Council Bluff Lake Help

[bglaeser]

Barring any flash flooding that may occur over the next couple weeks, I'm planning on taking my kayak out to Council Bluff Lake for a few days. Has anyone here had any luck bass fishing this place in early spring? From the research I've done, the water is generally clear and the fish are pretty much always deep. There's not a lot of information out on the internet about this lake, so I'm hoping you guys can help point me in the right direction. 

[Dinkslayer]

I've had luck on Council Bluff in the early spring with jerkbaits and finesse jigs.  It's a tough lake to fish from my experience.  Lots of cover for the fish to hide and very clear.  I've done my best on quality fish there from May through July at night.  If you can catch that lake on an overcast, rainy day in late spring, it can be a great topwater bite though! 

[go4ducks2]

I would think jerk baits as clear as that lake is or some light line and small jig and craw up close.

Be careful out there in a yak with the water temps still cold as they are.   Good luck.

I've never done too good there but I'm sure theres a few hogs running around somewhere.

[jdmidwest]

Crystal clear and up to 60 ft in depth. 

Great lake, lots of cover.  Watch out for the tree tops just under the water line that will snag a yak.  Or any boat, PITA when you are fishing.

Enough Cove would be a great start, creek arm that comes in with a defined channel, more protected in winds.  Shallow water and lot and lots of timber, both standing and submerged.  West Ramp, deeper channel with timber along both edges.  Park swimming beach gives you access to both shallow to deep if you want to carry a yak in.  Best of both worlds and may be great this time of year.  If it is open.  Otherwise you are stuck putting in at the other places.

 

[bglaeser]

jdmidwest, I've been there one too many times with getting centered up on a submerged tree top. I'm hoping with all this rain we just had that the water will be high enough to not worry about that. At least the water being so clear may help me with spotting these. I'll definitely be trying jerkbaits and jigs, though, and probably some swimbaits. Thanks for the help guys!

[Krazo]

On 3/7/2018 at 3:32 PM, bglaeser said:

jdmidwest, I've been there one too many times with getting centered up on a submerged tree top. I'm hoping with all this rain we just had that the water will be high enough to not worry about that. At least the water being so clear may help me with spotting these. I'll definitely be trying jerkbaits and jigs, though, and probably some swimbaits. Thanks for the help guys!

you go & how'd you do?  never fished that lake.  considering taking the family there to camp.  

[bglaeser]

14 hours ago, Krazo said:

you go & how'd you do?  never fished that lake.  considering taking the family there to camp.  

I went, but only fished for four hours without a bite. My buddy had two bites total but no fish in the boat. It was cold and windy, and he wasn't having the best time so he wanted to quit. We did camp up there, though. It's a nice place to camp, set up as most state parks are. There was no host on site, and the host's phone numbers are listed on the campground directions board. There's no service at all around there, though, so good luck calling anybody if you need to.