The fishing on Lake "O" has improved some over the past week and I have been catching a fair number of bass on most guide trips. The grass is making it a little tough to fish in most areas but the fish are there you just have to talk them into biting and then get them out of the heavy cover. There have been bass from the Monkey Box to Pelican Bay but you will have to look for them. The water level is at 13.97 above sea level and still dropping slowly which has started to make some areas a little to shallow to run your boat in, just be careful when shutting down or getting on plane in some areas. The main lake still remains muddy at best but you don't have to go to far back into the grass to get to clean water. I have seen beds from Moonshine to Bay Bottom, some are from last month but some are new and I have seen fry and fingerlings in a number of areas. This lake will be the most awesome fishing lake in the future.
Most of the bass my clients and I have been catching have come from the thick grass and clean water. This is some of the hardest fishing since the vegetation is so thick that we are limited to what lures that you can fish in it. I have had the best success on a Gambler Flappin Shad, Zoom Super Fluke, and a Lake Fork Hyper Freak. The Flappin Shad has been the best lure to get these bass to come up out of the thick weeds and eat. I rig it on a 5/0 wide gap super line hook and attach it to fifty pound test PowerPro braided line. I like to throw it on a Deep South 7' 2" Frog Rod that has a lot of backbone to get the fish out of the weeds, I use a high speed Abu-Garcia Revo STX reel to finish out this combo. The Lake Fork Hyper Freak is a new bait by Lake Fork and has really good action as a flipping and pitching bait, the flat tail really moves when it drops in the water. I fish the Hyper Freak on a Deep South Flipping Rod that is 7'11" and extra heavy action with fifty pound test PowerPro braided line. I'm sure other lures will work but this is what has been working for my clients and me.
Bay Bottom, around Ritta Island, the West Wall, and from Uncle Joe's Cut to Moonshine are all areas that I have caught fish in the past couple weeks. No the fish are not everywhere but if you cover some water throwing the Flappin Shad you will catch some fish and usually there are more than one fish in the area. Some days I go out and catch a good number of bass and than some times I don't catch as many, but the look on a clients face when a bass comes up and grabs the Flappin Shad and leaves a hole in the water is worth all the time you spend locating these bass.
The crappie fishing is improving a little but it is still slow at best. Try up around Bird Island as this is where the best chance to catch them now. The bluegills are still biting and a cricket fished under a float in Uncle Joe's Cut is a good place to start. I would like to let everyone know that the FLW Series tournament will be held on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston on 28th to the 31st of January. Bring the kids over for the daily weigh in at Roland Martin's Marina on the first three days with the final weigh in being held at Wal-Mart on the 31st.
Product of the Month
I would like to let you know about a new product called BTS (Bow to Stern). BTS is an all surface protectant that you can use from one end of your boat to the other. It works great on the outside to keep water stains, scum lines and road grime from sticking to your boat. It works equally as well on the seats and dash to keep mold and mildew from starting. Spray it in your storage lockers to keep them from getting mildew. It has the highest UV protection that you can get and it does not leave you boat oily feeling like some other products. Another use is to use it on your vehicle and bugs and road grime just hose right off. I'm not usually impressed with many products but I am with this one. Check this product out at www.btsproducts.com or contact me if you want to try a bottle of this amazing protectant.