Fish Catching Travel

Can’t wait to try KVD’s new Tournament Buzzbait.

Weather

76/60  Wind SE 5 – 15  Cloudy with a 60% chance of rain  (They got the forecast dead right.)

Tides

Th  17      Low   8:10 AM    -0.2
High   8:22 PM     0.5

Solunar Times

• Best Times     7:00A – 9:00A
•                          7:26P – 9:26P
• Good Times   12:48A – 2:48A

Sorry you salt addicts, but with  perfect weather (drizzling rain) it was back to Coleto.  Now before we get to the fishing something happened today that I have never seen.  Whether it was walking up on 2 cheetas taking a nap under a tree on the African plain, having a whitetail fawn try to get in my boat, or the gobble fest that was happening around me as I fished, nothing made a bigger impression on me that what happened today.

I headed down the windy side of a big cove near the dam and when I got near the back end there was a big alligator laying right next to the bank on the other shore.  As I got even with him he raised up on all fours and roared.  I mean bellowed full throat twice.  His body was pumped full and he looked as big as a 50 gallon drum.  The water was foaming around him as he roared.  Wow.

That thing was fierce, primeval, and as big as any I have ever seen.  He did not seem to notice me and then his head swiveled around and he looked right at me.  Folks trust me, he was worked up.  Being around them for years they do not scare me, I just have a healthy respect, but this one had menace in his eyes and it was one impressive display of male hormones run amok.  The great outdoors is just that, great, and I got to witness something that will stick in my memory for a life time.

(I wanted to know about the water frothing on his back so I read this, very interesting.     http://www.wired.com/2011/05/alligator-mating-physics/)

******************

The Beat Goes On

As conditions stayed perfect for a bass assault I could not help myself.  When you love the visual bite as much as I do I wait all year for this, the time is now.  And as the bite has been in the middle of the day there was no hurry so it was 9:30 before I backed the boat in.  It was lightly drizzling with the wind out of the SE at about 10 mph depending on where you were.  First stop was the cove where I put the smack down on them.  Primarily it was to check and see if they were biting there earlier.  I started on the point with the Strike King Bleeding Buzzbait and had a one about 5 crash it and immediately in a pile of stuff he went.

Bigger fish?  Fish the buzzbait.

Unfortunately he pulled off before I could get to him.  That was a sign of things to come in there as I proceeded to miss 4, or they missed me, it was a group effort.  With them being somewhat tentative I threw the Swim Jig and of course caught one right off the bat.  But with my love of the visual bite I either wanted to keep force feeding them the buzzbait or give the topwater a go, and with a light wind topwater seemed logical.

Without boring you there is a big punch line here, almost the back end of anything midlake down has bass in the back end.  Twitching that balsa minnow on top produced tons of bites in those back ends.  Now most of those were small fish, but plenty were keepers.  I am noticing one thing, you have those that are just going on beds with full bellies, and those that are done and look like they have been in a knife fight at their local drive bar.

As I worked any clear water it was throw the buzzbait anywhere there was wind, especially on points.  The best place for the topwater was anywhere there was brush off the bank.  And if you could find bushes in deeper than 2 foot those fish are there.  One problem I experienced with the small Rapala balsa minnow is the hooks are so small and I had a problem with a few pulling off.  In the best cove I fished I think I went 3 for 10 or so.  And polarized glasses are mandatory.  With the heavy cloud cover the yellow Cocoons lightened it up enough to see those fish roll, without them my hook up percentage would have been in the dumpster.

Twitiching it just under and letting it pop up, and then twitching it under again, you could see them roll over on it.  So the plan is next time to take the 3 hooks off and put 2 bigger ones back on trying to keep the weight the same.  In the 7 hours I fished I had lots of bites, and while I caught fish, it is hard to estimate the number who were on for a second and then off.  Basically a simple problem easily rectified.

Fishing is consistent, almost great, right now.  There are lots of folks at the lake due to spring break but the rain kept lots of them inside.  Plus, the balsa minnow technique is a great bait to use when it is busy.  Subtle, it will pull those fish out of cover when other baits won’t.   How do I know for sure?  I fished a cove completely with the buzzbait and had one bite, so I just turned around and re-fished it with the topwater.  That was the place I then went 3 for 10.  The fish were exactly where I knew they were, isolated deeper bushes, but they were  not interested in chasing anything.  But twitch that bait next to the deep brush and out they came.  Another lesson learned.

And beds, oh the beds.  If you are a bed fisherman, not my thing, you should be in heaven on Coleto right now.  Besides the bass, the tilapia are at it full swing and I saw them in most every cove I fished today.  Guess I need to get my buddy Jeffish and do a little bow fishing for them.  They are literally everywhere.

*****************

I got this comment from my buddy Voe, who fished with me Monday before he left town.

It figures, your next time out you wack em.
They look nice.

Life is not fair, especially when it is lived with a fishing rod in your hand.  The old should have been here yesterday, last week, last month.  But as usual we had a good time anyway, so let me know when you will be back and we will give it another go.

*****************

I am starting to get excited about Arkansas.  The final plans are close to made, just a questions of when I decide to go, but it is in the next week or less.  The Shoedog is already up there with his grandson and by time I get there he should have a pretty good idea on what we need to be doing.  Normally when we go it is not a real meat hunt, but in this case some crappie, walleyes, and stripers in the freezer will be a good thing.  Before that I hope to make it to the Gulf a few days.  I have not forgot about you salt guys, but it is hard to stop chasing nice bass on the buzzbait.  What a bite.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool new stuff for 2016.

Weather

75H/L65   Wind 10 – 20 SE   Cloudy  Chance Rain 20%

Tides

W   16      Low   6:48 AM    -0.2
16     High   7:39 PM     0.6

Solunar Times

• Best Times:
• Good Time:

• Best Times    6:10A – 8:10A
•                         6:37P – 8:37P
• Good Times  11:57A – 1:57P  (Very close today)

Buzzbait Time

If you read my stuff regularly you know I look forward to days like today.  This set of conditions is perfect for Coleto in the spring.  Warm all night, warm day, wind not to bad, and drizzle.  And this time of year one thing that is nice is the bite is usually sometime during the day as opposed to first light.

So I started about 9:00 and caught the one below in the first cove I fished.  He smoked that buzzbait and I was thinking here it comes.  Well a few hours later I was wondering what I was thinking.  I fished from coves near the dam all the way up lake and did not have a fish.  Of course part of that was the choice I made, to go way up and see if it was clearing.

 First bite.

I basically threw the book at them as I worked my way up with no luck.  Finally when I was way up, almost to Shrader Bridge I caught a couple of one place throwing the watermelon red senko style plastic. It seemed like the water up there  is finally clearing some, but it is way up.  After not catching anything for a while I thought it was time to pitch it into cover, and though I got these 2 it never did happen.

Before 2:00.

The water up lake is still really a funny color, and just did not feel right.  But they had to bite, it was the right day and the right time.  So with that motivating me I ran all the way back down to a cove right near the dam and grabbed the buzzbait, and the bite was on.

After 2 – The bite begins.

I started on the point and before I made it all the way around the cove I caught 7.  So I kept going, hitting coves and points.  Basically I was searching for clear water and finding it gave me confidence, and the fish sure liked it.  When one hit it they blasted it.  And wind on the bank did not hurt anything, in fact the best place had the wind blowing right in it.

They were flat out smashing that Strike King Buzzbait!

From about 1:30 until I quit at 4 they bit, and I left them biting.  It was the kind of buzzbait day I wait for all year.  They were really shallow and you had to throw it way back in the stuff and have it moving when it hit the water.  While I never hit another real jackpot like the first place, I caught fish or two everywhere I fished after that.

For 2 hours it was crazy good.

I was reeling it moderately slow keeping the rod pointed right at the bait.  When combined with the braid it really lets you get a hook in them when they blow up on it.  My personal preference is a heavy action rod, seems like if you get the hook in them they are going nowhere.  There really wasn’t a defined locational pattern to them, it was just keep it in the water.  Casting and winding, every once in a while one would commit in a big way.  It definitely was one of those days where making a perfect cast resulted in a bite.

Amazing what a difference a couple of days make.  Monday it was hot and sunny, and they were not having it.  Today they were on the move.  I have a feeling if I had stayed in the clearer water in the lower end all day I would have boated a lot more, and started catching them a lot earlier.  But no complaints.  Whether it a bass, trout, muskie, or redfish, when they are hitting topwater I am all about it.  And if you do not take the time to check stuff out, and keep trying different areas, you will end up knowing nothing.  We really can learn almost as much not catching them.  But who knows what I missed fishing up the river all morning.

Now the big question is whether I am going to do it one more day.  I often say do the thing you need to be doing when you need to do it.  I have a feeling staying with it all day should produce a big fish if a person keeps after it.  Besides, the lake came up just a tiny bit more and we have lots of cover in the lake.  As it clears it will only get better.  And I have to get to the Gulf, there should be a pretty good bite there too, depending on the wind.  I really appreciate your comments so feel free drop one anytime.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool new stuff for 2016.

Weather

Mainly sunny. High 91F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph   0% Chance precip/.0 inches

Solunar Times

• Best Times    4:10A – 6:10A
•                         4:38P – 6:38P
• Good Times  10:24A – 12:24P

Tides

M   14      Low   4:12 AM
14     High   6:17 PM     0.5

Water

Up a couple of feet since last trip.  Temp 72 – 76 over most of the lake.  From real murky up both arms to fairly clear near the dam.

*******************

There really is not much to say about fishing Coleto.  Voe was able to fish a day before he headed back to Las Vegas so we hit the lake right after day break.  It was fairly foggy and it did not clear until about 9.

We started mid lake and fished a couple of coves and points on both sides going in.  I caught a small one in the back end of the first one we fished, and then it was about an hour before Voe finally caught one on a buzzbait.  In fact, I went almost all morning without another bite, and that was his only bite on the buzzbait.

The only one worth a hoot all day.

We ended up fishing both arms, a couple of main lake coves, a creek, and a big flat cove, all with about the same success.  It did seem the farther up lake you went in either arm the slower the fishing got.  The only place we actually had more than a couple of bites was in a creek, and they were all small.  It seems the water raise and the color combined to slow them down, but it may just not be me adapting to the changes.  Only time will tell.  I do know that there is a ton more cover in the water and that can only help as  conditions stabilize.

The ones we did catch came half came on Swim Jigs, and 1 or 2 on buzzbait, blade bait, and I think one on a worm.  Just guessing we caught 9, and until we fished the last pocket right by the dam, maybe 3 of them measured.  The one above came on a KVD 4 1/2″ pearl swim bait.  It came out of a shallow bush and ate it, the only one we actually saw eat it, unlike the last couple of trips.  We fished hard and just never did have a run, just a bite here and a bite there.  We needed the rain but a big raise during the spawn is usually not a good thing.

One thing going on, the tilapia are starting to be everywhere.  As the water clears they will be easy to find in the back of flat coves, their spawning beds look like a small tire in the water.  And trust me, if you find a bunch of beds they are in the hole, no matter what your eyes tell you.  So if you ever wanted so shoot one with a bow and arrow, now is the time.  And they are a lot better to eat out of the lake than the ones you buy in the store.

*******************

Johnny sent a report on Coleto and a comment on the Fiskars scissors.

The Fiskar Scissors cut the braided line like a hot knife through butter!

Caught most of the fish today on soft plastics in 4′-5′ of water. There were a few in the coves but most were on points. Hope the good luck hangs around next weekend for the tournament.

Thanks for tip about the trailer on the spinnerbait.

Caught most of the fish today on soft plastics in 4′-5′ of water. There were a few in the coves but most were on points. Hope the good luck hangs around next weekend for the tournament.

Thanks for tip about the trailer on the spinnerbait.

Thanks for the report and the tip on the scissors.  Looks like the fish may have backed off just a little with the rain.  So good luck in the tourney, let us know how you do, win, lose, or draw.

*******************

And I got this from Chuck who fished in the kayak tournament on Coleto last weekend.

KATS Tournament 03/12 with 107 Kayak entered. Water wasn’t too bad. Tough day of fishing for most. The rise pushed the shallow fish up further and the big ones were tough to get to for most folks. Two lucky anglers found a small cove that had 20″ fish in (kayak tournaments use length instead of weight. We CPR Catch, Photo and Release the fish) Plenty of zeros got posted by some darn fine anglers. I caught 3 fish off one stump but could never find another stump the fish were holding on. I’m going to keep my lucky bait under my hat for now, but the most successful plastics were all dark as in black/blue. Seems like smaller fish liked the pink and chartreuse. A few guys caught em on swimbaits and spinner baits. Winning length total for 5 fish was 96″.

Wow!  I know kayak fishing is gaining popularity, but I had no idea that many folks would be fishing.  Of course whether fishing a kayak tourney or a boat tourney, it seems conditions always conspire to turn things on their ear.   Not a bad string for the winner, I would be happy with 5 that measure 20″ most any day and most anywhere.

*******************

Mark sent along this comment on the needle fish I caught on Coleto.

The photo of the weird fish caught on your March 8 trip to Coleto Creek is an Atlantic Needlefish. Scientific name “Strongylura marina”.
They are quite common in the bays in the spring and summer. Apparently this fish migrated up the Guadalupe River and was pumped into the reservoir by GBRA pumps.

Thanks.  I thought they looked like what we catch at the gulf occasionally, just surprised they can live in fresh water.  And I wondered how they might have gotten into Coleto.  So great comment, thanks for reading.

********************

That about catches us up for the day.  I am just waiting to hear from Shoedog on tomorrows plan, but it will be on the water.  So next it is outside to work on trailer lights.  Funny how both trailers were fine, now both are acting up.  Love those trailer lights.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool new stuff for 2016.

I might not have fished last week, but a few folks got out the last couple of days and managed to catch a few.  Looking at the week to come it has winds up to 20mph every day.  That is the thing about March, you get some and you lose some.  Water is warming and most of the gamefish we chase are stirring around and thinking about making some babies.  Unfortunately along with that is the winds which either roar out of the north or the southeast, then all day from both directions, and then it will really blow.  But the end is near as we approach the middle of the month and our best fishing of the year both fresh and salt is coming.

*******************

Got a great report from my buddy Jeffish who is on Lake Dunlap with family and the future Bass Master Champion of 2030, Korbin, but bass were not on the agenda this weekend.

That thing is as big as you are Korbin!  Jeffish said he about wet his pants on this one.  Just kidding Korbin.

Korbin and I set some limb lines out on Lake Dunlap and caught 2 channels and a yellow on small perch. Then Korbin caught another yellow on road and reel. Good fight on light pole. 16 lbs or so total. Frying em up for a Sunday feast.

Jeffish and Korbin with a heavy string.

Nice job boys.  Looks like a pretty productive weekend.  Korbin keeps putting them in the boat no matter where he fishes.  So have a good fish fry, makes my mouth water to think about it.

*********************

I waited Friday until it looked like the rain had mostly cleared and headed out to Fayette Co. Lake.  Got there about 12:30 and fishing by 12:45.  Guy at the ramp said he was disappointed with his day and asked if I had been there much lately.  Told him not since the first of the year.  I put in at Oak Thicket Park and went out and started on the same long bank we always do on the left going down lake. The weather was changing hourly- Sun, drizzle, partly cloudy, calm, windy- whatever.

*********************

Johnny sent along this tip and a note on Coleto’s current water condition.

Hi Douglas. My wife found these snips at Walmart in the Fabric Department for my tackle box.  They are sharp and easy to use. Don’t have to fight the little holes in small scissors with my big fingers. Thought you might want to try them out.

I was at Coleto today and the water from the housing addition to the plant is real dirty. The main lake up to the first bridge is still clear up to a foot deep. Caught a few on white spinnerbait and the old style white swim jig.

Have a safe trip home.

Thanks for the tip on the scissors, will be interested in how they work on braid.  Fiskars make good products so for all you guys with the big hands here is a good alternative.  And I wondered how the lake was, sounds like it got a lot of off color water after all that rain.  Since I plan on fishing there in the morning I will be able to update conditions.  And if any of you have had chance to fish it the last couple of days drop us a line, love to get a new report.

*******************

Speaking of getting home safely it was an interesting trip.  Las Vegas changes each and every time we go, and it has been almost 30 years since we first went.  Probably the most memorable moments of the trip were at Bush International before we even took off.

First, you know how TSA is always running that thing over the speakers about unattended bags?  Well there was a ratty back pack left leaning against the  counter as we waited for the plane.  After a while I finally said something.  10 minutes later a woman with a plastic vest strolls over, and then leaves.  Then about 10 more minutes later here comes the cops.  So that thing sat there for well over a half hour at least and nobody really cared.  Your tax dollars at work.

Second. the plane was 3 hours late, and on boarding there were 6 or so dudes acting a fool.  Apparently on the way to this guys bachelor party, his brother decided that he could be a real idiot.  So he disregards the flight attendant’s orders twice, and was disrespectful.  She did not get in to it with him, and then here comes security, and there goes the fool off the plane.  His brother is going but I already paid for the trip, to bad.  Could not have happened to a better guy.  Other than that the trip was uneventful and we missed the rain.

*******************

It does feel weird when I haven’t fished all week, but from what I hear the weather and rain this week was plenty tough and I did not miss anything.  But all this writing about fishing and looking at pictures has me cranked up to go.  First will be Coleto, and from there who knows.  The first day this week the wind is not expected to top 20 I will be on my way to the Gulf.  So pray for calm, the topwater bite has to be on so maybe it will just boil down to which direction the wind is blowing where I can get to the trout.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

This is quick post, no fancy stuff. Can anyone help a few brothers out?  I am in Las Vegas, we decided to hit the road for a couple of days to miss the rain so I do not have a clue what is going on at the lake.  A buddy told me got around 5 – 6 inches.  I have got several comments concerning water levels, color, at lake.  So if any buddy can help us out with a water report send a comment as quick as you can and I will post them.  It sure could help several folks thinking of coming to Coleto, nothing worse than getting there and it is to ugly to fish.  Hope you all made it ok, looked rough on the news.  Thanks in advance, back in the game tomorrow.

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool new stuff for 2016.

Weather

Overcast  72.9 °F   Feels Like 74 °F 

Tide   M    7th      Low  10:39 AM    -0.2  (No high for the day, and low is getting later, the good tide is right around the corner, and next week will be the Gulf.)

• Best Times: 8:47A – 10:47A     9:14P – 11:14P

• Good Times:  2:33A – 4:33A

Wind

As soon as I got up this morning I hitched up the boat and headed to Coleto.  It was already blowing pretty good, and was looking to pick up as the day went along.  That sure turned out to be right on.  Funny how the weather man can miss the wind forecast fairly regularly, but there is one thing to know for sure, he is never wrong when the forecast is for big wind.  So knowing it is forecast to blow hard for 3 days with a significant chance of rain or storms, it was fish this morning or it might be a while.

The lake is still falling slowly, and there is grass and other stuff growing on some of the flat wetter banks.  Before I forget, what makes that significant is that if we get some rain and a raise this week those fish will charge that stuff in a heartbeat.  The last few trips they have been on grass and cover.  The ones I am catching are shallow, and like last trip I got to see several fish eat it today.

The white Strike King Tour Grade Swimming Jig is still the ticket.

There is not a lot of grass and what you do find in some of these coves is really shallow, but there are still some fish up there foraging around.  So have that jig moving when it hits the water and do at least a couple of erratic speed cranks/stop in the first 10 feet or so, and if you feel anything, set the hook.  They are not slamming it, but they are eating it.  Kind of a trade off, if you recognize a bite quick enough they are coming in the boat, but hesitate and they are gone.

Some of them are pretty beat up right now with the spawn in full swing.

I probably caught maybe 6 or so on the Swim Jig so I decided to fish a bait I told you I was going to fish next time out.  Now that is not such a big deal, if the wind is not blowing 25 – 30mph.  To explain that statement it is important to know how I fish it.

In the early spring through out the spawn they will eat a bubble gum trick worm.  It is a ton of fun to fish, and it you like visual strikes it is the bomb.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys!

I throw this on at least 15lb test, 20 if I have some fluorocarbon.  A weedless hook, generally a 2/0 or 3/0 in red if you can find them, and no weight. (And that is why it was so tough to fish in high winds.)  Tossing it to the bank I give it a tug and it does the collapse and open thing, and I just twitch it along.  The best depth seems to be where you can just see it.  About half of them you will see them roll on it, others the worm just disappears or you see your line move.  You need to get any slack out and bust em’.

They thought they were going to chew some bubblegum.

The bubble gum trick worm is particularly effective in the back ends of pockets and coves.  It is a soft presentation and a fairly finesse presentation.  It can be worked slowly over trash and cover, just twitching it along.  Fishing it is really a believe your own eyes thing, yes, one really does have it.  Fishing the last 2 coves with it before I quit I boated 4 or 5, had one break my line, and missed a couple.  And it is real important to wear good optics, today since it was cloudy it was Cocoons in the yellow lens, which made that worm super visible, a real plus.

By 1:00 it was almost blowing me off the front deck, it was just to much of a hassle and getting worse, and it sprinkled some but never did rain.  Considering the conditions I was happy with the results.  If it had not been blowing the trick worm would have really smoked them.  Those fish are in the back ends and looking to eat, making it the perfect time for the trick worm.  It is something they do not see that often and is worth giving it a try.  When I came back to the ramp it was white capping to beat the band and it was definitely time to call it a day.

His eyes were sure bigger than his stomach.  What a weird fish in freshwater.

*********************

Got this great question from Chuck that I was actually thinking about today as I tried to keep from blowing off the bow of the boat.

I’m enjoying reading your blog. I have a kayak fishing tournament coming up on Coleto March 12th and wonder what may happen to the fishing if it rains a whole bunch like the weather guessers are saying it will ?

Lets look at a couple of scenarios.  The lake is going down and there is actually new growth coming up where it is freshly exposed.  The water has come down enough that much of the shoreline cover is a little to shallow.  So if we get a gully washer, but no mud, the lake will come up and flood lots of new growth and cover at what I think is the perfect time.  Now if it really muddies up it will affect them, but mainly the back ends of  coves and creeks until they start to clear, and then it will be on big time.

There is one scenario that is really tough, and that is if we get a monster raise.  I have seen that happen over the last 40 years several times where the fish did not come with it.  When that happens the fish still bite but it is basically at the place they were when it came up.  And as we are in the spawn right now we do not want it to rain a ton right before this moon.

But the real point is how cool is the rain runoff?  Looking at this week’s forecast it is going to stay warm until it cools off a little at night at the end of the week.  Until then the rain temp should not have any great affect.  But if it rains hard and cold one night look out, everything will change in the big coves and the lake itself, none of it for the good.

One thing about the kayak, as you paddle out of the ramp cove you will get an immediate take on the water color.  It may be clear like it is now, or off color, or dirty.  So as you paddle out to the main lake you will get an instant read on the color, and what effect it might have had, especially in the coves, depending on the amount of rain we get.  Maybe this does not make a lot of sense, kind of hard to condense all the possibilities.  But one thing is for sure, if it just rains some and blows the next couple of days it will have no real affect, the bite is on.  But if it is clear that it has muddied up as you paddle out, stay on the main lake and look for tips of grass sticking out, that is the first place I would look. So thanks for the question, and sorry for the rambling answer.  And let us know how the tournament goes.

                                                                 ******************

Had a great time eating oysters at Fulton the other day, followed by more seafood for supper in Corpus.  Growing up in Iowa, where seafood is those $1 packages of pop corn shrimp or fish sticks, you really do not have a clue about seafood.  Fresh huge shrimp, oysters on the half shell, oyster shooters, po’ boys, grouper sandwiches, and octopus, whether beside the Aegean Sea or in some dive in Louisiana, it is all good and makes my mouth water thinking about it.

The forecast this week is something.  If it rains even half of the time they are forecasting we could really get wet.  And combining it with 20 – 30mph winds just makes it perfect.  So who has a clue what is next?  It is up in the air.  Who knows, I just might disappear a couple of days.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool new stuff for 2016.

I try to keep the ads/plugs to a minimum but the other day on Coleto I really got a lesson in what it means to have the right optics from Cocoons. There was something about the combination of water color, lure color, and sunlight that seemed to actually make the Swim Jig glow.  No matter how many times I see a fish eat it still excites me, and they were smoking that thing.  So the next plan is to take the different lens with me and actually change glasses as I fish and try to really determine the proper lens for the conditions.  I know we all can’t have every pair we need, but there is a difference and for those of us that wear glasses Cocoons fit overs are affordable.  More on that as spring progresses.

********************

How about a few more Arkansas pictures?  These are my buddy Clyde from a week or so ago when the Shoedog was up there fishing with him.  The year I moved to Mtn. Home, 1974, and bought a small gas station/tackle store Clyde came down to work with  me.  We basically ran the store or fished our butts off for several years.  He still keeps after them 40 years later.

A couple of nice stripers.

A hybrid and a smallmouth.  You can catch the works on Norfork.

Now that is a nice Kentucky.

We are still trying to finalize plans, but it looks like it will be a full week of fishing on Norfork and Bull Shoals the last week of March.  They are a little ahead this year so our timing should be great.  One thing to be said for their fishing is the number of species that can be caught.  The baits of choice in the spring are a jerkbait, a grub, and the Alabama Rig.  I have never used the Alabama rig, not a great choice for Coleto or Falcon, but will throw it quite a bit this trip if these pictures are any indication.  And as you can see it catches most everything that swims.  It is time to get excited, the fishing should be on.  So see you guys in a couple of weeks.

********************

The Good Old Days

I have been reading the white bass reports online keeping up with the run this spring.  Funny how 12″ and up is often mentioned, and 10″ is legal.  So I thought I would share a picture with you from Arkansas sometime in the 70’s .  Look at the size of the whites on the left, that is not uncommon in those lakes., with 3lbs being fairly common.  Also note the 10 fish bass limit in place at the time.  There was way over 150lbs on this stringer, and though legal it was a different time and a different ethic.

Maxwell, me, Danny, Terry, and Clyde

That was one of those perfect storm days where the fish bit all day everywhere we went.  Most were caught on spinnerbait and jigs, many with really light line.  We really did whack them, and it was one of my most memorable days.

******************

I got this comment from Gary which really sums up the turn the fishing has taken on Coleto:

Awesome report, it’s good to see Coleto getting back to it’s old self, beautiful pictures as well. Hopefully it will hold for the spring season, should be a good buzz bait bite soon! Keep up the good work!

You are so right about the buzzbait bite.  And speaking of the buzzbait bite, a bait I want to throw in that vein is the Whopper Plopper by River to Sea.  While $17 baits are not usual in my tackle box I plan to make an exception for this one.   Also I did see some beds yesterday, and we should have a full on spawn this next moon.  So if you haven’t fished Coleto lately now is the time.  Thanks for the comment.

*********************

And this comment on my less than stellar day on POC this week:

You might not agree, but to me, this was one of your better reports. Why?, because you explained in such detail why the fish did’nt bite. Also the weather, tide, solunar info adds a lot of value to your reports. I’m sure you will get ’em next time.

Thanks Rick, I hope to get them next time.  Now when that will be I am not sure as we are going to have a stretch of weather this week, so we will just have to wait and see.  And as far as putting the conditions for each trip, it is the kind of thing that a real fishing log contains.  Not only does it give us a place to start next year by reading old reports and comparing conditions, but it gives us additional information to talk about on the blog.  And there is one thing to add to the conditions the other day:  The wind initially was out of the north/east and it was actually a cold front.  It sure seems that speckled trout take a slight drop in water and air temp much harder than other fish.  So a small front can have a major affect on the fishing, a much bigger affect than the same front would have on freshwater.  So keep your comment coming.

**********************

And for a little different take on my day at POC:

I wanted you to know that I had a good giggle at your expense reading the first part of your report as I have been in your shoes. Get to the ramp with horrible conditions and still convince yourself to go KNOWING it’s going to be bad then later saying to yourself, “well that sucked and should have known better”. LOL!!

Anyways, I really like how you are giving the “technical” information regarding tides, weather, etc before your reports.

Keep up the good work.

Jim

Thanks, I think.  Tough conditions come in many forms, but that day at POC the only other option was not going fishing.  But we make choices everyday out on the water, it is just some days we might make a few better ones.  There is a bright side though, for all those day we make the wrong choices there are those days when we get it all right.  Thanks for the comment.

********************

That catches us up for today.  Looks like the weather will be pretty sketchy this week with high winds and rain, we will have to see how that plays out.  And as usual I appreciate all of you who send me comments and reports, they are appreciated.  I know some of you are fishing so let us know how you are doing.  I am about to hit send then it will be off to Rockort/Fulton for the Oyster Fest.  I am not sure how many raw oysters I can eat, but it could get ugly.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw the Swimming Jig!

Weather

Friday   10 % Precip. / 0 in  

Clear  74/53   Wind NNE to SSE  5 -15 

Best Times  6:20A – 8:20A    6:46P – 8:46P

Good             12:06A – 2:06A

Just wanted to ask what app do you use to get tide info?

The Lake is getting more and more consistent.

My initial plan was the bay but after cleaning up the flats boat I decided to change boats so I got out the skiff, and of course all the trailer lights were not working.  So I took it easy this morning, knowing the bite on the lake was fairly good there was no hurry.  When I say there are times when you should be doing something specific now is one of those on Coleto.  I love throwing the Swim Jig and they will bite that thing right now on the lake.

The first couple were on the bluegill color Swim Jig.

The water has fallen maybe and inch or two and as a consequence a good thing has happened, the lake is really starting to clear.  How clear, I got to watch at least a half dozen come out of shallow, and I mean shallow, cover and eat the Swim Jig, it was thing of beauty.  With it super sunny and clear the 1/4oz white Swim Jig with a 3 1/2 inch pearl swim bait for a trailer almost glowed and I could see it quite a bit of the time.  Today it really helped to have mirror Cocoons, it was awesome to see them roll up and smoke that Swim Bait.

You can just see the jig barely sticking out of their mouths, they were eating it.

I started with the all white and did not have a bite for the first half of a big spawning cove above the bridge, so I tossed the bluegill with a watermelon red KVD craw and caught one on my first cast.  A couple of more came over the side pretty quick, and I got to see the first one roll up out of a shallow log and eat it.

Love that Swim Jig.

Then it was a flat main lake bank, and for some reason I picked up the white one again and it started.  Basically during the good fishing time above a good dozen jumped it in a couple of places.  They were all shallow around isolated cover on flat places.  In one spot where I caught 6 the boat was sitting in 3 foot of water and the fish were shallower than that in the middle of the afternoon.  One broke me off, and I deserved it.  Throwing it on 12lb line you can only catch so many in shallow cover without a retie, and so when it happened I had it coming.

They were choking on that thing.

A moderate speed retrieve with erratic handle turns making it dart forward and then stop provoked the best hits.  And if you put it perfect on the right bush it was a certain bite.  I missed several, and lost 3 or 4, and for the amount of time I spent fishing it was a good bite.  While no real big girls gave it up, there was plenty of bites and the size was good enough to keep it interesting.  And having a nice one roll up out of nowhere right next to the boat was a bonus.

And even added one on a spinnerbait.

So for an old bass fisherman it was a really fun day.  Swim Jigs are a real tool in the spring, and while not the easiest bait to fish, it is one of the most consistent.  Patience is the key, you have to keep cranking it, vary the retrieve and color, then remember what the hell you were doing when you caught that one, and you are in business.  I guess the thing I like about it the most is how subtle a bait it really is, and knowing when it got to that cover and I ripped the handle one was going to roll on it.  Doesn’t get much better than that.

Don’t think that is the end all on Coleto.  Today if you are good at fishing the bass assassin type baits in a real erratic pattern it would have been deadly.  And the other which I will throw next time out is the bubble gum trick worm.  I fish it on 10lb line with a weedless hook.  For the next month that will catch fish, especially in areas with a little deeper cover, so if you have never tried it now is the time.  And the topwater early and late should really come in to its own.

I hope whatever fish or fishing turns you on is in your near future.  Looks like the weather is going to hold and the fishing both fresh and salt is only going to get better.  So if you want to add to the confusion let us know.  And I am interested in knowing if anyone has caught any crappie on Texana yet?  There are a few other comments and pictures I want to share with you but thought I would get this post up before I call it a night.  So there will be more in the next day or two.  Not sure what is next, but a bent rod is at the top of the list.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

Wednesday Mar. 2

o% precip  Partly cloudy.  76 degrees  Winds ESE 10 -20 mph.

Tides    Low 5:45 am  -0.3           High 5:39 pm  0.3

I really do try to fish both fresh and salt about the same over all so I can at least give you some idea what is going on in either place.  It was so good at the bay last month that it would be nice to see if they were still biting like that. So today I decided I needed to get back to POC and run my old route.  And that is exactly what I did – Big Bayou, Mitchell’s Cut, and the Oil Cut.   My plan was based on the wind forecast, 10 -20 mph, a chance it would not be to bad.

The minute I pulled up to Froggie’s at 7:30 I knew it was gonna suck.   First, there wer only 2 trucks and trailers in the lot.  When I pulled up to the ramp the wind was flat out howling over 20 right down the barge canal.  I mean it was humpin’ and with the tide coming back it was something.  I should have just left it on the trailer, but no, I thought I would give it a go, I was already here.  So in the water it went.  The tide was really low and the water was ugly, but it just did not get through to my pea drain – Conditions Suck.

About half of Big Bayou was the color of a nice mocha, great for drinking but not trout water by any means.  And the wind was howling right down the channel so it was make a cast and hop it once, and you were already by.  If I was a bait fisherman maybe anchoring with live bait was the option today, but trying to fish out of the boat with lures was tough.

Can I get some cream with that coffee?

I did miss 2 in there, but with the huge bow in my line it was just impossible to feel them in time to set the hook.  From there it was Mitchell’s Cut, which had some protection from the wind.  I fished the whole east side without so much as a bite.  Real unusual for that stretch, so it was off to the Oil Cut.

I finally caught a rat on a spinnerbait, but that was it.  I saw another one make a pass at it, but did not hook up.  Whether it was plastics or Redfish Magic they were not having it.   While days like this are few and far between, it was just to windy, so I called it a day after about 3 hours.  There was just no where to get out of it.  When I got back to the ramp there were still only 3 trucks and trailers at the ramp, and when I pulled out that left 2.

Here is what a grown man did all day.

Lately I have been thinking about making a new policy, if the wind is projected to top 20mph just don’t go to the Gulf.  Today that would have been fine, because 20 was the least it blew, and all from the wrong direction for POC.  But many days it is projected to hit something like that and it isn’t to tough, but today it was worse than that, it ran me off.  One thing that is becoming so obvious is how bad the tide was today, coming up all day.  It is the exact opposite of what I am looking for, falling all day.

So I really did not add anything to the book of fishing knowledge today.  It was a waste of time and money, and even worse, I did not get my string stretched.  But as it always seems to do, it just makes me more determined to get it right next time.  There is no specific plan for today, the wind is expected to hit up to 35 mph according to the news last night, which they now say will be up to 15 mph.  It must suck to be the weatherman.  I hate that this is all there is to the report, but it is what it is.  And it always seems that the occasional day or two like this is necessary to remind you they are fish and sometimes they are just not having it.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

Weather Report

Mon 20 % Precip. / 0 in

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.

Solunar Times

Best Times:
3:08A – 5:08A
3:30P – 5:30P
Good Times:
9:19A – 11:19A

Tide Times

M   29      Low   3:32 AM    -0.2
29     High   5:57 PM     0.2

I spent Saturday afternoon hanging out at the lake with my buddy Jeffish and his son Korbin.  Korbin is fishin’ crazy and when I said he will be the Bass Master Champion in 2030 I was not kidding.

Freakin’ Awesome!

Hanging with the Pro.

Korbin is living proof if you give them a chance to really enjoy the outdoors they will.  Camping, fishing, or just hanging out, there is nothing better than sharing the outdoors with good friends.  And nothing is cooler than Korbin on the nose of the boat, running the trolling motor, and getting ready to cast.  I think I was 21 before that happened to me, and look how I turned out.  Thanks for the pics Dad.

********************

The Boss was off today so to be home early enough I decided to fish Coleto.  The weather report looked good, and since I was going to quit early it was good the minor period was a couple of hours in the morning.   When I got to the ramp it was cloudy, almost misty, and calm.

First it was a big cove I have not fished this year, and I caught one on topwater almost immediately.  The rest of the way out did not result in any more bites so I eased over to a really flat point and picked up the Swim Jig.  And of course a good one jumped all over it.

My second bite.

It has become real apparent the last month that topwater, spinnerbait, plastics will all catch fish, and I have spent some serious time fishing all of them.  But looking back on it if I had stuck with the Swim Jig I would have caught a lot more good fish.  The better fish are still few and far between, but the majority of the good ones are on the jig.

Business is picking up.

Today it was just like it has been, I caught at least one fish everywhere I fished.  That included mainlake points, coves, long flat banks, scattered bushes, all would produce a fish, but positively identifying one place that is better than another is almost impossible.  So for me there has been no real pattern, just fish places you would in the spring and be ready for the occasional bite.

A better average than the last few trips.

Before I quit at 1:30 it was around 13 or 14 over the side.  One on a topwater, 2 on spinnerbait, and the rest on the Swim Jig.  Today I switched to a 1/4 ounce Tour Grade white Swimming Jig and put a fat 3 1/2″ white swimbait on the back.  I fished it at a moderate speed, occasionally hopping it up, cranking it fast and then stopping, or twitching it, again they do not seem to have a preference.  And if you feel anything set the hook, about half swam right toward me when they ate it.  The moral of the story, just keep it in the water.

That was was one solid fish!

The water temperature was from 65 to 69 depending on where you were.  The fish did actually bite best during the minor period, but I did catch one on the first place, the last place, and most places in between.  The wind did come up to 15+ and most of the fish came on places with at least some wind on it.  I wish I could be more definitive on the pattern, but if you want the bigger fish the Swim Jig is the way to go.

There were folks cleaning crappie when I took out, and a guy I spoke with at the ramp was catching them and whites up lake.  The bass fishing is still somewhat inconsistent, but sticking with it usually will produce a few good fish, as today proved.  It seems that the fish and the fishing have not really caught up to the water temperature.  When you fish the highland lakes like I used to where the water temp drops into the 30’s, even freezing at times, the fish become increasingly more active from 55 degrees up, peaking at the spawn around 65 degrees.  That just has not been the case this year on Coleto.  So it is a learning spring for me.

Tomorrow it is off to the Gulf.  The winds are supposed to stay less than 10, so the day has potential.  I think I may do the old route, Big Bayou, the Oil Cut, and Barroom Bay, which I have not done in while.  But it pays to stay flexible, so the wading stuff will be in the boat.

And thanks to those of you who commented on advertising.  I really have kept it simple here, and at time it seems I should ramp it up a notch, but it has worked just fine the way it is until now, so I will keep mulling that issue over.  But no matter what we sure appreciate your continued comments and participation, it makes this a much better site.  As soon as I get done laying the smack down on some trout and reds tomorrow I will get the report out.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines