Brian Tiller must of wanted some smoked striper so he bought his father, Brent Tiller, from Westfork, Ark., a gift certificate which he used for an outing on Sunday.
Well, we gave it all we had going as far up the river we could go on Beaver Lake in search of warmer water and big fish. We took along some black salties and shiners 4 – 5 inches long along with some big dollar bill-size shad. We got hit on all three baits.
The water temp was still in the high 40s at Hickory Creek but we did find some 54° water as we moved up stream along with some of the smaller male stripers waiting on the bigger females.
The rain we had last week gave us some current and warmer water, but it seems the three nights below freezing gave them lockjaw.
So let’s recap what’s going on with the spawn on the fish that will be doing their thing now into April starting with the ones that go upstream in our rivers and creeks. First is the walleye, which spawn between 45° and 50° on the full moon. Well, that’s today folks, but don’t worry they don’t feed when they spawn but eat heavy before and after.
Another thing about this moon is it’s on the first day of spring. It is also called the Worm Moon because the worms start burrowing through the soil more. It is also the 3rd and last Super moon of the year. Sounds to me like it’s time to fish.
OK, we found 54° water Sunday with the days after and down the road warming fast. The other two fish that run upstream to spawn are first the stripers at 59° to 65° mixed in with the white bass at 57° to 68°. Unlike the walleye, both these species feed like crazy while their laying their eggs. If you hook a female and have a fishing partner with you, have him cast behind it and you should get two as the males will follow her all the way to the boat.
You also have the Rainbow trout and those big spoonbill going upstream to spawn here in the Beaver tailwaters with the Rainbows laying their eggs between 50° and 55° and the spoonbill closer to 60°.
Now your fish that prefer the shoreline to lay their eggs start with the smallmouth bass which spawn around 59° to 60° with the males clearing out a nest in the pea gravel you can usually see in water 2 – 10 ft. deep. The last to spawn March into April are your crappie, which love that shoreline brush 2 – 6 ft. deep and lay their eggs between 60° and 68.
As June gets closer, the largemouth and spotted bass spawn on the shoreline pea gravel the same way as the smallmouth between 63° and 72°. Have to wait until July gets closer for the perch and catfish spawn as we get closer to 80°. So it looks to me with the warm weather we have coming into next week the bite will get into full swing as we approach that 60° water temperature. It’s Spring Break, folks so enjoy and take a kid fishing.
Johnson Guide Service (479) 253-2258 www.fishofexcellence.com