Hybrids were stocked at Clark's Hill many years ago and they are very active during Thanksgiving Holidays. Big schools of big hybrids roam the flats and points, filling up on threadfin shad. Sometimes I catch one on my crappie rod and really have a fight. Usually I use heavier tackle and drop a spoon or tailspinner like a Little George down to them. I ride the lake watching my depthfinder for shad and fish below them. Jigging for them usually pays off is lots of strong fighting fish.
One Thanksgiving I saw lots of fish on my depthfinder on drops in 18 feet of water but could not get them to hit. Every time I stopped and started jigging for them, they disappeared. I realized the fish were moving rather than holding in one place so I devised a rig to take advantage of this. I tied a small floating Rapala to a Carolina worm rig. The one ounce sinker would carry the plug to the bottom quickly and the leader let it float up.
I would cast this rig out and drag it along the breakline with my trolling motor. I was able to intercept the fish and caught lots of hybrids and bass using this method. I now keep a plug rigged like this most of the time, and it has helped me catch fish when they would not hit anything else.
When I first started fishing during Thanksgiving back in the mid 1970's, it was unusual to see another boat on the lake. That has certainly changed with lots of people taking advantage of the good fishing. It was too good to hope to keep to myself.
I can't wait for the holidays to see my family - and get in a little fishing!
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