03-19-2004, 08:26 AM
[font "Arial"][#000000][size 2][font "Arial"][size 2]WATER CONDITIONS
Water surface temperatures have been in the mid 40's this week. The water clarity is really clear right now. The lake level at the dam as of 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning was 1,948.16 feet above sea level. The lake has risen about 2.5 feet compared to this time last week. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]SUMMARY
Bass fishing is still a little slow, but should pick up with the warmer water temperatures. The majority of the smallmouth bass seem to be suspended in midday to afternoon, and seem to be in the coves some early in the mornings when the sun first hits the water. Look for the Largemouth bass to be slightly active if the warmest of the water that you can locate. They seem to be holding pretty tight to brushy structure right now, but the water temperatures are still a little cool right now to really get the largemouth biting. The spotted bass have been showing some decent action however especially around docks and boat slips in the Fish Springs, Mallard Cove, Cove Ridge, and Cobb Creek areas. Spoons and Silver Buddies have been supplying most of the bites from the bass right now, with some action starting to show up on crankbaits and plastic tubes or grubs. The float-n-fly is still catching a few smallmouth in the upper part of the lake, but not as productive as is was in January. Vertical jigging Hopkins spoons or jigs have been particularly productive in the middle part of the lake, from point 5 down to about Fish Springs Marina. Bank fishing continues to do well, with some nice big smallmouth being taken on trout minnows early in the morning on the bank sides where the sun is hitting the most. Bank fishermen are having the most success by using trout minnows or creek chubs early in the morning to midday. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]Trout fishing has really been good for the stocked rainbows. The stocked rainbows can be caught at either Rat Branch or Little Milligan Boat Ramp. The Lake trout action has been slow but a few can be taken running downriggers about 60-90 feet deep from Fish Springs Marina down to the dam. Spoons seem to be the most effective lure for the lakers. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]The crappie fishing has slowed a little but still worth while. Roan Creek, Elk River, Cobb Creek, Mallard Cove, and around Pioneer Landing on the Watauga River have all produced some decent crappie fishing. The mud slide in Roan Creek just below the campground has been especially good the last couple of weeks. Fishing flies and small tubes on jig heads about 6-10 feet deep around submerged brush has been the most effective methods. When fishing gets tough, try tipping flies with a minnow. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]Walleye fishing should start to come on in the next week or two. Look for the last full moon of the month to really produce some good fishing in the Elk and Watauga rivers. A seven pound Walleye was reported caught last week in the Cove Ridge area. [/size][/font][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Hatches:[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Patterns[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Fish Species[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul] [li]Bass [li]Crappie [li]Bream [li]Catfish [/li][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [right][/right]
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Water surface temperatures have been in the mid 40's this week. The water clarity is really clear right now. The lake level at the dam as of 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning was 1,948.16 feet above sea level. The lake has risen about 2.5 feet compared to this time last week. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]SUMMARY
Bass fishing is still a little slow, but should pick up with the warmer water temperatures. The majority of the smallmouth bass seem to be suspended in midday to afternoon, and seem to be in the coves some early in the mornings when the sun first hits the water. Look for the Largemouth bass to be slightly active if the warmest of the water that you can locate. They seem to be holding pretty tight to brushy structure right now, but the water temperatures are still a little cool right now to really get the largemouth biting. The spotted bass have been showing some decent action however especially around docks and boat slips in the Fish Springs, Mallard Cove, Cove Ridge, and Cobb Creek areas. Spoons and Silver Buddies have been supplying most of the bites from the bass right now, with some action starting to show up on crankbaits and plastic tubes or grubs. The float-n-fly is still catching a few smallmouth in the upper part of the lake, but not as productive as is was in January. Vertical jigging Hopkins spoons or jigs have been particularly productive in the middle part of the lake, from point 5 down to about Fish Springs Marina. Bank fishing continues to do well, with some nice big smallmouth being taken on trout minnows early in the morning on the bank sides where the sun is hitting the most. Bank fishermen are having the most success by using trout minnows or creek chubs early in the morning to midday. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]Trout fishing has really been good for the stocked rainbows. The stocked rainbows can be caught at either Rat Branch or Little Milligan Boat Ramp. The Lake trout action has been slow but a few can be taken running downriggers about 60-90 feet deep from Fish Springs Marina down to the dam. Spoons seem to be the most effective lure for the lakers. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]The crappie fishing has slowed a little but still worth while. Roan Creek, Elk River, Cobb Creek, Mallard Cove, and around Pioneer Landing on the Watauga River have all produced some decent crappie fishing. The mud slide in Roan Creek just below the campground has been especially good the last couple of weeks. Fishing flies and small tubes on jig heads about 6-10 feet deep around submerged brush has been the most effective methods. When fishing gets tough, try tipping flies with a minnow. [/size][/font]
[font "Arial"][size 2]Walleye fishing should start to come on in the next week or two. Look for the last full moon of the month to really produce some good fishing in the Elk and Watauga rivers. A seven pound Walleye was reported caught last week in the Cove Ridge area. [/size][/font][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Hatches:[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Patterns[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [font "Arial"][#c4ac82][size 2]Fish Species[/size][/#c4ac82][/font] [font "Arial"][#000000][size 1] [ul] [li]Bass [li]Crappie [li]Bream [li]Catfish [/li][/ul][/size][/#000000][/font] [right][/right]
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