FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Weather

70/59.  Cloudy with a 20% chance of rain.  Wind ESE 10 – 20 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.28msl   20 days ago  98.35msl.

Solunar Times

Best 3:20 pm to 5:20 pm.  Good  8:23 am to 10:23 am.  (The day is classed as poor.)

We got back from Iowa last night and it seems like forever since I was on the water.  Other than surgery a couple of years ago, I can not remember the last time I did not fish for 20 days in a row.  Some things are just more important than fishing and one of them is my wife.  So after laying her Dad to rest it is back to real life and today was spent catching up.  And while there are a few more things I should do I am going fishing.

First up will be Coleto in the morning.  Looks like the water level has remained fairly stable, and since we are headed out for a walk it might as well be at the lake so I can check the color while we are there.  I will not even make an educated guess as to how the fishing will be, as we were gone almost 2 weeks and all I know about the weather while we were gone was it was nice, which will definitely improve the fishing.  As usual no way to know unless you go, and I sure am ready.

******************Fresh or salt it has a place in your arsenal.

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First up it was checking on the white bass.  So I actually took my own advice and headed way up river to do some trolling.  On the way there is a small flat point covered in grass with deep water nearby.  It has always been a good buzzbait bank and it did not disappoint.

There was no softly pulling it under with this girl.

The main reason I stopped there was the water temp was great over the whole lake today. It was 61 at the ramp, 63 over much of the main lake, even some 65, and the upper end was up almost 3 degrees.  And while the color is not great is a lot better.  But back to the fishing.

There were shad flipping here and there and I had that buzzbait kinda feeling.  It was probably my third cast when the one above literally killed it.  A real bite, she was hooked solid and not coming off.  She was one of those solid fish, definitely pre-spawn.  A quick cpr and off she went.  Funny how length to weight is so different with each big fish.  This girl was heavy.  Best start to the day for a while, more on the bass later.  But the plan was the white bass so I went way up, tossed out the Shallow Running Shad Rap and the chartreuse rattle bait and started trolling at 2.5mph.

A few like this and lots smaller.

I started in 10′ of water and headed up lake.  I just followed the channel with the locator and got a bite right off.  It was 5 or 6 small ones all on the Shad Rap, but no keepers until I found the right depth.  When I wrote about catching white bass the other day one of the spots I mentioned was on the edge of a hump, and this one had a nice drop beside to it.  They were holding on the edge and after a couple of passes I had them down.

I settled on keeping it in 7′ and the bite was on.  Since they were that shallow I took off the rattle bait and put on the Bagley Bang O Lure, which probably runs around 3′ on the troll.  When they would hit that they were slamming it, getting hooked on all 3 trebles.  I  just wanted to take a quick look to see if they were there, but when it started being double after double I could not help myself.  (I laughed when I started asking them not to double.  That is really looking a gift horse in the mouth.)  Not sure how many came over the side but it was a bunch.  As usual on Coleto most were small, but if you are needing a fish fry now is the time.  It is really fun when you get it dialed in.  Pass after pass gave up a couple but when I looked at my watch it was like oh crap, it is already after noon.  So it was back to bass fishing.

The only problem with the big girl was I got fooled.  Though 4 more got on the buzzbait in a couple of places none were worth a hoot.  So I switched to the swim jig as the wind was blowing right along.  It produced 2 and one other miss.  Again all small.  2 made a pass at a spinnerbait but just did not catch it.  Another switch to a Bang O Lure and it was more of the same, 3 on it with one miss.  It was very similar to how it has been.  One here, 2 there, and at least today one big bass bite.  I almost stayed with the buzzbait all day, it just had that kind of feeling, but I just could not get another big bite.  Around 4:00 I called it a day when it started raining.

The lake is right on the edge of good.  There was water that was as warm as 65, and with a full moon coming, if the weather holds and the water warms some, the first bass will be heading for a bed.  And we need the level to stay stable and definitely do not need any more color.  It was a good day, and in a few days the white bass fishing will really be on, plus the big pre-spawn bass will be on the move.  And it looks like it is time for a trip to the Nueces River, get some of the big whites they have there.

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And it was good to hear from the Fayette guru.

Welcome back !!
After taking a holiday break from fishing, I finally got to fish Fayette. Beautiful Tuesday afternoon. No wind, 75 air temp, cloudy. Perfect conditions. Started and stayed with the white swim jig in very shallow water. Wanted to see if any were spawning. Caught two nice ones that I’m sure were but not many were in 1-3’. Lots of boats on the water 30-40 which is a lot for a Tuesday. Several fish being boated in deeper waters . Water temps were 72-75 on one side of the lake and 68 on the other. Fun day on the water! I will be chasing white bass on Lake Somerville very soon, I want to fly fish for them this year.
Got everything done on the LTS that I wanted to do over the holidays.  Glad it’s done!!
Tight lines
Rusty

After doing my own LTS makeover congrats on getting it done.  As far as lots of boats, here we go, spring fishing is on the way, though I am headed there soon myself.  And have a good time on Sommerville, another serious white bass lake, and it is always possible to add a nice hybrid to the mix.  That would be a good bite on a fly rod.  It is going to be a good year on the water and thanks for dropping a comment.

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There you have it today.  A bunch of whites and a big bass, great way to start the year.  So here we go, there is lots of fishing coming, the only problem is where.  So many places so little time.  And anytime you want to comment drop us a line.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines