Best Time: Morning
Surface Temp: 75F
Clarity: Slightly Tannic, 18-21”
Tip of the Week: The fishing lately has had some spectacular moments and some really slow moments. The water temperature is staying lower which has induced a pretty aggressive bite as long as the weather is helpful and not too active. This has kept the fish active and are gorging themselves into footballs. Usually you will find them schooling the shad over submerged hydrilla. Cast around the edges of the school, and when the bass strike it will be aggressive.
Techniques: The largemouth have been active and are getting fat for the Winter. They have been actively feeding on shad and have been aggressively devouring small white streamers fished near the flicking baitfish. Keep your eyes peeled for roaming bass along sandy break lines they will eat a fly and often swim out of seemingly nowhere. Continue to throw smaller streamers such as bead chain Clousers or white Wooly Buggers around grass lines. The winds have been manageable so that has helped the fishing success. When the gust do come take shelter around whatever cover you find and concentrate fishing the backsides and the current breaks for bass feeding upon the pinned baitfish. With still cool water temps expect the Spec bite to keep improving. The water isn’t quite cold enough for them to school up real tight but they can still be caught drifting away from the shore. Many people are fishing the lights from their boat at night. And pulling out the fly rod for some extra action. Small white streamer patterns in size 6 or smaller will be perfect. Also, work the outer edges of the submerged grass lines. With the high water, crappie (specs) are cruising these deep water edges during the day as are bass. We have been repeating this for weeks, but it still applies. Pay extra attention to grass lines and hard cover on sunny days when the bass don’t chase as much. The bluegill action has been very good. With Popper Dropper rigs still being the best bet with a size 10 popper in white or electric blue, and a small damselfly nymph or Prince Nymph trailed behind it about two feet. Also they have been munching the small streamers as well. When they are around hard cover, it has been docks, the less grass the better. Black spiders have also been successful around grass or docks. They are also around the flowing water picking off distraught baitfish. When fishing the current boat placement is key since you don’t want to spook these concentrated fish. They respond best to streamers matching the shad they are eating. Placing these flies into the pipe or on the slack sides are your best bet. These spots are usually best when the water is moving but some fish will stick around the cover.
Submitted by: Hunter Towery
Peace Creek Guide Service
863-837-7028