The lake level is getting close to full at 163.4 feet with one unit running at the dam 5 hours daily. Rains have stained and muddied a lot of the northern end of the lake but there is still a lot of water with excellent, clear-to-slightly stained conditions. Our catching of numbers of bass have improved with a few quality bass also in the creel. Topwater patterns have been the biggest improvement and top-water-related patterns as well. By that I mean buzzbaits, weightless worms worked on top and plastic frogs. If up top is your favorite fishing technique, your season is here!
Some of my bigger bites on topwater has been Stanley Ribbit frog and Frenzy Walkers and Spooks. On the 'walking the dog' topwater presentation, the bass have been wanting the lure paused for a few seconds. My best colors have been shad/black and blue/silver colors. Also, don't put away your lipless crankbaits as windy points and Bill Lewis Rat-L-Traps are still catching bass. White crawfish early and blue/chrome in brighter conditions with windy points/ripple are still triggering bass.
On soft plastics, a weightless TX rigged Berkley Sinking Minnow and Senko are catching bass when worked in 2 to 8 ft depths. Also, a wacky rigged Berkley Wacky Crawler worked on the outside edge of the main grass line (7 to 10 feet) is also catching bass when wind allows. I have been fishing these on 10 lb test Stren Fluorocarbon with Abu Garcia Soron spinning reel/7'0 MF Fenwick Techna rod with Daiichi's 2/0 and 3/0 hook. I will also wacky rig Sinking Minnows and Senkos.
Carolina rigged lizards, Flukes and Power Worms area also highly recommended covering depths of 2 to 12 feet paying close attention to the inside edge of grass line (about 5') and the outside edge of grassline (about 7-9'). Anglers are also catching bass off shore on ledges that fall from 10 to 20-25 feet with DD22s and Carolina rigs.
Finally, bass in good numbers have moved into shore line buck brush/bushes where creature baits and jigs are producing when pitched and flipped into heave shoreline cover. This pattern is improving every day. Berkley's Chigger Craw and the new Chigger Craw Crazy Legs are super baits for flipping and pitching Rayburn's shoreline brush
