The Rock Got Even With Us Today.

[Bill Babler]

Thought it had been far to easy, but the door got slammed in my face today to the tune of calm flat water and a high boiling hot sky.

Started at 5:30 in the Dam area, with the fin and I will tell you I have not seen the amount of fishing pressure outside of April here. By 0600 there was a boat on every runnout I wanted to fish and sometimes as many as 3 boats fishing each location.

RPS was right, the Lake paid me back in spades today. Bought like the Irish did to the Sooners last year.

2 boilups on the fin was the extent for that. Had 3 very nice keeper Smallmouth dragging a Fish Doc. in 15to 20 feet of water and 2 completely stupid White bass on spoons.

Only savior for me was the dropshot in 28' and that bite was durn poor. We did manage to snatch 9 from the bowels of defeat.

Rick and Bill were out together today with a big party trying to find some up and down crawler fish. Think they might have had a bit better luck than me, but I think it kind of smacked them today also.

Water temp at the dam when I started was 74 and when we crossed the finish line in dead last place, it was 78, so it is for sure turning into Summer.

I will catch them better tomorrow, and they will again start to change from friendly Spring fish to tempermental Summer fish.

Good Luck

[mixermarkb]

Hey Bill-

What kind of weight and leader length are you using on the fish doctor? I normally C-rig with a baby brush hog and a 3/4oz weight, or a centipede on a half oz weight. Have played around with split shot/mojo weights on the centipedes, but haven't really settled on anything that consistently works for me.

If I could hear a bit from some of you TR regulars on the subject, it would probably help me out a bit.

Thanks!

[tapout]

Bummer. Well it was good while it lasted. Sunday my son n law, wife, and I caught fish all day on the fin. I'm glad we got in on the tail end of the top water action.

[rps]

Bill,

Never meant to jinx you. I was trying to be funny.

I am sure you will bounce back next trip.

[Bill Babler]

Bill,

Never meant to jinx you. I was trying to be funny.

I am sure you will bounce back next trip.

Had to come to an end. You did me no harm, it is just a big pattern change. These surface temps are going over 80 by this afternoon, and with no end in site, I'm betting it will be drop shot time early and often.

What a great run we had and if we get some overcast days with breeze they will be on again, but the pattern has gone to Summer.

MixerMark, Most guides on the rock are towing a split-shot on 8 pound mono on a spinning rod. We are using about 3ft. of leader and either a Fish Dr. a Dead Ringer a Double Dead Ringer or a centipede. Weight is usually 3/16th. or a 1/4. I almost always use 3/16th. I can fish it 1 ft. deep or 30 ft. deep. For those small thin baits we usually use a size 1 shouldered worm hook.

Good Luck

[Feathers and Fins]

Well at least you know where to go in the morning now. I was going nuts watching it and nothing I could do about it.

[Jason Essary]

I am so relieved. Time to go where we "should" be. Tired of chasing fish 1' deep to 20' deep. Heat it up and get them down.

[Sac River Jim]

Bill its the same thing for me on Stockton. I've been fishing a summer pattern since the weekend. pulling fish off brush pile on main lake points in 25fow on 10'' worms and c''rigs on channel swings. just having to work harder for the bite now thats all. will be down your way on the 22nd at viola with my crappie club. by the way your tips on throwing the fin was very helpful by pointing my rod tip at the bait and lowering it as it got closer to boat really helped my hook up ratio.

[Bill Babler]

it just always amazes me how fast this bite changes. For me it seems the biggest change of the year is from the 72 to the 80 degree range. It really puts those fish down and moves them out. Especially if there is no breeze and a high sun.

I missed a day guiding on Taney, and in just that period of time it got away from me. Buster said he caught 17 this morning and thought that was pretty good. When I talked to him and said I thought my 14 stunk, he said I needed to rethink that, since yesterday, things had really changed.

Beck said he cranked his graph way up and so did Lisek looking for a thermocline to establish a depth possibility, and said there is not one yet. Got a feeling there will be soon as it is 94 degrees here with a SW convections blowing wind churning the top layer of the water column.

[Jason Essary]

Bill, I wonder if a thermocline will set up for awhile with them pulling the water throu still as hard as they are. Shouldn't that keep it mixed to a point? Just a thought, would like to see a 'cline get going.