Dropping a Line

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Smiles is what it’s all about and maybe a little laughing, too. That’s what the Preston Family had Saturday. We caught these fish within view of the dam on Beaver Lake. 

Shad and salties both got hit running lines close to that 30 ft. range in water over 50 ft. deep. The mouth of the creek arms all the way to the back, if water is still more than 50 ft. deep, can pay off along with the deep points on the main channel from the dam to Rocky Branch.

If you can’t get shad or salties, brood shiners or catching some perch and cutting off the dorsal fin can catch them too, or just troll some deep diving baits or an Alabama rig that will get down close to 28 ft. deep. Spoons and dropshots are catching all species now. 

As for our smaller warm water fish, it’s about the same story on depth. With surface temps running about 84° the thermoclime is running about 28 feet down.

As for here at the Island, for bass crappie and walleye it gets better going 1/2 mile north across the border for deeper water on Table Rock or run up river between the town of Beaver and Houseman Access in the evening when they’re generating, and throw anything that resembles a shad or crawdad when you see schools of small shad on the surface. You might even get a big trout along with a few whites bass, and maybe a walleye below.

This side of Houseman you don’t need a trout stamp unless you keep trout. Just don’t go south of the sign if you don’t have one.

Good luck. Stay cool. Wear that sunscreen and just jump in when hot. We are now doing our half-day striped bass trips from 11 p.m. – 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. – 10 a.m. Full day trips 11 p.m. – 7 a.m.