Trav's Fishing Report

[Trav]

Windy.........

Put in at Bridgeport around nine this morning. Water temp was 51 at the ramp and 50(ish) in the main lake. Wasn’t it like upper 50s this time last year? I can’t remember.

I had to cruise up to find out what yesterdays chatter was about in the James and found 54 degree water. About 40 other fishermen found it as well. You had to be in shallow skinny water to even find that though.

I saw a few whites being caught but most of the guys I talked with said it was painfully slow. Tossed a few spoons around but after an hour I got irritated by the traffic. We all know Trav can’t stand to fish elbow to elbow so I jetted back to the lake.

By the time I scooted pass the mouth of Flat Creek the wind was howling. It was threatening white caps and had churned the water to the point it lowered the water temp to 48. I knew unless the sun got bright it was going to be tough. I would say it was mostly cloudy. Bummer

I ended up bouncing grubs down steep bluffs knowing I had to be in 20 plus feet of water to do any good. The wind had my boat speed drifting so fast it was difficult to slow down my presentation. Grrr…I really am not very fond of slow methodical fishing anyway. Just isn’t my style to force feed a fish but I managed to land a couple sports. One spot and a largemouth, neither was impressive but am grateful not to have skunked out.

After I was properly wind-beaten I finally called it a day around 1:30. The water was 47 at the ramp by then. I would say, unless we get a lot of “warm” rain, the lake has more than a couple weeks before the bass get turned on any.

This winter has been relentless and it is continuing to serve some unforgiving conditions.

[Flippin]

Trav,

I had a pretty similar experience on Saturday (see my report from earlier). I hope to try it again in a couple of weeks. Saturday was a nice day to be out.

[techo]

I think it is supposed to rain the rest of the week with most of the temps staying around normal. I hope it helps turn the lake on!

[duckydoty]

Should've stuck around till dark. Phil is fixin to post a report.

[Trav]

Should've stuck around till dark. Phil is fixin to post a report.

I suppose but I really don't like to fish water that is stacked with so many boats you have to weave through them to move. Which is what it felt like to me this morning. I can't choose a spot and sit. I like to cover a lot of water quickly and move back and forth between productive areas. I don't want to offend anyone by appearing I am picking fish out of their squatter's patch. Public water or not it might rub people the wrong way. The idea of watching out for other people's lines irks me.

I don't know. I actually prefer to get away from the rat race when I fish. I might enjoy chasing an incidental group of whites on occassion but they don't impress me enough to tolerate congested water. I mainly was curious this morning about the walleye. Would be interesting to go sometime after midnight for those.

[duckydoty]

I understand. The walleye were down below where all the boats were when we got there yesterday. DD'sMC hooked up with one, but it cut the 4 lb. line right at the boat. Stayed down there about an hour and could not get another one to bite so we headed back up to where the whites were and then it was a fish every cast.