Sweetwater

[Duck]

First cast out of Sweetlwater at 6:20 with no fog,water temp at beginning 75 at 11:30 when we call it a day 78. Total of 15 with 2 would be keeps, 4 on spinnerbaits, 2 on top water, 3 on jigs, and 6 on drop shot. Really tough with blue bird skies and light wind. Good luck, Duck.

[Champ188]

What? You mean the Corps hasn't locked down Sweetwater National Park and Watersports Emporium? I figured there'd be no way they could manage to staff and maintain that fine facility with the government in lockdown mode.

[Duck]

Champ, you will be glad to hear that everything is all ok at Sweetwater except for the clowns, they all got recalled back to D.C.

[Champ188]

Good to hear, Duck. I spoke in good-natured humor ... that's a handy little place to launch sometimes, especially for Donna and I coming from Arkansaw.

[Pepe]

I hear that the Smallies are biting . Apparently, we don't have near as many of them on the upper end as they do in the lower lake.

[Jerry Rapp]

shouldn't there be more smallies up in the cooler waters than down in the lake?

[Champ188]

Plenty of brown ones up the White. Donna and I caught a few the other day. Kings tends to be more of a largemouth area for me.

[Quillback]

It seems the better quality smallies come from down lake. I would think that it would be better fishing for smallies in the river arms, but it doesn't seem to be that way. Only reason I can think of is that the smallies do better in the clear water down lake. Not that I'm an expert, just thinking out loud (via keyboard).

[fishingaddiction]

My brother in law caught a nice 20" small jaw this past Saturday on a green pumpkin tube. We were fishing in the KC area. We always catch some good smallies in the KC area, so whatever is in that part of the lake they sure like it.

[Bill Babler]

Yes there are some good Jaw's up the White and also up the James, but for the most part they prefer open big gravel flats on the White River chain on all the White River lakes. Not unusual to catch big Jaw's schooling and chasing in very deep water and also not uncommon to catch them suspended over the humps and channel swings, on any of our White River impoundments.

Here the best Jaw water is for sure Campbell Point to the 86 bridge just in front of Long Creek. KC to the dam is the top producer, but any of this big open water holds more than quality smallmouth.

That being said my biggest came from a pocket across from Rock Creek about 15 yrs. ago, during the spawn. 6.3 pounds. There are some areas up the White and up the James that I expect when fishing to catch jaws on and usually do. Just usually not the numbers or size of the ones in the big clear water.

Smallmouth bass here on this lake are very opportune feeders, I believe more so than K's or LM. The jaw will just about eat anything. Of course they love Daddy's, but they are also bug eaters. I have seen big Jaws chasing Gizzard Shad that if they were a trout I would be proud to catch. These fish are really site feeders, and for more than the most part not ambush feeders. They see and run down what they want to eat. They may hold in cover at times but this is as much for shade and protection as anything. When they feed, they hunt. Main lake clear water provides the best chance for this type of predator, where the visibility is at its best.

Good Luck