Finally

[Tom Butler]

Hit it early today

Fished a couple different color small poppers and wet flies or leeches on a dry line, not much love.

Switched rods to the type 6 and 2 leeches.

And found a medium size crappie pretty quick.

The little bluegill liked the black popper but couldn't hook up. The sunk leeches were better.

Was kind of surprised when a few trout showed up

Found lots of micro bass too

I hooked a micro bass on the green leech and right away it splashed on the surface, all of a sudden there was a huge swirl, and I though, damn. Then BAM, it was on, the first LMB in like 4 years, and on a fly. It took the black leech. The little fish broke off during the battle.

 

[Zak]

Hit it early today
View attachment 78058
Fished a couple different color small poppers and wet flies or leeches on a dry line, not much love.
View attachment 78061
Switched rods to the type 6 and 2 leeches.
View attachment 78062
And found a medium size crappie pretty quick.
View attachment 78063
The little bluegill liked the black popper but couldn't hook up. The sunk leeches were better.
View attachment 78064
Was kind of surprised when a few trout showed up
View attachment 78065
Found lots of micro bass too
View attachment 78066
I hooked a micro bass on the green leech and right away it splashed on the surface, all of a sudden there was a huge swirl, and I though, damn. Then BAM, it was on, the first LMB in like 4 years, and on a fly. It took the black leech. The little fish broke off during the battle.
View attachment 78067
View attachment 78068

Nice fat bass!

 

[Billy]

Nice fish Tom! Wonder when the bass showed up in that lake. I don't remember them as a kid being in there.

 

[Divad]

Tom I really like your doubled up net photos, I swear you have some wizardry that gets you both so consistently.

 

[Tom Butler]

Nice fish Tom! Wonder when the bass showed up in that lake. I don't remember them as a kid being in there.

According to the report I read, sometime after 1989, when it was drained dry. The 2001 report also lists black crappie and perch, which I have not encountered in years. There were perch when my kids were small in the early 90's, and now white crappie instead. So, basically, not sure. I guess I should fish more bass flies and try to figure it out, but I really like the crappie fishery.

 

[tkww]

Nice fish Tom! Wonder when the bass showed up in that lake. I don't remember them as a kid being in there.

According to the report I read, sometime after 1989 when it was drained dry. The 2001 report also lists black crappie and perch, which I have not encountered in years. There were perch when my kids were small in the early 90's, and now white crappie instead. So, basically, not sure. I guess I should fish more bass flies and try to figure it out, but I really like the crappie fishery.

I caught one in the spring of 1996 (I think, but it could have been '98). I've never seen a perch either--I wonder what caused them to disappear.

 

[Tom Butler]

I caught one in the spring of 1996 (I think, but it could have been '98). I've never seen a perch either--I wonder what caused them to disappear.

According to the report the lake level fluctuations cause problems (10-15'), and when they did their study some species year classes were missing. The stated management goal was to create a warm water fishery of crappie and bass. Seems to be working. The crappie are great, fast, strong, shake a lot, and plentiful enough in the sporty sizes to keep a hyperactive person like me entertained.

 

[Tom Butler]

Tom I really like your doubled up net photos, I swear you have some wizardry that gets you both so consistently.

It seemes to have started a couple years ago. It is the rare outing now I don't get at least one. I had a triple on the river Monday. I don't know, it just happens.

 

[Billy]

I caught one in the spring of 1996 (I think, but it could have been '98). I've never seen a perch either--I wonder what caused them to disappear.

I feel like the lake went totally dry at some point in the 90's or early 2000's but my memory getting foggy

 

[tkww]

I feel like the lake went totally dry at some point in the 90's or early 2000's but my memory getting foggy

Now that you mention it, that seems kind of familiar. Maybe they took it way down after the flood of '96 to asses the dike integrity?