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Post by WhiskeyJack on Jun 24, 2019 10:46:36 GMT -5
Hello All, I'm new to the area and absolutely love Marsh Creek. I've been fishing since i was a child, but it as mainly bait and float fishing. I'd like to step up my game and go for bigger fish.
I wanted to ask this forum two questions:
1) I like to casually head over to Marsh creek and fish from the shoreline, what are the suggested spots if i'm looking for some decent Largemouth?
2) I'm new to lure fishing, what would you guys suggest to use from the shoreline at marsh creek?
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Post by mikewc on Jun 24, 2019 11:20:24 GMT -5
Hi Jack,
If you are going to be bank fishing there are two spots I'd recommend, one is easier to get to, but likely will produce less fish.
If you go across from the ranger station you will see there dock. You have to make very accurate casts, but normally right under there boat a few bass will sit. Drop it 1-2' from their clean on the corner and you should get hit pretty quick. On that side, if you wade out a bit and cast in that C shaped area right in front of the reeds it will hold some fish. If you walk down the path, you will see a point with a big bird house. The right side of that point you have a picnic bench with a path. Along the path there is a left side and right side of a group of trees, fish tend to hold off of there pretty shallow.
Your other option is to make a left off the launching dock on the public park side and follow the path down around carpenters cove. There is one location with a bench up top and a steeper drop down to the water. There are some fish there at times. If you go all the way down past the grills you can parallel Carpenters cove. You have to be willing to go through some bushes and woods to get to some of the spots, but along that cove you have some stumps, laydowns and bushes around the water that hold some bass.
Two recommendations, bring a light tackle rod with some small crappie jig heads to bounce around. This will keep you from getting super frustrated and you can target some smaller fish if you aren't getting a bass bite.
Second, get used to using a baitcaster, learn to feather your thumb to prevent backlashes. They are super frustrating at first, but worth the pain of learning. Plenty of youtube how to vidoes.
As for lures: a)4-6" senko, darker mainly for when the water is dirty. Either pumpkin flake or brown with flake. b)berkley havoc in either 3 or 4" sizes c)chatter bait, bladed jig, attach a trailer hook. d)wacky rig it or texas rig a or b.
Bass typically 'have homes' so the best way to find them is to throw into structure. I practice with a 5 gallon bucket and small weight for casting in the driveway.
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Post by WhiskeyJack on Jun 24, 2019 11:51:30 GMT -5
Thank you very much
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Post by whiskeyjack on Jun 24, 2019 12:17:50 GMT -5
Follow up question MikeWC, The Carpenters Cove area you describe, is that by the little parking lot on Chalfront road?
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Post by Grandaddy of all on Jun 24, 2019 14:11:22 GMT -5
Nope it's by main park entrance. Park in the main lot and then walk due south to the left side of the lake. Trail goes a good distance to a nice rocky point with lots of rock. People have been known to catch nice sized smallmouth there as well(marsh creek secret). If you are really looking for bigger fish there are a decent population of 40+" muskies. Float a live creek chub or suckerfish out on a buoy and wait for that thing to go under. Just about any part of the lake and they muskies will find it. Maybe even a big bass. Good luck!
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Post by Oldguy on Jun 24, 2019 16:03:56 GMT -5
Those muskies mentioned were stocked by a club and took 12 years to reach the size of maturity. Please don't gut hook them with a chub and kill them. They are only here on borrowed time. The state does not stock pure bread muskies, so when they are gone they are gone. If you want to pursue them please do your do diligence and use the proper equipment to catch and release them unharmed. Most of the group targeting them now won't be around to see the next generation of fish. Just food for thought for all who enjoy the challenge of catching a top-line predator.
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Post by cvllebanger on Jun 24, 2019 16:34:30 GMT -5
I don't bass fish anymore but when I did at the very end of chalfont rd is rocks and stumps. Slow jigging a purple worm produced on the regular. At the bridge same thing. Across the lake from the swimming pool produced quite often but if grass was high you had to make sure you could cast the other side of it. Rubber worms were my lure of choice back then
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Post by whiskeyjack on Jun 25, 2019 7:12:25 GMT -5
Those muskies mentioned were stocked by a club and took 12 years to reach the size of maturity. Please don't gut hook them with a chub and kill them. They are only here on borrowed time. The state does not stock pure bread muskies, so when they are gone they are gone. If you want to pursue them please do your do diligence and use the proper equipment to catch and release them unharmed. Most of the group targeting them now won't be around to see the next generation of fish. Just food for thought for all who enjoy the challenge of catching a top-line predator. You don't need to worry about me, Bass is what interests me. I set a personal goal of pulling in at least one lunker this year. The real challenge is finding the time with a 1.5 year old
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Post by Grandaddy of all on Jun 25, 2019 8:53:38 GMT -5
Those muskies mentioned were stocked by a club and took 12 years to reach the size of maturity. Please don't gut hook them with a chub and kill them. They are only here on borrowed time. The state does not stock pure bread muskies, so when they are gone they are gone. If you want to pursue them please do your do diligence and use the proper equipment to catch and release them unharmed. Most of the group targeting them now won't be around to see the next generation of fish. Just food for thought for all who enjoy the challenge of catching a top-line predator. ? Gut hook? Octopus hook in the dorsal fin of the chub gets them in the corner of the mouth every time...and whiskey you will easily catch a 6#+ bass on the same rig. IMHO still the best way to catch a marsh trophy if you are landlocked.
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Post by Oldguy on Jun 25, 2019 16:39:32 GMT -5
I really don't want to have a war of words about live bait, but I respectfully disagree. Muskies often take a fish sideways but eventually work it around head first to swallow. With that in mind it would take mostly luck to set the hook at the proper time to avoid the fish from already having the bait swallowed to its stomach. A bass inhales its prey so a circle hook does a good job to find its way to the corner of the mouth as you say. A great deal of research has been done and resources spent to develop the "quick strike rig" for a safer way to live bait muskies in the fall of the year when they are feeding up for winter. Personally, I don't approve of them either...I would rather not catch a musky than catch one only to have it die a few days later. I have seen many floaters in the point area out from the fish commission dock. Most likely the victims of improper handling and live bait catches. The mature muskies in the lake are primarily from a single (550) stocking of yearling pure-strain fish. Their numbers go down every time the lake water is lowered and they make a panic trip over the spillway. They go down every time a misinformed angler thinks he is saving his species by intentionally killing them and throwing them on the fish commission porch. They go down every time an angler targeting another species hooks into one but has neither the equipment nor the experience to handle them. These fish are the best thing about Marsh Creek Lake and many people spend a huge amount of time and money to pursue them. They are a prized resource and to replace them will take more time than some of us have left. Please give them the respect they deserve.
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Post by Cajun Caster on Jun 26, 2019 4:32:27 GMT -5
Whiskey Jack,
I find the spot directly across the cove that mikewc describes can be very productive. It would require walking across the dam and then going to the point where the habitat pilings are sticking up from the water. There is a small bank entry on this side and if you fan cast a 4" yum dinger around, you should have nice results. It's also pretty cool to see the back end of the spillway and the water canals for it. One word of caution... Whenever I walk around Marsh Creek, I wear a hunter orange vest because I have seen hunters there during hunting season and I myself, want to be seen!
Tight lines!
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Post by Grandaddy of all on Jun 26, 2019 12:58:11 GMT -5
Blaze orange in July??? are you out of your brain he'll heat exhaust and better chance of getting hit by lightning twice than a crow or squirrel hunter. Point taken on gut hooking of live bait. I agree to disagree but not fully as your argument has some sense, although i've never had a hook swallowed..gotta watch your bait at all times. I keep a small pair of bolt cutters and the rare instances myself or someone i'm with guthooks a bass I cut the hook then remove both parts. I caught a bass at marsh before that had a gut hook with the heavy monofilament a foot out it's backside.. must have been digesting it for weeks?? Snipped the hook and carefully removed the whole thing. He swam away happy a new fish Never tug or lift the fish out of the water if you can't see the whole hook. Agreed though never a good reason to kill a fish..wicked tuna even bothers me to some extent.
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Post by wader105 on Jul 18, 2019 7:34:59 GMT -5
So just a suggestion to all you helpful Harry's out there. Compared to boaters us waders are very limited to prime fishing spots and btw all boaters can access them too - even while we're fishing them. Part of the adventure of wade fishing is following those obscure deer paths for over a half hour just come out on a new spot that rewards you a couple 2+ pounders. I have always been willing to share my 25+ years on Marsh for baits, presentations and strategies. But I will never share my hard earned golden spots. Btw anyone who can read a trail map can find good wade spots. So do the homework and get adventurous - Don't have someone else do the work for you. Just remember, the next time you trek to that fav little spot of yours and there's already 2 or 3 guys there - YOU put them there with your generosity. Deep hook removal tip: check out Bill Dance you tube - CAREFULLY go in through the gill opening. For big bass only.
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Post by mikewc on Jul 18, 2019 13:37:04 GMT -5
So just a suggestion to all you helpful Harry's out there. Compared to boaters us waders are very limited to prime fishing spots and btw all boaters can access them too - even while we're fishing them. Part of the adventure of wade fishing is following those obscure deer paths for over a half hour just come out on a new spot that rewards you a couple 2+ pounders. I have always been willing to share my 25+ years on Marsh for baits, presentations and strategies. But I will never share my hard earned golden spots. Different philosophy's I suppose. Tight lines.
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yotone
Junior Member
Posts: 28
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Post by yotone on Jul 18, 2019 14:09:05 GMT -5
why not get one of those tube floats? that would help reaching better spots i would think.
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