FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

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The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Weather

It was pretty nippy this morning  (Monday), clear and cool with a brisk north wind, not the perfect fishing day by any stretch.  So I laid up and waited until later in the morning before heading out.  It will be interesting to see what the affects of the last few cool nights will have on the fish and the water temp.

Hail.  Hail.  The gangs all here.

64/40.  Intervals of clouds and sun with a 0% chance of rain.  Wind NE 5 – 15 mph.

Lake level

Friday   94.19 msl.  Today 94.21 msl.  (Holding steady the last 5 or 6 days.)

Prime Periods

Minor 2:25 pm to 3:25 pm  (Only relevant time today.)

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Just got some of the new Knockin Tail Lures in a multitude of colors and they look fabulous.  Full production soon.  So click on the link and take a look.  And now I don’t have to hide them when I catch a fish! 

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The wind was blowing right out of the north at a good 15mph when I dropped in at 11:00.  What little the lake has come up was obvious at the pier, but the color was not near as good as it was Friday.  But the big thing, the water temp was down 5 degree at the ramp.  And for the rest of the afternoon that would be the best of it.

As I headed up lake the water temp stayed around 65, a big drop.  So I decided to head right to where they were and cut to the chase.  How much did it drop?  What is the color like?  And will they bite?  Lots, crap, yes, sort of.

A lot tougher but still managed to catch a couple of good ones.

Idling in the cove it stayed 65, where it has been 70 degrees, and it was murky, not the best combination.  But it was not a complete bust, I boated 6 but they were definitely smaller than they have been.  But the interesting thing?  There were no fish near as far back in the coves like they were.  The problem was the temp dropped to 63, so they moved back out some.  A 7 degree drop with color is usually not happening in the back ends.

Whether slow rolling the swim jig or pitching the plastic, the fish are still tight to cover.  But as an example the cover I caught 6 out of produced one today and I missed one.  Looking at the weather it is going to stay like this, with a big rain Wednesday, then sunny Friday and Saturday when I will be fishing Travis.  I think tomorrow I will clean the boat, it really needs it, and while I am at it do a little screw tightening, a never ending project when you use a boat this much.

I always catch a couple every spring.  This one was a beast.

After fishing some of the uplake stuff I tried 2 other coves without a bite.  Next up was the deep channel banks down lake.  I had one of the new Knockin’ Tail Lures in a green with red flake on the spinning tod, not sure what color he is calling that, so thought I would give it a go.  The second bite was a really nice bass, which I tried to boat flip without success.  So still thinking about messing that up when I get another bite, and it was the tilapia above.  I really thought I was in business.

Swimming the Knockin’ Tail ended up producing 4 or 5 total, and though most were small they were smacking it.  I am not all that much of a swim bait guy in fresh water but that will change.  Made me so excited for Arkansas, with smallmouth, largemouth, white, stripers, crappie, and walleye, all legitimate options, the Knockin’ Tail is going to put fish in the boat.  That bait catches fish, and it is nice a firm, so when on a screw lock jig head it lasts, which is a real bonus.

So while the fishing was slow, I boated around 15, but the real the point was to see how things have changed, and they have.  Actually I am glad it slowed it down, no need to hurry what is coming no matter what next month.  And it just might keep the fishing a little better until we are in full on spring.  Plus, with the forecast for up to an 1″ plus of rain Wednesday maybe we can have a nice steady raise and not that frog strangling cold bit killer.

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Over the last few years the Saturday morning ritual usually involves me watching fishing, just like I did today.  The Boss has joined in for a little different reason, I like the fish, she likes the destinations.  And once they say where they are she starts her research.  This has led to several trips in the past, and our next big one to Africa is a perfect example, and she is currently looking at Alaska.  When you are a fisherman, and your spouse really isn’t, the fact that fishing can take place in the most beautiful places in the world works out just fine for everyone.

What got me started on that is Bill Dance was brown trout fishing on the White River and it brought back some good memories.  It was January, cold, and the water was high.  They were drifting and throwing Smithwick Rogues to post spawn brown trout.  Me and some of my buddies had a roll in developing and spreading that technique on the White.  When the Rogue first appeared we were all over it and smoked the bass on Bull Shoals and Norfork.  So why not take it to the river and catch browns and rainbows?  It worked.  It was amazing seeing a nice brown materialize and absolutely attack the Rogue.  Big fun.

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Speaking of travel we just made our reservations for a week late July in Colorado.  It might be one of those the Boss flies in, and I stay longer and fish more.  The place we often stay has a deal going for returning customers.  The place is run by some folks  (You know, those Austin cool kids.), it, and the customers, are eclectic to say the least.  We stayed there right after they first opened and several times since.  Now I may be back there way sooner than that, but this adds another destination to the Trip of the Month Club.  The calendar is already starting to fill up.

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That will do it for today.  We are now in that early spring weather pattern which can be unpredictable but the fishing finally seems to be straightening up some one the lake.  Not sure exactly how the rest of this week will go, but there is going to be fishing for sure.  And then after I get my fill of the lake and some bass it is time to start working on the bay.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines