BlueWave

ZHoyt, We are practically neighbors..........My camp is across from the sail boats (East side of the cove) and back up the creek. You are right about the smallmouths. I have been surprised at how good the bass fishing was this summer/fall. Have not found any crappie but Might of been the high water. Best Striper this year was 25 lbs out of Honey Creek in September.

In Indian Creek, I have never gone up much past the power lines. How much farther are you going back to white bass/crappie fish. Also, when do crappie usually get shallow with spawning in Lwr end of Beaver. Is this early April?? Thanks

Last Year I bought a place in Lost Bridge Area and will be fishing Beaver as often as I can. I have only started to learn the Lwr Lake (Rocky Branch to the Dam). Have been targeting Stripers with a little bass fishing. Looking fwd to more crappie fishing this spring. Will post after my trips.

Thanks to all for the input. I am going to do a "hands-on" this weekend. Terry, I promise to post some pic's but my trip isn't until next Jan (2010). I am one of those guys that over prepares and by the time this trip comes around I will have spent a fortune on new toys.

I am looking to upgrade my ancient camera with a moderate priced new one. I am taking it on Peacock Bass trip to Amazon and want it to be light weight/decent zoom/durable/ easy to use by a "non-techie"/ and still get some nice photos. My research has led me to the Canon PowerShot SD880. Any opinions from the experts?? Thanks.

I agree with Sam. I fished Sunday thru Tues in the Lwr end and the pickin's were slim. I would try the River.

Champ, Wish I would have stayed at it a little longer Tues and made it up to Prairie Creek!!! I Was hunting the stripers from Lost Bridge up to Rambo Creek and finally got tired of fighting the wind. I didn't mark many and they were all much deeper than I was expecting (40' - 50'). Finally gave up and starting throwing crank baits on the points and caught 2 LM's ~ 2 lb.s. Fished from Sunday to Tuesday...............goose egg on Stripers and just a few bass. At least it was warm.

Cool Video. I guessed it at 25 when it came out of the water............ A twin to my biggest fish this year , back in the fall in Honey Creek. I may see you this weekend!! Where did you pick up the big shiners??

SK, Thanks for the tips last year. I am amazed that you can fish that many rods and not have a tangled mess when you hook a good one. I fish 2 rods and seem to get lines tied around everything including my ears! I planned on fishing Lost Bridge area next week but may have to trailer to the rivers. Love your posts, keep them coming.

Anyone fishing the Lower Lake?? I am planning to come back down next weekend if the Stripers are still on top. Would to appreciate hearing if fish still in the Lost Bridge to Starkey area. Thanks.

Still plenty of fish Lost Bridge/ Starkey Area. I fished Wednesday and Thurs. A.M (Thanksgiving). They are on top mornings and evenings. I could not connect on the top waters, but took a couple of nice fish on jigs and trailer about 25' deep. Biggest Striper in 20 lb range.

Thanks Larry. I am hoping to find the Stripers on top when I come down Thanksgiving. Got a report today they were up around Rocky Branch. I am just starting to think about a downrigger. Not sure I want the extra clap trap in my boat. Good Luck on finding the fish!

LarryC, I thought the Stripers were mostly in the lower Lake (Dam Area) as it gets colder. Do they also go up the river arms? Two weeks ago they were really stacked around point 3 area. Also, I looking to buy a downrigger for next summer. Any recommendations?? Thanks,

It is great to see some reports on Beaver. Keeps me stoked until I can get back down. This is my first fall/winter fishing the lake. Do you guys think the Stripers will still be on top over Thanksgiving? Dave

SK, Missed your post before I headed out. Hope you did better than I did. Monday (10/20) I ran into the Stripers bustin' top around point 3 and did my best 3 stooges imitation trying to get into them. My first red fin wanted to sink and the next one i tied on did not track right out of the box, so I spent 15 minutes just trying to get a decent bait out in the water. I had one blow up on it and even though I know better was too quick on the set and jerked it out of the water. The school went back down before I could hook any of them. I did catch one ~20 lbs fishing a deep jig and trailer at mid-day. That turned out to be my only striper of the week. I fished the lower end each morning and there were plenty of fish 40'-60' deep around Honey Creek and Point 1 island. I also went up Indian creek a couple of times but could not find many fish. I did not see any fish on top after Monday morning. Bass fishing was good in the evenings prior to the front in shallow cover on the points. I caught a nice 3 lb small mouth on shallow running crankbait. This shut down after the front Thursday. I did pick up 2 nice largemouth on big jig 30' deep on Friday while striper fishing. I was planning to head up to Rocky Branch area Friday but that wind was tough!! Only saw one other fisherman (other than guide boats) all week. I hope to get back down in a couple of weeks. Look fwd to hearing how you did.

I was trying to get to the Lake last weekend but could not get away. I will be fishing all of next week. I heard the same report that there was a lot of Stripers being caught in Indian creek, but I heard on shad. 2 weeks ago when I was down we caught plenty of shorts on the main lake points around Lost Bridge on jigs and crankbaits. In the evening took a few on buzz baits. Really hoping for top water action next week!!!

Thanks Champ. I am fishing all next week and will spend a lot of time in Indian creek. Also really really hoping the top water stripers turn on.

Great Post. Do you think this pattern will work on Beaver? When you talk "stick baits" are these devils horse type baits?? Thanks for all the info!!

Thanks Hogfan. Sounds like the bass fishing is picking up. Our fish were 20-25ft holding near the bottom on the points. Going to try Buzzbait early. Will let you know.

I am trying to get back to Beaver this week end. Last week was able to find decent bass fishing on jigs on main lake points on lower end. Stripers were still deep Lost Bridge to Dam area. Has anyone been out this weekend?

Are the temp dynamics different on a tailwater vs. freestone? The white River twaters are much colder than the streams I fish in Co. On the Ark the caddis wont hatch until water temp gets into low 50's around mid-April. Is it the dissolved O2 that is the problem?? I have always wondered if something caused water temp to stay in 50's would you see fishable mayfly/caddis hatches on these tailwaters.

Speaking of Ol' favorites, the best fish I have caught on Beaver is a 3-4 lb smallmouth I caught off my dock last fall before I bought my boat. I caught it on a #3 squirrel tale mepps. The same thing we threw as kids wading creeks in Ks. I went to Gander mtn today and filled a few sacks with jigs etc. .............I may not catch any fish but at least I will be able to talk a good game. Thanks folks!!

Thanks folks for helping getting me up to speed!!!!

From a lifelong flyfisherman, just getting back into Bass fishing. When I read about taking fish on a jig, are these skirted jigs with some type of plastic trailer?? What the heck is a PBJ?? When I hear you are taking fish on a grub, Is this fishing a soft plastic grub on a plain jig head? Fishing these in deep water (25'-30') are you vertical jigging or casting and bumping the bottom on the way in?? Does anyone fish a pork frog behind a jig anymore?? I am also surprised I never hear about spinner baits/ will a buzz bait work this time of year? Sorry for the laundry list. I love this board!!!!!