Fishing Report

[CaptainJoe]

Date: 4/28/9

Location: Dam Area

Water Temperature Range: 59-63

Air Temperature Range: 59-72

Wind: Calm

Skies: Cloudy with some sun in late afternoon

Beds were visible in the back of all the creeks I visited. There were many beds very shallow due to the release of water at the dam. All fish observed were in the beginning stages of the spawn. Males were making their beds and the females were roaming the area. I observed NO fish locked on a bed and protecting eggs. Every fish on the beds were Spots. I am sure others have viewed things differently, but this is what I saw during my day.

Fish could be caught on the beds, but took a little longer since the bucks were not protecting eggs, only their territory.

Other fish were caught in the 8-15 foot range with split shots, caroling keepers, shakey heads, and texas rigged worms, centepeeds, and senkos. Topwater is not here, yet. Crankbaits and jerkbaits seem to be done, unless you throw a deep diving crankbait on secondary points.

The crappie and whites are still scattered.

With all the rain and clouds, this week should be interesting.

Be safe and have fun!!!

[CollegeFish86]

I have found the same stuff you have Capt. Joe. I know you guys are going to laugh but I have been having good luck on an Optima Swimbait on the deeper sides of the bedding areas. It might not produce numbers but it is producing good fish.

[motoman]

Anyone been throwing the spinnerbait recently?

[tippet7]

I caught fish on sunday using a spinner. it had a white/purple skirt. 1 keeper LM was landed, it was around 3.5lbs, had several other strikes on it as well.

we fished on the AR side, near the bluffs, across from the RV park.

[motoman]

Thanks tippett, I was down a couple weekends ago, and we nailed 'em on that spinnerbait bite. It was a HOOT!

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I hope to be back down in a few more weeks, sadly, I'm not too confident that same bite may not be active.

[CaptainJoe]

I have found the same stuff you have Capt. Joe. I know you guys are going to laugh but I have been having good luck on an Optima Swimbait on the deeper sides of the bedding areas. It might not produce numbers but it is producing good fish.

I am not laughing. I always have one tied on. No big bites, just little ones thinking that they are big ones. Been throwing the Shadalucious in the Sexy Shad color.

[vacation]

I have had no luck on spinnerbait lately or crankbait for that matter.

My big fish have come in 6-10' FOW on texas rig plastics.

I wonder if the real, real big fish are cruising that depth waiting for their turn to spawn. Not sure what they are feeding on, but I'll keep trying

[motoman]

I'm sure you're already on top of this, but..................for what it's worth vacation, when we were down, we had to super slowwww roll the spinnerbait. Barely get those blades moving (so slow, they occasionally stopped, and we'd have to re-start 'em on the retrieve). My partner had a heckuva time reeling it in that slow, so his catch ratio was wwway lower. Any faster than super slow, and they wouldn't touch it.

-

I could never see my spinnerbait on the retrieve until it was at the boat, my partners was almost always visible on the retrieve.

-

But that's more of a history lesson now, things change so rapidly down there.

[swelbo1]

We are at happy hollow and have caught over 45 keepers in 4 days. Most on the ultra vibe. Yesterday on pea gravel points. Today on bluffs tx rigged craws. Several 3 and 4 lb sm on the points. Had 1 lm at 4 lbs today on a bluff.

[snakem]

We are at happy hollow and have caught over 45 keepers in 4 days. Most on the ultra vibe. Yesterday on pea gravel points. Today on bluffs tx rigged craws. Several 3 and 4 lb sm on the points. Had 1 lm at 4 lbs today on a bluff.

motoman the fluke is starting to work as well as they have said that good old top water bite

Snakem Out.