I Tried Fishing a Dried Up River
Use a jerkbait for active bass, then switch to a small hook, mealworm, split shot, and bobber when pressured suckers ignore lures.
- Start with a jerkbait; bass followed and bit within the first two casts.
- For finicky suckers, use a size 8 hook, mealworm, split shot, and small bobber; expect a long wait.
- When bass feed on bugs at the surface, try a micro popper and pause between pops.
The practical tactics are covered in the notes; the rest is mainly fishing attempts and results. · Best for: Anglers targeting bass and suckers in shallow, low-flow rivers.
The creator fishes a shrinking Salt River pool where fish are trapped after water levels drop. He catches largemouth bass and a desert sucker, but not the hoped-for large carp or all target species.
Low water and first bass0:00
- The river’s lowered flows leave fish isolated in deep pools until flows rise again.
- A jerkbait gets two follows on the first cast and a largemouth bass on the second.
Chumming and hair-rig setup2:27
- The creator mixes breadcrumbs, strawberry Jell-O, hominy, corn, and bread into moldable bait balls to attract large fish.
- He scatters bait as chum and fishes a hair rig; he notes a method feeder would usually be preferable, but he does not have one.
Bass attempts and switch to bait fishing5:55
- Bass activity fades, so he switches to mealworms with a size 8 hook, split shots, and a small bobber for suckers.
- After about 45 minutes, he catches a desert sucker and identifies it as a new species for him.
Surface bass on a micro popper11:35
- Seeing bass feed on bugs, he tries a micro popper and catches several bass, including on the first cast.
- He pauses the popper to let the surface rings settle and continue targeting fish feeding near the surface.
Late-day results14:39
- He returns to sucker fishing, but bites remain scarce and he catches another desert sucker, partly snagged.
- The session ends without the hoped-for large carp or the full species list.
Step by step
- 1. Scan the pool for active fish and begin with a jerkbait for bass.
- 2. If targeting larger fish, mix breadcrumbs, strawberry Jell-O, hominy, corn, and bread until the mixture forms bait balls; use some as chum.
- 3. Fish the bait on a hair rig, checking it periodically.
- 4. For finicky suckers, use a mealworm on a size 8 hook with split shots and a small bobber; wait for subtle bites.
- 5. If bass are feeding on surface bugs, switch to a micro popper and pause between pops.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Adaptive Baits Bushi Ball — alternative lure tried after jerkbait action slowed.
- Euro Tackle micro popper — small topwater lure used for bass feeding on bugs.
- Membrane Solutions filtration bottle and straw — discussed in a sponsor segment; presented as filtering drinking water.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.