Hello, Anglers. Several days of 100 degree heat around The Bend leaves no doubt that summer has its grip on the area. Fishing patterns are somewhat predictable but not for the faint-hearted as our fishing report points out. However, fish are still being caught.
IMPORTANT BOATING NEWS: Before we get to fishing reports, a very significant bill (S2766) was just passed by both the house and the Senate with bipartisan support. Basically, it restored the 35 year exemption for recreational boats from proposed EPA permitting requirements. "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" will permanently restore a long-standing exemption for recreational boats from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. The bill now goes to President Bush for signature who also is a strong supporter of the measure. In Louisiana , both Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) and Sen. David Vitter (R) were co-sponsors of the measure.
Congressional action was spawned by a U.S. District Court decision in September 2006 under which an estimated 17 million recreational boats would have fallen under Clean Water Act permit requirements effective September 30, 2008. The permit would have dictated maintenance and operation procedures and potentially subjected boaters to citizen lawsuits as well as a penalty system designed for industrial polluters. This would have been a possible nightmare for boaters such as many reading this report.
"This is a fabulous victory for common sense and it just goes to show what can be done when the boating public, the marine industry and its representatives in Congress row together in a bipartisan way," said BoatU.S. President Nancy Michelman who worked with the National Marine Manufacturers Association for more than a year and also with a broad coalition of stakeholders. This helped to resolve the problem before the permitting deadline. Other reports stated that one of the keys to success was the ability to activate the grassroots with tens of thousands of letters/e-mails generated by boaters and anglers over the course of the past 12 months. BoatU.S. is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boat owners with over 650,000 members.
LAKE CONDITIONS: The lake level is 169.6 feet with both generators running from noon to 9 p.m. Water temps are in upper 80s with most of lake having good water quality. The upper 25% of the lake is slightly stained as are the back portions of feeder creeks. Both submerged/visible vegetation continues to increase giving the fish a lot of cover.
FISHING REPORTS/BASS: Not a lot has changed the past 2-3 weeks but one situation is developing as water levels recede and that is bass are pulling out on points and are moving toward deeper structure. This migration happens every summer and has been already occuring but is magnified now with spiked temps and lake levels falling. An example would be that if you have been catching bass in the backs of coves/canals/ditches and you no longer can catch fish there, consider fishing secondary and primary points as well as creek channels toward deeper water on the main lake.
A successful plan I have use recently is to fish main lake grassy points at dawn with top water, buzzbaits as well as Ribbit Frogs. If they will not come up to these baits, I offer them something more subtle such as a weightless/weedless Berkley Gulp! Sinking Minnow, Senko, Jerk Shad Power Bait or Fluke. When sun gets up and these patterns slow, take a light TX rig and move out to the outside edge of the grass line which is anywhere from 8 to 15 feet, depending on where you are in the lake.
As sun gets up even more, back out with a DD22 or Carolina Rig and work depths of 18 to 28 feet. Also, a drop shot works good at these deeper depths. The schooling bass pattern, many angler's favorite method, is pretty good right now. The mouths of major creeks or river channel are places to locate schools. Prime time has been from 6 to 8 a.m. Top schooling lures include clear and shad- colored top water baits, small jigging spoons and weightless shad-like lures such as Berkley's Jerk Shad and Fluke.
CRAPPIE/YELLOW BASS: Both high water temps and extreme air temps have forced most crappie into deeper water. Baited holes with brush and tree-tops sweetened with bait is by far the most consistant method to catch crappie these days. Even on those places the best time is just at sun-up and again at sunset. Productive holes are in 18 to 30 feet and live shiners with light line (6 pound test Berkley Flourocarbon) suggested for best results.
Yellow bass can be caught on jigging spoons and tailspinners as well as small crankbaits. They are open/deep water species so get off the bank and work underneath schooling largemouth as yellows can be under them.
AUTHOR INFO: Joe Joslin is a syndicated columnist, tournament angler and pro guide on Toledo and Sam Rayburn. His sponsors include Skeeter Performance Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lake Charles Toyota, Red River Marine/Alexandria, LA, Berkley, Fenwick, Abu Garcia, Bill Norman , Daiichi, Jay's Carpet One DeRidder, The Floor Trader Lake Charles and Stanley Jigs Inc. Contact him at 337-463-3848 or joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com. and WEBSITE www.joejoslinoutdoors.com.
