Bluegrassrivals

How well have you been doing thus far in the year?

Went to dewey saturday and wore em out. Had 3 keepers go about 12 or 13 pound with one close to 6 pound. Nothing like spring fishing.

Haven't been out yet. Hopefully, will this weekend.

In Sd its been good leading up to the spawn. We had a sick crankbait bite going and all the females were blown up and ready to pop. For about a week and half now its been all bed fishing with alot of toads being caught. Saturday we had a rough go at Lake Hodges and the rest of the field got smashed by local expert Mike Long. He weighed in a 28lb sack. My brother-in-law in louisville has been whacking alot of 2-3lbers in that area on various approaches. You boys should have some bed fish in about 3 weeks. By the time you guys get them on beds here in sd we will have post spawn majority. When your bed fishing is done we will have full summer pattern. It is not uncommon however rare to find a female here blown up and ready to go in July. Usually that fish will be atleast twelve to 15 lbs. Good luck and tight lines.

Been out once and didn't even get a nibble.

What bait is everybody using? I havent had a chance to get out yet but I am going to get out asap.

UnderArmour24 Wrote:Went to dewey saturday and wore em out. Had 3 keepers go about 12 or 13 pound with one close to 6 pound. Nothing like spring fishing.

What where you using?

Its reallly not a matter of what everybody is using. By the timee most of you get out to the lake it will be completley different. The bite can change daily and then you take two to three weeks apart alot changes. Every lake is going to have a staple and its usually a certain color. This time of year stick with the jig and pig in earth tone colors. Browns, greens and combos of the two,you cant go wrong. Throw alot of cranks in chartreuse/rootbeer for stained to muddy and chrom/blue for clearer water. Senkos on the texas-rig in watermelon or green pumpkin. When they move up on the beds go to a drop-shot rig and smoke them out. I showed my brother this technique at Dewey a couple years ago and it blew his mind. We didnt miss a bed fish.

BlackcatAlum Wrote:What where you using?

Flipping a jig.

what are some good tips for the cold water fishing?

With cold water fishing. Use a jig and fish real slow. U have to be patient because you might get three hits all day but them three fish you dont know if there are going to be 8 inches or 8 pounds. Or you could also try slow rolling a spinnerbait

Bobcat Player Wrote:With cold water fishing. Use a jig and fish real slow. U have to be patient because you might get three hits all day but them three fish you dont know if there are going to be 8 inches or 8 pounds. Or you could also try slow rolling a spinnerbait

Good advice.

Early spring means rapidly warming water. The jig is good the spinnerbait is good as well. The go to bait is a crank though. DD'22s once the water gets in the 55 range. Do not be afraid to lose a couple. Try and find some wood near a rapid drop into deep water and you are on the fish. Chrome/Blue for clear water. C-dad and chart/rootbeer for darker water.

Silver buddies are my favorite in early spring. I fish them on the first break off of the shallow flats where they hold until they move on in to spawn.

IMO the most important thing for cold water early spring fishing is when you think your fishing slow, fish even slower. The presentation can never be to slow when the water is cold.

UnderArmour24 Wrote:IMO the most important thing for cold water early spring fishing is when you think your fishing slow, fish even slower. The presentation can never be to slow when the water is cold.

I heard someone telling me this. But, I also heard about using darker color lures. Any truth to this?

I want to echo everyone talking about fishing SLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Additionally, when fishing standing water it always helps to fish the side where the sun is shining onto. You also need something loud, whether that means a spinner bait's vibrations, a jig bouncing, or a crankbait bumping rocks.

MisterPerfect Wrote:I heard someone telling me this. But, I also heard about using darker color lures. Any truth to this?

Sometimes that can be the case if the water is muddy. But usually you just have to try to match whatever is in the lake the fish are feeding on at the time whether its craws, shad, etc.

UnderArmour24 Wrote:Sometimes that can be the case if the water is muddy. But usually you just have to try to match whatever is in the lake the fish are feeding on at the time whether its craws, shad, etc.

OK, Thanks!

You can sleigh Trout this time of year. Bass in Fishtrap are starting to bite Spinner Bait real good recently. Personally i like Croppie fishing. Just cast out with live Minnows and real it about 1/3 slow, they cant resist. I went about 10 days ago and caught around 25

Baby Shad can reel in bunches of Catfish, Bass bite em sometimes

Guys, we need a sticky thread "fishing reports"". That way when go fishing ,when we get back home we could post. Lake conditions,temp, what lake, what did we catch and on what,how long was you on the water. You know just general info tha we could read and plan up the next trip to where there a hittin. Just an idea? What do you all think?? I know if I had this info and some posted that they just got back from Yatesville, and they are starting to go on the beds. I know that I would be on the next train to Yatesville. You guys all know that we do have some nice lake around,some a little further away from home,but close enough to drive to. Cherokee,{on of my favorites},Douglas,Flanagan,DeweyYateville,Paintsville,South Houlston Res.,Cumberland,Dale Hollow,and so with the rivers{northfork of the holston, Russell Fork of the Levisa, smallmouth heaven}. Fishing Is Life!!!!!!!!

I've done real well the past few days with a white rooster tail.

BlackcatAlum Wrote:I've done real well the past few days with a white rooster tail.

Where at?

MisterPerfect Wrote:Where at?

Oh sorry, Dewey Lake.

BlackcatAlum Wrote:Oh sorry, Dewey Lake.

I haven't been there this year,

EOE Wrote:Guys, we need a sticky thread "fishing reports"". That way when go fishing ,when we get back home we could post. Lake conditions,temp, what lake, what did we catch and on what,how long was you on the water. You know just general info tha we could read and plan up the next trip to where there a hittin. Just an idea? What do you all think?? I know if I had this info and some posted that they just got back from Yatesville, and they are starting to go on the beds. I know that I would be on the next train to Yatesville. You guys all know that we do have some nice lake around,some a little further away from home,but close enough to drive to. Cherokee,{on of my favorites},Douglas,Flanagan,DeweyYateville,Paintsville,South Houlston Res.,Cumberland,Dale Hollow,and so with the rivers{northfork of the holston, Russell Fork of the Levisa, smallmouth heaven}. Fishing Is Life!!!!!!!!

I agree..great idea!

EKUAlum05 Wrote:I want to echo everyone talking about fishing SLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Additionally, when fishing standing water it always helps to fish the side where the sun is shining onto. You also need something loud, whether that means a spinner bait's vibrations, a jig bouncing, or a crankbait bumping rocks.

Thats why i say a crank is going to work good. Back around the time this thread started there was a good warming trend. When the temp is coming up you will miss more fish by fishing slow. Once the heat turns up there is a few days the fish just binge feed and catch up on all the missed feeding. They been eating scarce all winter only one meal maybe every two weeks. If you get in on the crank bite when this happens then you are gonna rip'em good. Now if in the middle of all this a cold snap blows through then slow back down. I move my bait maybe 6 inches in a minute during this time. Let it set still alot and give subtle shakes without moving line. When you do move do not pick it up just drag it like you would a C-rig but ultra slow.