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May 30, 2009 -
Fishing
was excellent all month. I have been able to catch shad for bait on every
trip this month. There were 3/4 day trip who caught 173 fish. I managed to
fillet them all in 80 minutes. One party of three on a 3/4 day trip caught
150 and quit. Also included in the fantastic was a catch of 132 fish for a
party of two on a 3/4 day trip. There were several other days we caught over
100 fish but these were the highlights. Many of the fish were the nicer size
2 to 4 pound schoolie fish and as of this last week, we have had several
over five pounds, so fishing is good. The shad fry is hatched and is running
up on the surface while being chased by stripers. This is what we call
"slurping" fish. In another month and a half it will be called boiling fish
as the shad get bigger, swimming faster and the stripers get more
aggressive. It is a very subtle feeding activity that can be very hard to
spot when there is a little chop on the water. Many times these slurpers are
in schools of several hundred fish or more and can be quite hard to trigger
a strike from at times. It is hard to match the hatch when it is the size of
a sea monkey or brine shrimp. Look for the live bait fishing to continue for
a couple of weeks and also increased lure fishing activity as the month
progresses. We should be able to catch them on swim baits, jerk baits, top
water lures and jigging in June.
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April 25, 2009 -
Fishing to improved all month from good to excellent. The fish were mixed in
size with some days getting all 9 inch fish, some days getting all pound
fish and some days getting all two to three pound fish but most days it was
a mix. The weather pattern has still been up and down and this continues to
affect the fishing as the fish do not get acclimated to the weather before
there is a change. So, this created a no pattern situation and every day you
have to search the fish out. The weather finally got warm and stayed warm
for the week and the shad moved up to spawn. The fishing turned excellent
with live bait, 4 inch swim baits and jerk baits all producing well. All
trips produced over 50 fish and they were from one to five pounds. I look to
be able to catch shad for many of the trips for about the next two months
and fishing should remain excellent on most days if the weather pattern
holds.
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March 27, 2009 -
Fishing has been up and down for 'Schoolie" fish all month. The weather
pattern has been up and down with one day reaching 85 degrees and the next
day only getting to 58. Most days we had to work hard to get good number. It
will go three or four days in a row with 20 to 35 fish and then only get 6
as the pattern continues to change. After we track them down again, the
fishing gets respectable for a few days and then they move again. I caught
about 4 dozen shad last week on an afternoon trip. This is early and I have
not seen them up shallow since. As the water continues to rise in
temperature, we get closer to the shad spawn which should significantly
improve the fishing. Look to the beginning weeks of next month for this
event. The live shad we used did not catch a fish while it was live. The
fish chose dead baits when they were side by side with the live. You never
know! Night trips were good all month. All fish were bigger than what we
have been catching in the day and the numbers were good. Only had a couple
of "Trophy" trips this month as I have been very busy on Mead. Two fish of
23 and 29 pounds were landed. Look for lure fishing and live bait next month
to bust things open.
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February 28, 2009 -
We have had beautiful weather most of the month. Fishing has been consistent
for "Schoolie" fish with the average size a little small. Some days as many
as 80 fish, all on cut bait. "Trophy" fishing continues to be good with fish
of 38.25, 28, 25, 22 and 16 pounds being caught with the added bonus of many
fish in the 4 to 8 pound range. March will bring good night fishing on Mead
with lures. Experimental trips have included two nights with fish to 13
pounds. One night we took 12 and another we caught 16. Day fishing should
begin to fluctuate between very good and a little spotty for a good portion
of the month of March. Our weather pattern is very unpredictable, water is
warming up and the fish are on the move. We should see an increase in the
average size of fish as they begin to search for shad. Look for the shad
spawn sometime towards the end of March or beginning of April.
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January 24, 2009 -
The weather has been unusually warm making for quite pleasant winter
fishing. We continue to catch small fish in good numbers on the Mead
Schoolie Trips. We are averaging between 15 to 25 fish per person while
fishing cut bait on the anchor. Trophy fishing continues to be good with
fish of 40, 29, 23, 22, 20, and 18 pounds as well as the smattering of nice
4 to 9 pound fish mixed in for the last few weeks. I look for both types of
trips continue to be good depending on the weather.
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December 30, 2008 -
Several fish caught on my boat as well as others over 20 pounds both on Lake
Mead and down on the "River". Most of them are from the river. River trips
averaging around 10 fish between 4 and 12 pounds with one over 20 pounds
about 90% of the time. I look for this to improve in size and numbers as the
Holiday pressure dies down. Schoolie trips on Mead are good from small perch
size up to about 2 pounds on cut bait. Fishing has been good. We have been
anchoring between 40 and 80 feet of water for the best results. All of the
live shad has now gone deep and the fish have dispersed from their shallow
haunts.
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November
30, 2008 -
Jigging spoon ended early this year and although we are still catching them
on swim baits and jerk baits the best bet has been catching live shad. It
could go back deep any day now and that will be it for the year. Each year
is different and last year we were able to catch it into the second week of
January and the fishing was phenomenal. I am looking forward to our winter
trophy season. Caught one fish at 22 pounds on Friday the 28th even though
the water is a little warm yet.
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October
31, 2008 -
Still catching fish with top water and jerk baits but the boils are slowing
down. Afternoon trips doing very good with great surface action and jigging
as deep as 150 feet. Shad is showing but is a little small to catch. I will
continue to watch it.
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September 30, 2008 -
Top water and jigging spoon continues with the jigging spoon getting deeper.
Catching fish as deep as 120 feet. Averaging about 15 fish per person on
most days.
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August
31, 2008 -
The pattern continues to hold with the top water and jigging spoon bite
going good. Averaging about 15 fish per person. The boils continue.
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July 31,
2008 -
Great top water action with walk the dog baits and jerk baits. Also getting
into some good jigging spoon bites. I expect this pattern to hold into the
late fall. Averaging about 20 fish per person. Fish are boiling all over.
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June 30,
2008 -
Fishing continues to be wide open with live shad being the best bait. 8 more
trips with over 100 fish each. The shad is finished with its spawn and lure
fishing is starting to get good. Look for lure fishing from here through the
fall. Shad will go deep until October or November when we will be able to
catch it for bait again.
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May
31,2008 -
Fishing has been great all month with live shad. Several good days with top
water lures and Jerk baits but it is hard to put down the shad. I had 8 days
with over 100 fish for the half day trip. Wide Open!!!
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April
30, 2008 -
Shad was up and down for most of the month with no consistency but have
begun to spawn now. We continued to have good fishing for the month on a
good grade of fish. Lure fishing has been slow with only a few being caught
in the mornings. Several afternoon trips produced great results and on many
occasions were better than the morning trips.
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April
2, 2008 -
Today the Shad moved into the shallow water to spawn. We caught shad and
then fished it in 30 feet of water for. Two people with 93 fish in 4 hours.
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March
29, 2008 -
It has been a good month with many good evening bites on lures. The bait
bite has been consistent in the late mornings and afternoons with an average
of about 15 fish per person. No top water bite yet but hopefully it will
happen soon.
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March
9, 2008 -
Fishing has been good for smaller stripers in the afternoons but a little
scratchy on some mornings. Fish are still the smaller winter size with
weights ranging from 3/4 to 1.5 pounds. A few bigger fish to 3 pounds each
day. 3 or 4 catfish have been mixed in per trip. Trophy fishing is almost
over. Last week we had one fish at 27 pounds on the river and I caught one
fish at 21 pounds during a night trip on Lake Mead. Water is warming up but
few fish on lures during the day. Two night trips this week produced several
fish each on lures by trolling and casting in the dark. Fish ranged in size
from 3 to 21 pounds with the average fish at about 5. Looking forward to
warmer water and lure fishing. The shad should move shallow to spawn with-in
the next 4 weeks and things should explode.
