Hello, Anglers. Memorial Day Weekend's weather was great for fishing as well as boating and skiing. A special thanks to all of our veterans who were willing to fight for the freedoms we as Americans enjoy and too often take for granted. What a privilege to be an American and to raise our families in this great country. May the Stars and Stripes forever fly over this great land. God Bless the USA!
The gas price issue is definitely making a difference in how the average angler goes about planning for a holiday weekend on the lake. Yes, we have been frequently talking about this subject but it is easily the number one issue among boaters at boat launches that I use. I am personally acquainted with many of the anglers who use launches on south Toledo and I usually get ask about what the bass are hitting, how deep I am fishing, what is my hot lure this week and what's the biggest bass we have caught the past few days.
However, since gas prices have spiked, the conversation eventually returns to fishing but not before we go through Saudi Arabia, California coast and Alaska. A common practice currently among boaters is that they are not "topping off" their tanks but just pumping enough to get them on the lake and back to the ramp. Also, mostly disappeared are conversations about "top end" speeds and more talk about increased gas mileage at moderate speeds. This change of thought is not necessarily a bad thing. To operate our tow vehicles and boats at moderate speeds will use less fuel, saving us money while helping to bring down demand for petroleum products.
LAKE CONDITIONS: The lake level is 172.2 feet and both generators are again running 24 hours. For a few days the generating schedule was reduced to about 6 hours. Water temperatures are climbing and are now from 77 to 81 degrees. Water conditions are good all over the lake with stained water on the north end and clear at mid lake and south Toledo.
FISHING REPORTS/BASS: Fishing was excellent this past week as we caught lots of bass on a variety of patterns and lures. Among some of the most successful, as far a quality bass, were top water patterns on windy points. Our single top producing top water lure was "walking the dog" with a Berkley Frenzy Walker in Tennessee Shad on points and banks with submerged grass including milfoil, hydrilla as well as pepper grass. There is a healthy growth of pepper grass on many areas of the lake and it is holding bass.
Some of the pepper grass is standing in depths of 10 feet which means it is holding some quality bass. Pepper grass has red/orange leaves ranging from the size of a nickle to a half dollar and can grow beneath the surface as well as on top of the surface. The way we have been fishing it is to work a buzz bait or Stanley Ribbit frog over it, pitch a light weighted Texas rig or small jig into it, and work a walking top water bait or popping topwater lure over and around it.
We usually use the buzzbait/frog/topwater early in the morning and then pitch the TX rig/jig later in the day. We also are having success working a Gulp! Sinking Minnow and Senko rigged TX/weightless and worked over points as well as on suspended bass. Deep diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs also are catching bass in the deeper depths from 15 to 28 feet. Drop shot rigs and a light TX rig fished very slowly in 15 to 25 feet are also catching bass.
STRIPER: Standing on the bank below the generators at daylight and dusk may be the best place to catch Toledo stripers. Try a three quarter ounce
Berkley Frenzy Rattl'r and Lewis Rat-L-Trap as well as large top water such as Pencil Poppers, Frenzy Walkers and Super Spooks. Also, a heavy striper jig with 4-6 inch white or pearl trailer can be awesome. Above the dam fish the areas within 200 yards of the off limit buoys.
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.