By James McManus
Yes!!! The Witch of the North is dead, and spring can roll on in. I remember reading a story many years ago about a crappie guy that had to keep putting off his spring trips because of continuous cold fronts. While that can put a damper on things, I feel a big rain does more damage. Always seemed to me a good rain would wash in bait from the streams and fish would wait at the confluence and gorge on night crawlers, bugs, crawdads and everything coming into the lake. For whatever reason it just doesn’t seem to work that way.
I have pictures from last year when a cold front had pushed into the area, not much precip, just cold air. The stripers were piled up in the cooler til the lid wouldn’t close. This past week we had lots of rain but mild temps, not a ton of wind, overcast and I just knew we would kill ‘em, same week as last year, but no go. What bait and fish we found were sucked into the bottom, and nothing could get them to cooperate.
Here is wishing for April showers, not April downpours. I don’t mind fishing in a light rain, but please, no biggies. This time of year rain or not your best areas are going to be towards the headwaters of whatever lake you choose. Bait is starting its spawning runs along with other species, and even those that aren’t going upriver to spawn will follow the bait.
Fish when you can. Take kids whenever possible. And give thanks for God’s present of the beautiful lakes—and I guess even the big rains.
Later, Capt. James
Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day on the water at (828) 421-8125