By
Water Temp: 47-52 F 
Water temperature crept back into the 50's
following a few warm windless afternoons, but there is much more warming needed
to really get fish going. Right now game fish are feeding sporadically.
Catching is hit and miss.
The best choice of fishing location is near aquatic weed beds and tumbleweed
piles that are near deep water. Bass and stripers are holding quite
consistently at 30 foot depths. They come shallower to feed and drop back over
the ledge to rest. Find a spot with cover and deep water in near proximity and
chances of finding willing fish increases. Good coves with lots of cover in the
backs of shallow canyons will not be occupied until water warms to 57-60
degrees. This week look for cover on the edge of deep water for best results.
Tumbleweeds located
on a steep terraced bank near deep water. Weeds must extend into the depths to
provide effective cold water cover.
Tumbleweed piles are not forgiving when crankbaits or spoons get tangled in the
branches. Weedless lures are a necessity and slow movement is the best
presentation. Spinner baits fill the need as do suspending crankbaits - if the
bait can be fishing along the brush tops instead of in the middle where snags
await. Weedless baits like texas-rigged senkos with
no weight are perhaps the best lures to settle into the weed pockets without
hanging up.
On my outing this week I found slow fishing. I was able to catch some stripers
that were actively searching for small fish along the 20- foot deep margin of a
weed bed. They hit a spoon quickly and repeatedly and then were gone. Active
stripers are moving quickly and hard to keep in casting range. When we tried
anchovies in the vacated area it was as if the stripers had forgotten all about
bait. We did not turn a fish on anchovies. I suspect without fishing pressure
this winter, stripers have either gone dormant or actively chased sunfish in
weed beds. In either case the appeal of bait is lessened.
Bluegill
taken from fat 2-pound striper stomach. Bass and stripers are keying on
bluegill in weedbeds and tumbleweed cover.
On the bright side warming of a few more degrees will increase fish metabolism
and need to feed. March should be good fishing with largemouth the prime
target. Isolated tumbleweed pockets in sunny coves with deep water near by will
be the best location. Stripers will be in slightly deeper water but very near
the bass water. Bonus walleye will be in the same proximity. All are eating
sunfish that hide in the thickest cover available.
Remember to
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