Windy one day, dead calm the next.
When the wind blows, bait catching is easy but when it is calm, it gets harder. Only using big Threads but those big females are having a harder time being in the tank for 8 hours.
Everything is working right now. When the wind blows I've been drifting flats in the 18-10ft range. Just letting baits drag across the bottom.
When it is calmer, I'm anchoring on the river ledge in 30-50ft of water and waiting for them to come by. Sometimes they will come by and leave but return in a few minutes. Other times, they just stay packed under the boat till we've had enough. Much better fish being caught this week than earlier this month. I'm seeing fish in all stages of spawn with some already finished. It also seems those "done" fish are the ones with the most baits in their bellies. It looks like the great May fishing is getting off to an early start this year. Thank Goodness. I've only done one lure trip since 2007 so I don't have a clue what is going one there. Bait rules.
Yesterday's group got down to their last 20 live baits but since we had only been out a little over an hour I suggested they cut up the rest and try for some catfish. We went to cut shad right off the bottom. Only got 2 catfish but the sandies loved it. Pulled 43 Sand Bass on cut baits.
I'm fishing mostly main lake areas now and haven't been up around the river inlet in a couple weeks now. Maybe those fish are still in the spawning mode. The ones I'm getting out in the big waters are finishing up. Or maybe they never planned on doing it in the first place. Either way, they are hungry.
