Tips for a Columbia Guy

[MOBass N Beer]

Hey guys, coming down this weekend hoping to make it out on the water Saturday. Will be my first time on Stockton was hoping to target some smallmouth and maybe a few walleyes. I've fished for them up in Minnesota but never in a reservoir. Not asking for honey holes but if you guys could help me out with where to put in and depth ranges that'd be great. Planning on throwing neds, blade baits, swimbaits, maybe some jerk baits or cranks. But if you guys have better bait suggestions I'm all ears. Any tips are appreciated, thanks! 

 

[MrGiggles]

Dragging cranks around is a sure way to put fish in the boat during the warmer months. Right now it'll be hard to shake the crappie off. 

A lot of guys run bottom bouncers for walleye, that's not really my forte so I can't help much.

Don't go looking for any weeds, you won't find any. 

[Dutch]

The lake is ten feet high.  There are bushes and trees standing in the water.  The bass that I have found are in the brush.  There has been no pattern concerning coves or points.  You can hit a stretch and find a few then maybe go a long ways before you get another bite.  The fish haven’t been coming up for any kind of bait.  The Ned rig on a 1/16 oz head has worked better than anything else.  Some of the bushes have been covered long enough that moss is becoming an issue. The fish have been in 1-3 feet of water but the bite has been best when the boat is in 12-15’.  Both smallmouth and largemouth have been there but not spots.  They have disappeared.

[Smithvillesteve]

You Stockton boys love it when the spots disappear!!

[Dutch]

47 minutes ago, Smithvillesteve said:

You Stockton boys love it when the spots disappear!!

They are seldom fish for me at Stockton.  Some days on the Rock they are practically all that I can find.

[MOBass N Beer]

Thanks for the tips guys,  hopefully the wind will keep down on some this weekend. I'll let you all know if we hook into any. From my understanding closer to the dam the more likely you'll find brown bass, correct?

[Dutch]

Most of the fish we caught in Maze were smallmouth.  They are all over the lake.  I don’t know what boat you will be in.  I suggest that you check out the wind and then plan your lake arm and launch site.  The weather guessers were calling for wind the last time I heard.  Good luck.

[MOBass N Beer]

Put in at the ramp near bona beach and worked our way into maze. Got out about 8 and back to the ramp about 6 hours later. Caught largemouth and smallies with a bonus drum and bluegill on a jig. Found them in 2-8 fow, on both brush and rock. Seemed like if there was any mud on the shore there were no fish around. Caught em on jig, kietech, ned. Thanks for the tips.