JUNE 09, 2007

BASS AND TROUT ARE ON THE MENU!

If you can cast a line, you can catch fish! Over the past two weeks the bass fishing has been phenomenal. Anything and everything that you can tie on your line has been catching fish. This is my favorite time of year to be out on the water.

As stated, the bass fishing is hot and should continue to be until the really warm weather arrives, which doesn't look like it will happen any time soon (according to the weather forecasters, but you know how that goes). The water temps in the lakes and ponds are around the 60-65 degree mark which is ideal for all fish. The bass have already finished spawning in the smaller ponds and shallower bays, but they haven't gone far. Work tube jigs or soft plastics in 6-12 feet of water or cast shallow running crank baits and stick baits. Natural colors are working best with copper, pumpkin and green being the top choices. I've had good success with dark colors like black and junebug on overcast days.

Often our smaller bodies of water in the area are overshadowed by the big lake. Don't pass these small ponds by. I spent an hour last night at one of the small ponds in town catching healthy largemouth in the 2 pound range. I was fishing from shore in about 8 feet of water and I had a blast. These smaller gems can hold big fish. I caught a 7 pound largemouth on Easter Sunday in one of these small ponds.

The trout fishing is about as good as it can get right now. The brooks and rivers are warm enough to allow decent insect hatches and the fish are hungry. I witnessed a massive green drake hatch last Sunday on a small beaver pond, but there were so many naturals on the water the fish wouldn't take my artificial offering. The rains from last weekend and scattered storms earlier in the week have brought the water levels up but they should be back down by the end of the weekend. If your a fly fisherman, be sure to keep plenty of Adam's and BWO patterns in your box in all sizes. I've found these to produce the most fish. Worms and paste bait will produce plenty of fish as they are feeding heavy.

Good Luck Fishing!