Kevin Mulvey from Antioch, Tenn., came to visit a friend on Mundell Road, decided to try a last minute striper trip on Beaver Lake Friday, and got his limit pretty early up here near the dam.
We started putting bait out right from the boat launch and had our first and biggest fish in the boat as the sun was rising. Water temp in Beaver is running about 87° now and all bait and fish we’re seeing on the graph are between 28 – 40 ft. deep in water from 60 – 200 ft. deep. The hotter the summer, the more bait and fish move closer to the dam seeking deeper cooler water and the current it draws up when generating.
Five-to eight-inch gizzard shad seem to be what the stripers want the most of now. Most stripers on Beaver Lake are being caught from the dam to Point 5 and up the little and big Clifty Creek arms.
Trolling umbrella rigs, big deep diving crank baits and working spoons can get them now, too. Anything you have that will get down past that 28 ft. mark.
We are setting our bait rods close to 40 ft. now and shooting that bait down there fast so they don’t stay in the hot surface water too long and die on the hook. You also have to watch how fast you’re going and use 2 – 4 oz. weights so they don’t pull into the hot water when you speed up.
I have been chasing stripers so much that I’ve not been out here at the Island this week, but know after 3 p.m. when they generate and the cold water flows our way you should see pods of little shad between Beavertown and Houseman Access, along with warm and cold water fish eating their dinner. The rest of the day now just fish from 12 – 30 ft. deep and you should catch not just fish. Take a kid with you go and if you can’t go at least buy one a fishing pole.
Johnson Guide Service www.fishofecellence.com (479) 253-2258