Hello, Anglers. I feel compelled to take one more look at the issue of anglers and skin cancer. I received good feedback from readers about the importance of using sunscreen. One reader, who had lost a spouse to skin cancer, expressed appreciation for the sun-screen/skin cancer awareness addressed in the recent column. In Australia , where there is a very high incidence of skin cancer, they have a saying, "Slip-Slop-Slap" which means "slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat!" Great reminder! One reader informed me that May is Melanoma Awareness Month."
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007 there were nearly 8,500 fatalities from skin cancer in the U.S. There was almost a 2 to 1 higher occurrence in men over women. The increased rate in men could have to do with men spending more time outside plus women wear make-up which many times contains sun screen. The number of new cases of melanoma in 2007 was approximately 60,000 and is on the increase. Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes.
The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, purple, blue, white pink or red. If you are reading this fishing column, you most likely are in an elevated risk category for the disease as anglers receive high levels of sun exposure increasing our risks. Lets encourage our friends and family members to practice skin cancer prevention.
Keep sunscreen in your boat, use it and also offer it to others who fish with you. If you have a spot on your skin that looks suspicious, immediately seek out a dermatologist to have it checked. Early detection is vital as most melanomas have a high cure rate but only when found early. Once skin cancer spreads to other body parts it moves quickly and is difficult to treat.
LAKE CONDITIONS: The lake level has been fairly steady at 171.8 feet with both generators running from 3 to 8 p.m. Most all the lake has decent water quality with north Toledo stained but clearing, mid lake is mostly clear and south Toledo is clear. Water temperatures have stayed around 70 degrees with recent cool front.
FISHING REPORTS/BASS: Fishing really picked up this week with cloudy conditions and winds at least below 30 mph. Spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits worked over points with some exposure to wind is a great pattern. I use Stanley's 3/8 ounce Wedge with double willowleaf blades and prefer one nickle and one gold blade with white/chartreuse combo skirt. For shallow cranking I use Berkley's Frenzy Mid Diver and Bandits 200 series.
The top water bite is also good-to-excellent, especially the first thirty minutes of the morning and during clouds/rain. I am catching more fish on poppers (Frenzy Poppers, Pop Rs and Yellow Magic) but bigger bass on walkers such as Frenzy Walker and Spooks. Stanley's Ribbit frog is also catching bass in shallow grass. On some mornings when they will not hit a top water, we are fishing soft plastics (Sinking Minnows, Flukes and Senkos)Texas/weightless style over shallow grass in 1 to 6 feet.
There are also bass out on the secondary grassline in 9 to 12 feet which will hit a wacky worm, light TX rig as well as Carolina rig. This week we also caught fish out to 28 feet depths with Carolina rigs and drop shot. Schooling bass are also increasing in number and are hitting spoons, tailspinners, small crankbaits, Berkley's Frenzy Rattl'r and Bill Lewis Trap.
BREAM: Bream are bedding in 2 to 6 feet along the banks heading back into coves. To find them in clear water, just put your trolling motor on high and start looking for groups of small craters attached together. Once you see the crater, look closely and you will see the bream. A good polarized pair of glasses are a must and it is better to look for them in bright part of the day.
Once you locate bedding bream, they will be in that same area each year. They may move some according to water levels but they will be in the general area. They like to bed under overhanging branches or bushes. To catch the bigger bream, keep boat back 20/30 feet from bed and cast into them. Top baits are live crickets, worms as well as Berkley's Power Maggots which come in a small jar.
CRAPPIE: For most perch jerkers, it has been on again/off again this spring. I did see some good catches last week which came out of brush tops and off of boat docks in 15 to 25 feet with jigs and like shiners. The best times were from 5:45 to 9 a.m. Anglers are also catching crappie working the outside grass in 10 to 15 feet with one-sixteenth ounce jigs. My favorite color crappie plastic is one with blue body with white tail. The little Stanley Wedge crappie series is super.
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, 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.
