great looking fish, JB.


----------



## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

Those shellcrackers with the hump on their heads look like they are going to kick some serious butt! They look like 'roided out UFC fighters! Beautiful pic. thanks for your post.


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes sir, that's a pretty mess of fish. Going solo myself tomorrow in the daylight, but I'm gonna sample the shellcrackers and crappie. Pretty sure I'll get a sunburn and a backache.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

What kinda catfish is that hiding in the back?


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

jcoss15 said:


> Nice! Earthworms seem to be the ticket river now along with bottom fishing. We're gonna try them tomorrow afternoon hoping for some big boys like that.



Went yesterday afternoon for a while and bream are starting to hit crickets a little, but earthworms on bottom seems to still be the best. We got about 15 in one spot. Buddy hung a giant shellcracker and his reel crapped out on him and he started handlining. Got him up to the boat and he got off. A whopper. About to leave this morning and go back to the same spot for a few hours. Have to be back for fishing club meeting at 1pm.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> What kinda catfish is that hiding in the back?


I call him a mud cat...but don't know the actual species. They eat just fine.


----------

