Last Saturday, January 31st, about a dozen guys showed up to fish the One-Man Bass Tournament on Lake Istokpoga. This tournament usually draws 20 or more boats but between the tough fishing on the lake and less than perfect weather conditions, many tournament anglers decided to sit this one out.
I’ve fished about a half dozen tournaments on Lake Istokpoga since last November and for whatever reason, the bass fishing just hasn’t been as good as it normally is during these months. Cooler overnight temperatures have kept the water cold, in the high 50’s, and lower 60’s, while the wind has stirred the shallow lake into a real mud hole.
A few fishermen believe many of the bass went over the spillway during the heavy rains last summer. Others believe the lack of vegetation, or what they consider “over-spraying” has depleted the bass population. But many, myself included, chalk up the slow bite to the below-average water temperatures and the muddy water conditions from the wind.
By February the bass should be moving shallow to spawn, but there’s little evidence of beds or spawning activity in the lake. The water clarity, normally stained, is much muddier than usual and as a result, the bass that have moved shallow to spawn will have to move in even shallower to allow the sun’s rays to warm their eggs.
I was the first boat out last Saturday, and I knew before I hit open water that the northeast wind, already blowing at 10 mph would only increase as the day wore on. Not wanting to run too far in the 40 degree air, I quickly swung the boat over to the northeast section of the lake, just out from Mallards. The lily pads, normally extending out hundreds of yards from shore, were thinned out and offered a good starting point to throw a 1.5 crankbait and Carolina rig.
I had done well in this area last year in January and February, catching an 11 pounder in late January and a couple of 8’s and 9’s in February. Many of the fish we normally catch in this area are moving in to spawn, while others use the same route to return to deeper water.
But on this day, there was little activity. My first strike came 2 hours after the tournament started on a Carolina rig. A nice 3 pound female, who was quickly joined in my live-well with a small, 13” buck bass that struck a chartreuse crank bait.
By 11am, I’d worked my way down a long stretch of the east shoreline, flipping the reeds with jigs and worms, but to no avail. The wind was increasing, but I decided to cross the lake and fish the west shoreline. That proved to be a mistake.
Waves of 2-4’ were crashing over my bow and regardless of my speed, the Ranger Bass Boat “slapped” the water creating a “pounding” effect. Three- quarters of the way across the lake, I felt a “pop” in my back and I knew I was done fishing for the day. Slowly turning the boat around, I headed back to the boat ramp, feeling the pain that I often dealt with in my lower back. A slow boat ride back, I loaded up my boat and drove home, wishing I had thought ahead and brought along my bottle of Aleve.
Although I wasn’t there for the weigh-in, only about 15 bass were weighed in. John Wood won the tournament with 3 bass weighing 14.62 pounds, along with the big bass of the day, a beautiful 8.20 giant. Charles Beatty took second place honors with three bass weighing in at 10.08 pounds.
Hopefully the bass fishing will improve in February, although the first 10 days of the month are looking an awful lot like the same weather pattern we’ve had all January.
