Well, the last two Saturdays have been our warmest days of the week. Might of got stumped the Saturday before last and had nothing booked for this last Saturday, so to get away from cabin fever I went back down to Prairie Creek on Beaver Lake again. Just me, myself and I for some prefishing.
Waited ‘til about 10 a.m. to enjoy the sun more and caught my limit without even starting the big motor. Just drug shiners and Black Salties down about 30 feet to get the first two, then before losing the sun they came to the top and I got my third fish throwing a 6-in. blueback Pencil Popper.
Water temp is creeping down to that 50° mark, so fishing season is not over yet. 46° is the number when it gets tough, then really high cabin fever time for me until February rolls around and we start warming back up. Most of the warm water fish are then feeling the urge to spawn, starting with walleye.
By March the white bass and stripers start getting a little more active.
We still have a couple $200 gift certificates left for the 2019 season. If you can’t wait ‘til then and get a nice day to get out, look for bass holding deep off the bluffs moving out of the creeks into the main channel. Walleye are holding off the flats close to 20 feet.
Crappie can be good in the winter in the creeks and main channel in the standing timber, sunken brush, and holding tight under docks. They are being caught from 8 – 15 ft. deep now. Live minnows are the best live bait to find fish now.
Trolling crankbaits from 12 – 30 ft. deep should also find you some fish. Trout love the cold water year ‘round, just grab some power bait and worms and find a nice rock to sit on the shoreline, then fire up that smoker. Good luck, be safe and stay warm.