Report 3/23-3/24

[Alumacraft190]

Just got back today from a weekend trip striper fishing from Wichita.  We debated coming now or pushing back 30 days due to the water condition but ultimately decided to come now.  Friday we limited out with 9 stripes and a white.  2 16 lb fish on planer boards in the rocky branch area targeting flats.  We marked a lot of fish but it dried up so we went south to fine cleaner water behind the mud.  we had to go into the white river side to find clean water. Water temp at rocky branch 53, white river 58.  Got into them in the river in shallower water <20 feet on channel bends late in the day.  It definitely appeared to be pre-spawn, fish in the river were smaller males, biggest 12 lb while the two at rocky were both female.

Yesterday was more of a struggle.  We scouted PC and coose areas briefly and didnt mark many fish so we moved on.  Lost one at rocky area and could only muster 1 hybrid and 1 stripe on our own.  The wind never did lay down and we elected to come home early today rather than fight the cold front.  They definitely seem to be on the move with both depth and location.

 

[Stump bumper]

Sounds like a good trip, I tried fishing the mud around Horseshoe Friday and could not mark any fish or find any shad. The Muddy water seems to have them all pushed North. Strange year, again.

[Alumacraft190]

I agree Stump, seems they want no part of the mud to say the least which puts them extreme north and extreme south.  As much as I want to take credit for limiting that happened only because we had a guide on Friday.  He took us further south than I have ever fished.  Shad wise You hardly ever marked any and I was there in November when you couldnt go anywhere without marking shad.