FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Not sure why I put today’s conditions on yesterday’s ramblings, just goes to show I was looking forward to fishing today.  And I was not disappointed.   And today added another pattern, or at least a method, to catch them.  Today they bit from first thing until I quit at 1:00.  3 baits put fish in the boat today and each had a place and time.

Weather

60/88.  Mostly sunny and very warm with a 25% chance of rain.   Wind   ENE 12 – 27 mph.

Lake Level

Friday   96.62 msl.    Today   96.58 msl.   (The water level drop is becoming serious. We need rain badly!)

Bite Time

Major   3:17 pm   to 5:17  pm.     Minor   8:16 am to 9:16 am.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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The water temp was 78 degrees at the ramp and over most of the lake with the wind pounding right on the ramp.  The forecast was for wind and while it did blow it was not quite the hassle it was Friday.  And while it was windy in most places there were some areas with less wind, and some places out of the wind.  The 3 baits that produced were the spinnerbait in the windy areas, buzzbait in the ripple, and the 5″ Smoke Shad Knockin Tail in the calm water.  First up was buzzbait and they were biting.

When this size smashes the buzzbait on top you know you had a bite!

More buzzbait fish.  It was good first thing.

A bunch jumped on the buzzbait and they bit until the wind really got up and the sun came out.  The wind started picking up and the main lake had whitecaps.  The best areas for spinnerbait was a good ripple but not on the banks the wind was pounding on.  Like the buzzbait the spinnerbait produced a consistent bite.  Coves were best as long as the wind was not blowing directly in.  And like it has been the points to about halfway back in the coves seems to be the best location.

The best of the spinnerbait fish.

I just kept covering the miles with the spinnerbait until I decided to give the Knockin Tail swimbait a try.  After ignoring anything but the spinnerbait for a couple of weeks today the plan was to fish the buzzbait and then the swim bait.  I rigged the 5″  Smoke Shad Knockin Tail on a weighted 3/16th swimbait hook and did not bury the hook leaving it exposed.  The plan was to throw it to the bank but fish it slow and steady way off, and it worked.

Got to see this girl eat the 5″ Smoke Shad Knockin Tail.  Cool Bite.

The best place for the swimbait was areas with little wind, in fact the first 4 I caught came from a bank that was totally calm.  It took me a while to get the speed down, which was a moderate and I was running it out of sight.  I did see several hit it or roll on it, and before I quit it was an easy dozen bites.  It was 6 on the Smoke Shad and I definitely lost a couple and missed a couple more that I would caught later.  Real potential right now to boat a big one on the 5′” Knockin Tail.

The another one on the Smoke Shad.

After fishing moving baits like the spinnerbait and buzzbait it took me just a minute to get the hang of the bite.  It was similar to a swim jig but less feel when reeling it in.  Moving out even farther off the bank I started getting bit by a little better fish.  I might try a little heavier swim bait hook to be able to reel it a little faster and retain a little more feel.  But no matter it is a third way to catch them on the lake.  The plan would be to fish spawning coves and hope to whack the big post-spawn female who can not resist the rattling Knockin Tail.

This morning was another good day.  It has been a while since the lake fishing as been this good and I intend to take advantage of it while it lasts.  Anytime I can boat an easy 20+ in a morning with a healthy limit if I was tournament fishing is a good day.  Looking at the forecast it is going to really blow on Wednesday so I will drag this old ass out of bed early again and get one more day in before I have to be responsible.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines