Robert Johnson – Well, it seems it was just a couple weeks ago we were hoping the water temp would just get above 58°. Won’t see that number on Beaver Lake for awhile. We’ve been way upriver below Springdale, War Eagle, Horseshoe Bend, to the Hwy. 12 bridge islands this week and found big bass, stripers and crappie in all these places in water between four and 20 ft. deep, with water temps already running between 65° to 67°.
All fish were caught on shad running to the sides with planer boards and freelining behind boat. That means no weights.
John Buglovsky from Aurora, Colorado, got big fish this week with this 30-pound female, which had a male coming in beside her that almost got netted too, so the spawn is on. The white bass here at Holiday Island are moving up the creeks and Beaver tailwaters, wanting to spawn.
If we get a good rain, the run is on. We did get some nice crappie off the shoreline with minnows about five ft. deep so they have found it is also their time to spawn. The walleye spawn should be about over, which leaves them more in a feeding mood and they come back from their river run.
Well, I’d better get to bed so I can fish in the morning. Got two more days with John and a couple of his buddies, so we might get lucky and get a 40-pounder.
Get on the water if you can, already seeing people getting wet and skiing. Spring will be gone before ya know it. Stay Safe.
Robert Johnson. fishofexcellence.com (479) 253-2258.