[Zman]

PuebloGoldenWiperMan and I are hitting Pueblo (ahhhhhhh open water...should help me with the shakes Terre)...any body have any thoughts on where to go and what to look for?...havent done this at Pueblo before...it is supposed to be 65 down there...where is my umbrella drink?!

Thanks for any and all replies...

 

[afishman]

i have heard that by the windsurfing beach is a good place for that. good luck

 

[Neal/CO]

I like to slab anytime of year, as long as the walleye are 20' deep or more! It is one of my favorite ways to fish, if i am in a boat. This time of year I would imagine they will be in 35-50' of water along breaks into the channel?

I use 3/4 oz chrome Hopkins, Rocker Minnows and Bomber Slabs for deep water. Up shallower I like Rocker Minnows, Silver prism Krocs, and Buckshot Rattle Spoons. Sometimes Blade baits (like Silver Buddies and Cicada's) work well also! Just drop them to the bottom then pop them a foot or more off the bottom. The strike usually occurs as the spoon is flutting down.

Some people use spinning gear, but I prefer Baitcasting. I have a 6 1/2 MH trigger stick and a baitcaster with a flipping switch just for slabbing. The flipping switch allows you to immediatly reingage your reel after you drop some line for added depth. I also prefer 10-12 lb mono! You want the spoon to flutter down, not drop like a rock!!!!!! The extra diameter of the mono helps in this regard! Braids are thinner and you will be snagging alot

You might catch Wipers, Bass and Channels also ;D

 

[McFish]

I witnesed some fisherman a few years back slamming walleye and big catfish in December at Pueblo. They were using heavy jigging spoons and working the area around shipwreck rock. They slowyly moved from shallow to deep and back again. They were dialed in. I would not have believed them but they pulled several cats out of the live well that were over 10 and several keeper walleye.

 

[kirbydog]

Neal-Real good post. Shiprock is a good area to vertical jig. Also the bluff walls just east of the entrance to the North Marina cove down to shiprock. I like to jig with the spoon touching bottom on each drop and vary to jig distance from 1-3 ft. But sometimes they seem to like it with longer sweeps of the rod.

I've had good luck with the Northland buckshot rattle spoons and some Hopkins type spoons. I have found the wind can really make this a difficult presentation if its over 10 MPH because you're on the trolling motor constantly trying to stay vertical with the spoon. I've had my best luck on calm days. a lot of guys find this to be a boring way to fish but I like it alot and once you find the fish you can really load tyhe boat.

One other piece of advice-don't waste your time on suspended fish off the bottom. If their not close to the bottom or just off some structure I've never had much luck getting them to bite. I'll be going down to Pueblo tomorrow (wed) so if anybody sees a blue Lowe stop and say hi.

 

[Chief Nocatchum]

I have had good luck w/ a crippled herring just dont use the painted ones they are not as effective. Sometimes you can bring them in on the CR and them pick up on a gitzit or twister tipped w/ a worm. If you find the Crappie, I know it is not the most inventive way but the most productive, 1/16 jig head w/ a piece of night crawler just hang the rod off the side of the boat. It works for me. Good luck.

 

[fishinlooney]

Zman, all good advice so far! I love to spoon also, and use all the ones mentioned above, but if it's windy I definately prefer bladebaits over spoons because you don't have to keep them as vertical.
Kirby, some of those suspended fish may be smallmouth. I've caught them fishing aggresively above them with smallmouth stuff and had fair luck.