Tough fishing this weekend

[BassPastor]

Sometimes I like to add reports from tough days that I have because I feel like all you read is how great everyone else is doing, while you continue to struggle. So for those who struggled this weekend, this is for you! 

Fished the lower lake area most of the day on Friday and Saturday. I've got bad luck, I tend to pick weekends that directly follow pressure fronts that pulls all the fish back out. This weekend was no different. Tried to commit to Keitechs on 1/4 oz heads off of main and secondary points, no bites working that. Noticed the water had more stain than usual following Friday PM's rain so switched to the big thumper double Indiana spinner. Got a nice ready to spawn smallie on that. Stuck with the spinner, mostly working back into creek arms and picked up another couple bites that way.

Today was just as tough. Threw the boat at these fish including Keitechs, rock crawlers, Jerk baits, spinners and even a little Ned Rig. Today was good for two short spots in total. Seeing reports that folks found fish suspended in 25' water at about 15'-18'. This makes a lot of sense as I started seeing some shad under the boat and some suspended fish towards the end of the day while fishing around Big Cedar area. I suck at catching suspended fish. Maybe I need to pick up an A-Rig or two. 

Back next weekend, hope the fish move back up for the likes of us lesser skilled anglers. :D 

[mixermarkb]

A-rigs, Bill's float n fly, or even the Keitechs are the deal, but if you are like me, this time of year its hard to stay out deep enough. When the lakes are up and I see all those bushes, its hard to park the boat off the flats in 40 feet to fish in 20 feet. I did pretty well on Bull, until I got distracted and let myself get in front of the fish. Knowing that its either mud shallow in dirty water and flooded cover, or farther off the bank than you feel the fish ought to be, is only half the battle. Actually having the discipline to stay out there and keep covering water with electronics and casts is the other half!

[Brian D]

My son and I fished over by Moonshine today. 1 fish on a Keitech. It was my PB on Table Rock at 5 7. She was in less than 4 ft of water. We also threw dang near everything in the boat. 

[BassPastor]

@mixermarkb thanks for sharing your tips. I agree, we were in too shallow. It's really tough to fish what you feel like is in the middle of nothing. I just hope to get a little better every year and at some point I'll gain some confidence in this spring fishing in the Ozarks. 

[BassPastor]

@Brian D you're in good company my friend! Still a great way to spend a spring weekend. 

[Brian D]

1 hour ago, BassPastor said:

@Brian D you're in good company my friend! Still a great way to spend a spring weekend. 

Yes sir I totally agree. 

[dtrs5kprs]

Sometimes the "tough day" reports are the most useful.

[Bill Babler]

1 hour ago, dtrs5kprs said:

Sometimes the "tough day" reports are the most useful.

For Sure.

 Remember all, regardless of how high the water is or how stained lots of these fish are staging this time of the year.  As in Mike's video today he was targeting steeper runnouts to the main creek channel to fish suspended out there ready to move back in the pockets.  For every fish up there shallow there are 10 times that many just sitting out there waiting to either move in or have moved out to that location.

Although it was hard to hear I think Mike was targeting fish in the 10 to 15 foot range with his boat setting a good cast out from that with either a stick bait or a 3 inch swim bait.  I'm guessing at times he was sitting in 25 ft. to 35 ft.

If I get much closer to the bank than that I think I'm running aground.  As James always says," there are always shallow fish." I will tell you there are always deeper fish and I'm betting the farm there are more of them than the ones that are sun bathing in 3 ft. of water.

[Fishrman]

Fished Sunday all day I too tried the deep bite with a swimmer, but after 2.5 hours with 2 bites I headed shallow.   Caught a dozen on a spinner with 5 keepers, one at 6 lb on my scale.   Caught all of them out of bushes running it right over the top. And watching everyone one of them eat it.   I will tell you this whether it was the ticket or not,  but I was throwing a 3/4 oz. With a huge willow on it.   Threw a couple other different kinds and sizes but that was the one they would just clobber.  Threw a copper blade.  WT 55- 57. Sorry about the pic best I could do. 

[BassPastor]

3 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

For Sure.

 Remember all, regardless of how high the water is or how stained lots of these fish are staging this time of the year.  As in Mike's video today he was targeting steeper runnouts to the main creek channel to fish suspended out there ready to move back in the pockets.  For every fish up there shallow there are 10 times that many just sitting out there waiting to either move in or have moved out to that location.

Although it was hard to hear I think Mike was targeting fish in the 10 to 15 foot range with his boat setting a good cast out from that with either a stick bait or a 3 inch swim bait.  I'm guessing at times he was sitting in 25 ft. to 35 ft.

If I get much closer to the bank than that I think I'm running aground.  As James always says," there are always shallow fish." I will tell you there are always deeper fish and I'm betting the farm there are more of them than the ones that are sun bathing in 3 ft. of water.

Great thoughts @Bill Babler, I appreciate it. Fishing this far offshore for staging fish is new for me. I've been fishing this lake for about 3 years now and just starting to put things together (though obviously not this weekend). Affirming to know that I was doing a lot of the right things, I was just likely sitting on top of the fish that I was trying to catch. Part of that is I'm still learning to fully utilize the Garmin beyond just depth and water temp. 

I'll be back this upcoming weekend, hoping they have moved up a bit by then. My luck will have another pressure front coming through on Friday afternoon.