FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Weather

62/86.  Partly sunny with a 10% chance of rain.  Wind NW  7 – 13 mph.

Lake Level

Today  94.04 msl.   Yesterday  94.01 msl.

Solunar Time

Major  9:15 am to 11:15 am.   Minor  2:31 pm to 3:31 pm.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Finally.

I was flat determined to catch a few today, and it worked out.  The wind was light as advertised and the sky cleared off as it was cracking daylight.  The water temp remains in the mid to high 60’s over all of the lake, and there are still areas that are off color.  So it was topwater time, and until 10:00 when the sun got out and the sky cleared, it was a steady, not fast, bite on a Rapala balsa minnow.  The first point produced 3, the next place a couple, and it stayed that way.  They wanted it twitched right on top and most came right on, or a little off, the bank, none way off.

The 3rd place turned out to be the place.  I tossed th minnow bait next to a pile of brush and the one above jumped all over it.  Best bite I have had in a while.  Of course she proceeded to dive straight into the mess.  With only 10lb line and a light action rod it was a struggle.  Occasionally I would see her, and after what seemed like 10 minutes of pulling really softly she swam back out.  Making it all the way with 3 trebles without getting stuck was pure luck, and I scooped her up.

I forgot what a big pre-spawn bass feels like.  You pick them up and the added weight is noticeable.  Not sure what she weighed but  it was good one who was up there looking to spawn.  As usual a quick pic and back in she went.

Of the 15 about half were like this.  The lake is getting there.

The wind was blowing in part of the cove so I switched to a spinnerbait and caught another.  When it noticeably slowed down I alternated between a blue swim jig with a blue craw trailer and did a little pitching on the last bank, which produced a couple.  It was 2 each on spinnerbait, swim jig, and pitching a stick worm, and 9 came on topwater.  At 1:00 I called it a day a much happier fisherman than yesterday.

What is still somewhat puzzling is that some of the usual spring coves are almost bare of fish.  And the rest of the lake is still one here, two there, but never a solid pattern.  But of course there was one thing consistent, wood.  And once the sky really cleared the one place I pitched they were on the wood, which should be a regular thing on the lake from here on out.  And the slow rise is getting more and more stuff in the water, which will definitely help.

Nice to finally boat a big one, not sure what that might mean, but it is progress.  I love topwater minnow, twitch it just right and they eat.  Either the Rapala or the Bang O Lure will do the job, and the next day with clouds, mist, and light wind should be a killer.  Plus time to put a few crappie in the boat, feeling like a fish fry.  Then next week I plan on getting back on the bay to see what that is like.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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A Better Cork built a Better Way

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