FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

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After getting blown off the lake yesterday it looked like the weather might straighten out some.  These are the kinds of days bass fishermen look forward to, and it did not disappoint.

I saw dozens of alligators, big and small, today.  Along with osprey, a bald eagle, deer, blue heron, everything was moving around before the front.

Weather

86/52.  Cloudy with a 54% chance of rain then partly cloudy.  Wind SW 10 – 20 mph.

Lake Level

Yesterday  94.37 msl,   Today 94.38 msl.  (Hanging in there.)

Bite Times

Major  8:19 am to 10:19 am.  Minor  1:45 pm to 2:45 pm.

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When I got to the ramp the water temp was almost 64, as was most of the rest of the lake.  I decided to do some fishing in a couple of coves that I have not fished this spring where they usually hang this time of year.  The first one was barren, and after that it was on.  5 here, 7 there, 2 out of that bush,  5 out of the next place, 1 on that stump, and on it went.  From 8:00 in the morning, until I quit at 5:00, it was bite after bite.  The boys have come to the party and the girls will not be far behind.

I lost the only really big one, but when you are catching fish all day no biggie.

Starting with the swim jig I tossed it around any wood and they would just start swimming with it.  While I caught them on it all day, many were small, and I missed a bunch.  So as I like to do in the spring I switched to the spinnerbait and it too was working.  It has been a while since they hit it like that, including a couple I saw coming for it.  And if there was a good piece of cover I pitched the beaver style bait to it, and of course they ate that.  There was no wrong way to fish today.

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The new Knockin’ Tail Lures will come in 6 colors and they look great.   So click on the link and take a look.  Heck, pre-order some as it is going to be first come first served. 

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Only 1 on the crankbait but 3 on the Controlled Descent pearl Knockin’ Tail.

To take a break and drink some coffee I made on quick pass in the white bass place and caught 5, a small bass, and a crappie.  The pearl Knockin’ Tail was the ticket and later it would be the bait of choice, but the white bass sure like it.  So far it is a tilapia, trout, reds, flounder, bass, crappie and white bass, all on the Knockin’ Tail.  It catches fish.

Coves were the best but today you could get bit anywhere.  They were not all the way in the back, but with the number of small ones, and it was a bunch, it looked like the spawn would be on.  There were tilapia and carp in the coves, a sure sign of spring fishing, but with the big cold front we will have to wait and see.  As the afternoon wore on I decided to head down lake to the clear water and try slow rolling the Knockin’ Tail.

Now you can put all I know about swim bait fishing for bass in a thimble, but I got some practice.  The wind had totally quit and it was partly cloudy and warm.  I fished the main lake into a couple of coves and before it was over caught 7 or 8 slow rolling the Knockin’ Tail.  It seemed like a good time to try it with no wind, and they were thumping it.  As I spend more time fishing the Knockin’ Tail the more I like it, it catches fish.  Whether it will catch a big bass remains to be seen, but I will be fishing it more and it will happen.

These were back to back while I was talking to my buddy Clyde.

As far as the spinnerbait several came buzzing it, but I had a little run slow rolling it, catching 4 in one spot, after seeing shad flipping.  Just reeling it slow, then hopping it and they would smack it.  Of course right then Clyde called and I even caught one while talking to him.  As a side note we are planning the trip to Arkansas, and he is cranked up about the walleyes.

It was one of those days where you could fish this or that, here or there, they were up and biting.  The conditions were perfect, and as always I wonder how much of that had to do with the front coming.  I do know that if the wind had not blown so freakin’ hard yesterday it probably would have been the same.  I hate to guess how many today, but it has been a while since I caught that many on the lake, or any lake.  To bad I missed the big one.  Reeled the swim jig over a lay log, bumped the branch, and she smoked it.  She swan straight out and I did not get a good hook set, but it was an awesome bite and it was a big one.   And if it remains fairly stable the rest of the big girls are right behind.  All and all one of those days we all hope for, and  today was that day.

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Clyde has been doing some ice fishing on a local small lake in upper Iowa.  He found a big grass bed and the fish were there.  Big bluegills, a staple of winter ice fishing in Iowa, along with a few perch and a walleye.  Can you say fish fry?  And it reminds me what I don’t miss about those Iowa winters.

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In Arkansas the old saying was when the dogwoods bloom the crappie bite, which as so true.  How about Texas?  Any tell tale signs?  And speaking of old sayings –  At deer camp Mr. Duncan always said hear a owl hoot at 2:00 and it will rain tomorrow.  Well today at 2:30 2 owls were in a hootin’ contest.  Just saying.

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This morning as I finish writing this it is 44 degrees and the wind is blowing pretty good.  It has not rained yet but according to the forecast (And the owls.)  some is on the way.  And Thursday doesn’t look much better but after that the warm weather is back.  Not sure when I will be back on the water but it will be soon.  And if the forecast holds, a big if, Monday and Tuesday look great for some bay fishing.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines