by Wes Carlton
Water temperature: 81 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: clear.
Bass: The spotted bass have set up on their summer pattern. Most of the bigger fish are deep at 20 to 30 feet. We have been catching some good fish off the main lake points and humps throwing a Super Spin tipped with a white Fluke. We have also caught some big spots and largemouth in topwater in and around these same areas. A chrome Super Spook has been working best for these schooling bass. Look for the drop-shot bite to pick up over the next few weeks in and around brush piles.
Brown trout: The trout bite has been decent lately. We haven’t caught very many fish, but the ones we have caught have been big. The trolling bite has really picked up and should continue over the next few weeks. We have been trolling in the 20 foot depth range. Lucky Craft Pointer 68’s have been the go-to bait lately. Try maintaining a speed of 2.5 mph when trolling. We have caught a few nice yellow perch while trolling for the trout.
Yellow Perch: It’s that time of year when the yellow perch school up in big groups. This is a great time to catch a mess of these. They typically hang in the 15 to 25 foot depths in and around grass. Small spoons and jigs of any color work great. Locating the perch on a fish finder is the key to scoring big on a school of fish. Where there is one perch, there are many more. This pattern should prove to be good for the next few weeks. Good Luck!