Be careful running the lake.
The Corp is working on many ramps to try and repair what they can.
Right now, Tidwell Park and Shoal Creek are the ones open lake wide. There are some plans in the works but no news as of today.
Black bass fishing is slow. Just get out the small crank baits, spoons, worms and jigs. Fish the humps and points half way to the backs of the creeks. In the mouths of the main lake creeks blue pumpkin Zoom mini lizards.
The backs of the lower lake creeks are clear and a use «- ounce Stanley jig in black and blue Zoom pork imitation.
Fish heavy bank cover and work baits dead slow all the way back to the boat. Look for any warming water in the northwest cove’s later in the afternoons.
Stay on the main lake and drop spoons and all white buck tails to the fish once they show up on the Lowrance depth finder.
The ledges right off the main lake are still good locations to find a schools of fish. But getting them to bite has been tough.
Use a large jig with the Uncle Josh trailer and fish this bait just like a jigging spoon.
Vary the jigging spoons sizes during the day also. Use both a one ounce and a half ounce spoon.
Up lake, fish the river points and coves next to the river and some docks in the backs of the up- lake creeks have these fish close by. The «-ounce Enticer jigs in all black with a larger Uncle Josh Pro Pork in the same color will get some bass strikes.
The river fish will be roaming the banks and around any cover. Keep moving and adjusting depths all day as the fish keep moving with the warm weather. Small Shad Raps should work in perch and pearl white will Work. Be sure to bump the baits off the bottom right up on the banks.
Spotted bass are in a variety of depths all over the lake as they try to figure out the falling waters.
Fish the larger docks as they seem to be the places the better fish are relating to.
The best pattern in the rivers is a small Bandit 200 root beer crank bait and a ¬-ounce Shakey Head ad a finesse worm. If the sun is out, use sand and icicle Zoom finesse worms. Any overcast conditions will dictate using the Zoom finesse worms in water melon green and pumpkinseed on the same rig. Look in the ditches in the creeks and in the deep coves at 20 to 35 feet for the old trees and natural brush.
The Zoom dark blue plastic pork trailer on the matching colors of a Stanley jig is a good choice for this deep structure. Be prepared to fish deep to 35 feet with theses baits.
Simply drop the lure right into the structure and vertically lift the lure making contact with the cover.
Strikes might be light so a sensitive rod and lighter line will allow the angler to feel this slight movement. A Flex «-ounce white spoon can work in these areas with short lifts of the bait working it through the cover. Sharp drop offs are the best locations.
Try a standing timber technique. Find the trees in the middle of any major creek and cast a jig into the tree. Let it sink at least 35 feet into the tree limbs and use the tree limbs to doodle the jig in front of the spots. It’s sounds hard but give it try.
Strikes will always happen on the fall.
In the center of Shady Grove Park, there is a large stand of trees that deep water anglers fish all winter. Use the Lowrance and move into the center of the east cove and drop bait into the trees.
Striper fishing is good lake wide and the middle of the creeks have some active fish. Look in the middle of the main lake creeks. The food is there and the stripers are feeding at super shallow and to 40- to 50- feet over old lake ditches.
Many of the fish are right on the bottom so sit still and watch the Lowrance. The fish are not deeper than 40 feet anywhere in the river. Use blue backs, small trout and shiners on a down line. Fish are holding at 39- to 55- feet deep over at least a 60-foot bottom.
Pull long flat lines or planer boards as the bait starts moving to the surface in the backs of the creeks. Watch for the birds feeding and stick with them. A fish or two may bust the surface, however mainly you will only see the slight roll from the fish.
If the birds are not actively feeding down line your baits or flat line and you will pick up a few.