Pictured is the Shearer family who caught this massive striper with Hooked on Fishing, LLC guide Xieng Chanthavong
The Beaver tailwaters continue to fish well this week, but anglers need to understand the changing conditions. With very limited generation schedules lately, we have been dealing with warmer-than-normal water temperatures throughout the system. That warmer water had trout more spread out instead of heavily stacked in the deeper runs and shoals.
Over the last couple of days, the Corps of Engineers has started releasing cold water through a conduit system, and that has already brought river temperatures back down into a much more normal range for this time of year. That temperature drop should help improve overall trout activity and keep fish healthier throughout the system moving forward.
Light terminal tackle paired with Pautzke Fire Bait continues to produce solid numbers of rainbow trout, especially during the early morning hours before the sun gets high. Natural drifts and lighter presentations are making a big difference in the clear, low-water conditions. Anglers slowing down and covering water carefully are finding the better bites.
Walleye are still being caught throughout the tailwaters following the spawn, but the bite has become more pattern oriented. Fish are sliding off some of the shallower spawning structure and relating more to transition areas, chunk rock, and deeper current seams during low flow periods. Slow presentations are outperforming aggressive retrieves right now.
The biggest key this week has been patience and timing. Low, clear conditions mean fish are feeding in shorter windows, but anglers putting in the time are still seeing quality catches of trout, walleye, bass, and the occasional surprise species mixed in.
As the colder water continues working its way through the system, expect trout to gradually reposition and become more active in traditional holding areas again. The fishery is stabilizing, and conditions should continue improving heading deeper into late spring.
Austin Kennedy, Busch Mountain Fishing Guide Service
Beaver Lake striper have finished their spawn and are spread out throughout the whole lake. Key to finding them is locating bait. Water temp is sitting around 70° and the shad are starting to spawn, look for them spawning on floating debris, treetops and hard surfaces like rocks and bluffs. When you see these spawning shad, you’re in the right place for the stripers.
Surface activity has been good early in the morning with the shad being high in the water column. Fill up your gas tank and get prepared to cover water until you find these bait balls. Crappie are holding on flats and brush piles in 10 to 20 feet of water. 1/8 oz. jigs are perfect to swim over these brush piles. On sunny days you can find some crappie under docks sitting in the shade waiting for an easy meal to swim by.
Juan Granados, Hooked on Fishing