Andrew Kummerfeld from Columbia, Mo., took home some nice fillets from his trip on Beaver last week. The stripers are still holding down close to 30 feet deep, but moving up into 30 – 50 foot water as we cool. They will be busting the top very soon now.
The cool rain we had the last few days has dropped the surface temp down to 78° up here on our end of the lake and even with warmer temps coming at the end of the week I don’t expect to see it above 80° till next year since the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler.
The hot spots on this end now are Indian Creek, Honey Creek and the North shoreline of Point 1 Island. Good catches are also being caught from Point 5 to Rocky Branch. Big bait seems to be the ticket. Fish the points and flats where the water starts dropping from 30 – 50 foot deep.
Here at the Island, walleye are being caught in the Beavertown area. Trolling crankbaits that will run close to 12 ft. deep or working a small jig tipped with a minnow should get you some meat in the boat. Bass are scattered and being caught as shallow as 2 ft. deep in the back of coves, chasing shad to as deep as 30 ft. off the bluffs.
Jigs spoons and a top water plug or spinner bait can all work now, just look for the bait on top and if you don’t see you should see then on your graph deep off the bluffs. I have not been crappie fishing this last week but while catching shad for my striper trips I got and released some big slabs throwing my net in 4 – 6 ft. of water off the shoreline, so that means they’re moving closer to the bank. That shallow water loves these cool nights and so do the fish, so remember the early bird gets the worm.
We’re in our transition mode now but October is just three weeks away and then the fall bite is on. With water temps in the low 70s the weights come off the bait and I got some new lures I can’t wait to see a big fish bust up in top. Till next week enjoy the peace and quite with a pole in your hand and a kid by your side.