Robert Johnson – As you can tell, most trips the last couple of weeks have been striper trips. Here’s another with Mark Schultz from Wichita, Kansas, caught by freelining shad. Stripers are being caught from Beaver Dam to Point 8, with a few still hanging around Prairie Creek and the Hwy. 12 bridge area this side of Rogers.
A lot of guys on this end are doing good just throwing a big spook on top in early morning and evening in the bigger coves and points on the mouth of the coves, with some big schools being spotted busting the top. Find the bait, find the fish.
Cooler air brought our water temps on Beaver and here at Holiday Island back down into the mid-60s, which keeps the fish happy as they can still move shallow and not have to hold below the thermocline, which usually happens after water temps get above 72°. That’s for most fish, but not catfish and perch.
So the crappie are still playing in the shoreline brush, and bass are still making their beds in the pea gravel from 2 – 8 ft. deep; walleye are still liking the flats and points, 8 – 12 ft. deep; and bluegill are getting thicker near the shoreline.
So it’s a great time to fish. If you’re just wanting to get out on your own, Lake Leatherwood is good for crappie now from the shore or boat. It’s a no wake lake with paddleboats and canoes, so you can fish out or from shore. So get out and take a kid fishing. All be safe this holiday weekend.
Robert Johnson fishofexcellence.com (479) 253-2258