Well, it seems we got some rain and with rain comes mud. Mud can have its advantages and disadvantages. Stripers don’t care for it much so they usually move ahead of the mud line. Which means on Beaver Lake most stripers won’t be in the river south of the Hwy. 12 bridge.
The rain was mostly a warm spring rain that has hit some triggers on all fish and bait. Current is also a turn on. Look for stripers off the main lake points to be moving into the back of creeks, as they will be the first to clear out.
Keep your eyes looking way off in the distance for gulls or some serious surface activity.
Water temps seem to be in getting into the 50s about every day now, with the shallows warming up to 5° higher on these sunny days. Muddy water will hold heat longer than clear water.
Crappie don’t mind the mud as much, and are being caught all over close to the shoreline in water 8 – 12 ft. deep with this double minnow rig, catching the most now with live minnows doing better than jigs.
You can buy this rig at most tackle stores or make your own. I make my own with lighter line and a 3-way swivel. Also works with a jig on the bottom or a lighter weight and slip float for casting. The 1/2 oz. weight rig works best just putting down and slowly moving down the shoreline with trolling motor under 0.3 mph.
Bass are hitting crank baits, spinner baits and top water, as the flats warm with baits that make some noise – they work best if they have a little mud.
Well that’s about it for this week. Is that great grass, I see… are those buds on the trees? Is that a fish I see jumping? Is that you I see carrying a fishing pole? It is time.