We have 5 more days and it’s officially summer, wooohooo! This means a few things. Our fishing tactics/locations are changing, huge schools, and wear sunscreen! Surface temps are in the lower 80’s and rising. The lake level is 1069.41’ MSL, that is 1.59’ below full pool and is still dropping.
Striper fishing is excellent and they’re still catchable lake wide. I have been targeting mid lake areas for the past few weeks. This will change soon and I will be making my way south below Brown’s Bridge to the dam for the rest of the summer. I have been getting into some big, fast moving schools. I’m still finding good fish on humps, points, and saddles using freeline pitch baits early AM. As the sun gets high my main focus has been downlines 30’-60’ over 40’-80’ plus bottom in pockets and over creek and the river channels. One big tip that has been a huge producer is a couple freelined herring while you are on spot-lock with the downlines. I have been pitching these baits out with no weight and just let the herring do the work. For the most part it will swim down to the the depth in the water column where these fish are lurking. Recently most of our larger fish have all come off the unweighted freelines. Anyone one that knows me, knows I’m a light tackle guy. I love hooking up on those freelined spin rods! This tactic is very similar to Red Snapper fishing on a reef for example. Drop your weighted verticals lines down to the top of the fish on your graph. While you are fishing the vertical lines pitch out a couple freelines for your kicker Kings or Cobia. The drag screaming will let you know when you’re buttoned up! Also, a couple weeks ago we started deploying the 8” magnum spoons on the schools over deep water and they responded accordingly. We had fish almost running into the boat chasing the spoons to the surface while power reeling. What is power reeling you ask? If you have a slick bottom free of timber, let your spoon flutter down to the bottom past the school. Then you “burn” the reel all the way back to the boat. By “burn” I mean reel it as fast as you can to the surface. Keep your eyes in the water. One reason is to avoid cranking the spoon right into your rod tip, also you will see some giants chase it all the way to the surface. This tactic will only get stronger in the up coming weeks.
Father’s Day is right around the corner. I will be running a special for Father’s Day Gift Certificates this week…A perfect gift for Dad if ya ask me! The gift certificates are digital and can be emailed instantly and printed at home, or upon request can be mailed USPS. It’s going to be a VERY busy summer. I’m booked solid through June and currently booking July and August. Hope to see you on the water soon!
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