Trip Report For 10/13

[straw hat]

Got to the lake right after dawn today. Stiff north wind so I found a small bluff a few miles from CC that was protected and stuck it out there. The bite was still very light and slow but managed to come up with 9 keepers. They were 13 to 18' deep. Caught all of them right off the bottom. There was some big honking white bass surfacing in the middle of the lake today chasing those shad. It looks like the weatherman is right about the weather change. I saw a batch of about 100 white pelicans, 1 big flock of geese and a dozen flocks of ducks. They must be moving down before this next cold front hits. Those white pelicans are sure graceful in the air, especially for being such ugly birds. People who know me well describe me the same way except they leave out the part about being graceful. lol Should be a nice weekend and there are a lot of those big whites around the CC areaa so some of you guys need to go get a boatful this weekend. See you out on the lake.

[Time Killer]

Thanks for the update! Me and Dad were up from CC a few miles last year about this time, and saw a flock of em' floating in the water just after sun up, and through the fog and the sun trying to shine through, it was a pretty sight! I love Stockton lake, especially this time of year. Hopefully me and my boy can get down there this weekend!

[powerdive]

Last December I saw a flock of about 200 loons sitting on the water in Little Sac. Usually only see them in pairs, and seldom more than 3 or 4 pairs a day. Love them!

[straw hat]

Last December I saw a flock of about 200 loons sitting on the water in Little Sac. Usually only see them in pairs, and seldom more than 3 or 4 pairs a day. Love them!

200 loons? That must have been some site. As loud as they are when they call that must of sounded like a rock and roll band that was drunk!! lol

[powerdive]

Only time I've ever encountered such a thing. They all flew off before mid-morning. A migration, I suppose. But yeah, what an awesome thing to see and hear!

Sometimes see several eagles sharing a tree or bank line. And once, down on Bull Shoals, I watched 3 eagles fight over a fish for about 15 minutes.

I fish deep (sometimes 70-80 feet) in the winter. I try to avoid it, but occasionally a short crappie won't release (walleyes and whites almost always get back down okay). It'll scare the you-know-what out of you when an eagle crashes down to pick up the floater 15 feet behind you--but what a sight to watch it wing away, up to a treetop with the fish. Wintertime is the best!

[evnrude18]

Keep in mind, that if you stand to brave it... once you have located brush piles in 10 - 20 feet of water (not many right now, lol) those windy spots usually bring the walleye in to feast on shad. I would suggest a crankbait or spinnerbait with a trailer hook and you should slay the walleye on those piles. Once they are on the piles, the crappie leave, but who would want to eat crappie over a nice keeper walleye?!?!?!?!? I usually find good results, but need to be windy for at least 30 minutes on those spots. Wind blown isolated standing trees work well out there as well. Accessible from boat or bank.

Happy fishing!

[evnrude18]

Oh, seems to be good when the water temps are in the low to mid 60's. Might be a couple weeks away from now. lol

[waterpossum]

Last December I saw a flock of about 200 loons sitting on the water in Little Sac. Usually only see them in pairs, and seldom more than 3 or 4 pairs a day. Love them!

They have become quite commom in the winter months around Orleans Trail and Stockton State Park cove. Don't motor too far in the winter months, but see them a lot all over the lake. Watched some in State Park cove last year crusing around diving for shad. From time to time, especially close to dark they will let out their call that distinguishes them.