Clewiston-----The bass fishing this past week has taken a turn for the better in spite of the cold front that came through at the end of the week. The lake level is at 13.07 above sea level and dropping slowly and the water is clean in most areas from Ritta Island to Tin House Cove. I had a great week guiding with clients catching some good sized bass from six to eight pounds on wild shiners and a good number of two to three pound bass to keep everyone's interest. The West Wall is starting to get good again as the bass seem to be moving in from the outside grass line and from out on the lake, I believe this area will only get better in the days to come. The Football Field and the East Wall are two other good areas that are starting to really turn on with guides reporting some bigger bass being caught daily along with some nice catching size bass around the three pound range. The East Wall has also been good for catching bass on artificial lures with a Senko still being my lure of choice, the color to use is green pumpkin in the clear water and junebug in the stained water. The key is still to fish the Senko weightless if you can depending on the wind and to fish it as slow as possible, the longer you can let it sit in the holes in the grass the better chance you will have catching these bass. You will want to fish from the outside grass line on in to the inside fishing any open holes in the grass that you come across, some of this grass is real heavy and will be hard to get through my Minn Kota 101# thrust trolling motor does the job with power to spare and believe me moving my twenty one foot Ranger Z boat around in this grass is no easy task but my Minn Kota never misses a beat. Some smaller bass are being caught in Coots Bay in the scattered grass on spinnerbaits and Gambler Cane Toad's being my choice with Senkos still catching their fair share of bass in this area also.
Tin House Cove to Horse Island is still producing it's share of bass with most being caught on the outside grass on worms and spinnerbaits, this area did get a little dirty with the wind from the cold front that just went through but it will clean up in a day when the wind lays down. Some schooling bass can also be seen and caught in this area with the small cuts and points on this outside grass being the best places. From Cochran's Pass to Uncle Joe's Cut has been pretty quiet for the past couple weeks but this area should start producing bass real soon, there is a good number of mats on the inside around Turners Cove and the bass should be moving into this area real soon if not already. Uncle Joe's Cut has some bass in it most of the way from the rim canal out to the lake, a Senko will be your best bet in junebug color worked along the edges on both sides you might also try a crankbait thrown parallel to the bank I like to use Bomber 5A or 7A size in firetiger color.
Ritta Island and the Buzzard Roost both have some good looking clean water and I have caught a few smaller bass in both areas but nothing over three pounds, try fishing some of the grass from the tip of Ritta around to the Buzzard Roost an 8" Gambler Ribbon Tail worm in junebug color or a spinnerbait have been working for me. From the Buzzard Roost to Bay Bottom has been muddy looking almost like chocolate milk, there doesn't seem to be much vegetation growing in this area. I have been receiving reports of crappies being caught in Harney Pond Canal but not many are being caught yet.
Bass Wishes
Capt. Scott Martin / Capt. Mark King