Did-Nothing Report, 12/11

[kjackson]

Launched at the dam late in the morning, and headed cross lake to Indian Creek, thinking that the stripers and whites might be there. I did see what I took to be bait, but it was all deep-- I mean really deep--some schools topped out at 120 feet. All of the deep bait, or whatever it was, was associated with the bottom. I ran about halfway back into the creek and didn't see any schools of anything that weren't stuck to the bottom. I did find a few small schools of fish in 60 to 80 feet and dropped a spoon on them. I had one hit and pulled up on one fish that was snagged for a bit (or it was a limb or root that felt good).

Since I wasn't prepared to fish that deep, I headed up lake to check out the mouths of coves and around the islands and places where I thought there might be some fish. The one boat I did see was slow trolling off the mouth of Indian Creek, and I left it alone rather than crowd in on whatever it found. I ran uplake on the west side, FWIW.

With time growing short, I checked one bay that I've not fished before on my way back down the lake, and this is what I found:

It kind of followed the Christmas-tree theme I'd been seeing as I edged back into the bay. I'm guessing I'm looking at trees, and the trees have some bait or possibly fish in them.

I did see other items of interest, such as this:

And this image is why I'm going to have either a CHIRP sonar or down-imaging unit on the new boat. I'm pretty sure there are fish mixed in here, but I didn't have time to find out (or lose more spoons). That will come with the next trip.

Besides noting that I need to clean the screen, I'm open for suggestions on what the marks mean. I have thoughts, but I'm not an expert...

So, the short report is no fish hooked or landed. It was a nice day on the water, and the surface temp was 50-51 degrees everywhere I went.

A side note is that the lake is quite low, and there are spots and wood you don't normally see that are within prop range...

[wc1063]

Well, one bad day of fishing beats a great day at work anytime!!! Thanks for the report!

[J-Doc]

At that depth, it's hard to say "there's a fish" because it's just a guess. Strictly. No definative "I know that's a fish" because there may very well be fish down there but with that much signal being sent back and at that depth range, its impossible to say yes or no....this is a fish, this is the limb next to the fish where he's suspended.

My guess.....

All trees. Some appear as cedar trees. There are some arches that appear as fish by my experience shows that could be a tree canopy. I've seen this before on sonar and clearly see tree with limbs on downscan and on side scan.

You should just bring your trailer down towards Prairie Creek. Lots of pods of fish around and not down to 60 ft. Within your range of trolling depth and actively feeding.

[fishinwrench]

I have never spent a day on Beaver lake, but with surface temps +48° what in the world are ya doing piddling around over 100fow ?

[Feathers and Fins]

Glen I have been on stripers most the week, they have been from 20 to 60ft deep over anyplace from 110 to 40ft of bottom depth. Wednesday I was spooning them off the bottom in 50 to 70 and yesterday they were in 40 to 50. Funny thing is it took me most the day yesterday to get in them but when I did the sun came out Wend the sun was out. I still have to scratch my head on that one.

[kjackson]

I have never spent a day on Beaver lake, but with surface temps +48° what in the world are ya doing piddling around over 100fow ?

Glen-- The answers to that question are: A) avoiding work and looking for bait balls. (I've been led astray by Scott and J-Doc in this regard.) I shot these as I was moving across a cove on my way out. I'm still learning this Arkansas fishing stuff and need interpretation/help.

I did see this just as I put the last of my gear away for my run back:

I think I know what those big marks are...

[fishinwrench]

In my early days of LCR reading I figured out that if a smallish fish moves when you motor over him it displays an image that looks like a Great White !

[J-Doc]

Here is what I see. Based on what I've learned from watching 2 different Dr. Sonar DVD's and lots of online research on how to read sonar images. Understanding the basics is essential to learning how to read these things. Understanding what a cone angle is and how it works makes the light bulb come on. At least it did for me.

And mislead by Scott & J-Doc???? REALLY?? lol

It's not my fault you're on the wrong end of the lake.

I went up there on a striper report about a month or so ago. I won't be back. Not interested. Everything goes deeper because the water is clearer. Not so say all fish are deep. That's not true. There are a lot of bass up shallow and stay that way most of the year. In the main channels however, those fish that live and stay there are deeper due to less light penetration at deeper depths. Which is also where the water is warmer in the winter.

[kjackson]

Wrong end of the lake? I did see enough fish-like arches as I was pulling out of the bay to make me want to go back there and see if I could get something to cooperate.

However, I'm being evicted from the house for a knitting group on Tuesday, and the Highway 12 bridge launch beckons. It will be the first day of the latest cool-down, so all the biters will have lockjaw, but it's better than listening to knit-purl...

[Feathers and Fins]

HEY I don't lead people astray just to the Light

Launch at Prairie Creek, its a much nicer ramp and doesn't have little brats throwing boulders on the ramp that bend props!

Stripers are from Prairie Creek area to Horseshoe bend. try trolling baits 30 to 40 feet deep over the old channel