08-10-2004, 02:43 AM
WATER CONDITIONS
Water surface temperatures have been in the 80-85 degree range this week. The lake is slightly stained in spots, but for the most part is fairly clear. The lake level at the dam as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening was 1,958.39 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing is starting to pick up some. The only times to catch any bass during daytime though is right at sunrise, especially on cloudy days. A few nice smallmouth were caught this week from 6:00-7:00 a.m. using plastic lizards. Pumpkin color tubes have also been taking a few largemouth in the mornings. Fish these lures off secondary points or on flats that are adjacent to deeper water. Live bait has also been noticed to work some for catching smallmouths early in the mornings. The best notable action though on Watauga continues to be at night. The white fluke or a pig and jig continues to be working the best at nights in the lower end of the lake, with crankbaits picking up a few at nights in the upper end of Roan Creek and the Watauga River. Trolling for the smallmouth at nights has also been successful. The docks at Fish Springs, Lakeshore, and Mallard Cove have done especially well for the Spotted bass on white flukes at night.
Trout fishing continues to do well. Both the Lake and Rainbow trout are being caught. Trolling small watermelon color spoons or spoons with some orange in them continues to pick up some nice rainbows as well as the bigger lake trout. The best time to fish these spoons is early mornings or late in the evenings to dark. The morning action has been doing well the last couple of weeks for the lakers while the rainbows can be caught all throughout the day. One angler Tuesday morning caught two nice lake trout using a chrome plug with a blue back trolling in 90-95 feet of water. Several rainbows were taken from the 70-80 foot range this week. Most of the fish being found are from around the Point 1 to Point 2 areas.
Crappie fishing has shown signs of picking up somewhat. Anglers should have the best success with small 1/16 or 1/32 oz. jig heads with white or chartreuse grubs, flies, or with just a live minnow fished in any fallen treetops or willow trees in Roan Creek or the Elk and Watauga rivers.
Walleye fishing is still good. Several nice Walleye are being caught during the days or at night. The majority of the fish caught, especially during the day, seem to be coming from Point 5 down to the dam. Trolling just below the Highway 67 Bridge in about 10-20 feet of water from early to mid morning with a Sutton spoon has been an effective method, as well as trolling with nightcrawler rigs with a gold Colorado blade at night or early mornings.
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Water surface temperatures have been in the 80-85 degree range this week. The lake is slightly stained in spots, but for the most part is fairly clear. The lake level at the dam as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening was 1,958.39 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing is starting to pick up some. The only times to catch any bass during daytime though is right at sunrise, especially on cloudy days. A few nice smallmouth were caught this week from 6:00-7:00 a.m. using plastic lizards. Pumpkin color tubes have also been taking a few largemouth in the mornings. Fish these lures off secondary points or on flats that are adjacent to deeper water. Live bait has also been noticed to work some for catching smallmouths early in the mornings. The best notable action though on Watauga continues to be at night. The white fluke or a pig and jig continues to be working the best at nights in the lower end of the lake, with crankbaits picking up a few at nights in the upper end of Roan Creek and the Watauga River. Trolling for the smallmouth at nights has also been successful. The docks at Fish Springs, Lakeshore, and Mallard Cove have done especially well for the Spotted bass on white flukes at night.
Trout fishing continues to do well. Both the Lake and Rainbow trout are being caught. Trolling small watermelon color spoons or spoons with some orange in them continues to pick up some nice rainbows as well as the bigger lake trout. The best time to fish these spoons is early mornings or late in the evenings to dark. The morning action has been doing well the last couple of weeks for the lakers while the rainbows can be caught all throughout the day. One angler Tuesday morning caught two nice lake trout using a chrome plug with a blue back trolling in 90-95 feet of water. Several rainbows were taken from the 70-80 foot range this week. Most of the fish being found are from around the Point 1 to Point 2 areas.
Crappie fishing has shown signs of picking up somewhat. Anglers should have the best success with small 1/16 or 1/32 oz. jig heads with white or chartreuse grubs, flies, or with just a live minnow fished in any fallen treetops or willow trees in Roan Creek or the Elk and Watauga rivers.
Walleye fishing is still good. Several nice Walleye are being caught during the days or at night. The majority of the fish caught, especially during the day, seem to be coming from Point 5 down to the dam. Trolling just below the Highway 67 Bridge in about 10-20 feet of water from early to mid morning with a Sutton spoon has been an effective method, as well as trolling with nightcrawler rigs with a gold Colorado blade at night or early mornings.
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