03-06-2007, 11:09 PM
[
]For February 1st- 15th, 2007
• Air Temp: 45°-60°F (Early Morning and late evenings with the cold front) 73°- 78°F (Siesta time)
• Water Temp: 68°-72°F
• Average number of bass per boat per day: 40-60
• Largest bass caught: 12lbs
Popular lures used this week:
1. Eight inch Zoom or 7-inch Yum Zellamander Lizards in watermelon and watermelon with red flakes.
2. Yamamoto Senkos, Yum Dingers or Bass Pro Shops 5, 6 & 7-inch Stinkos in watermelon, watermelon red flake, black with blue flake, and white & chartreuse
3. Bomber Fat Free Shad and Norman DD22 deep diving crankbaits in citrus shad, Tennessee shad, fire tiger and white.
4. Storm WildEye 4 and 5-inch Swim Shads in pearl white, golden mullet, shad and fire tiger. (Dip tail in Chartreuse dye)
5. Rat-L-Traps in ½ & ¾-ounce in silver with blue back and silver with black back.
6. Rico Pop R in white, white with sparkles and silver & black.
7. 10-inch Berkley Power Worms in watermelon, green pumpkin and black with blue tail.
8. Zara Spook, Sammy and Reaction Innovations Vixen in shad, chrome with black top and white.
Spawning Season Under Way
At El Salto Lake
Another spawning season is in full swing here at El Salto Lake. Water levels are continuing to decline, but are still holding at higher than normal levels.
Angling success has been varied for recent visitors to Anglers Inn. Some have had excellent success, for others angling has sometimes been on the slow side.
Don’t expect to find much sight fishing of the spawning beds at El Salto that’s so common in the United States. The bass here tend to spawn deeper. There is some shallow water spawning on El Salto, but not all that much.
El Salto bass often spawn in at 12 to 20-foot depths and sometimes right down in the tops of submerged trees. You’re just not going to be able to spot the beds at those depths.
So what’s your bet best as far as lures go right now? Some of our recent visitors have had excellent topwater action. Rico surface lures have been especially effective.
Lots of average size fish are being taken on Senkos. Watermelon colored lizards with red flakes and rigged Texas or Carolina Style have also been excellent. Clients have also been boating some dandy fish on Storm WildEye Swim Shads in white with a chartreuse top. Some successful anglers have done well by dipping the tails of their Swim Shads in chartreuse dye.
Jay Schurz and Jim Doll were among our recent Anglers Inn guests. They caught a total of 180 bass in their 3 ½-days on the water. Their largest fish was 6-pounds, 8-ounces. They also had several other fish that topped 5-pounds.
Jay and Jim had their best luck with 8-inch Zoom Lizards and with Swirl Wave Worms in a black and blue color. They also scored with Chatterbaits in a pearl finish.
“Fishing was steady and somewhat predictable,” Jay says. The fish were shallow early and late and went deeper as the sun rose. The fishing was good, but the weather was great! It was my seventh trip down to El Salto, but this was the first time in February. I had no idea how nice the weather was going to be. I still like to fish on the drawdown but, February was the perfect medicine for cabin fever. We flew back to find
6-inches of snow. I already miss not being at El Salto with you.”
Mike Ishikawa and his friend Wayne were also recent guests. “We’re back home,” Mike says in his message to us. “Wayne told me he had a good time on his first bass fishing trip, although the big fish I had promised him did elude us. Fishing was so-so. I did manage a 7-pounder and caught about 50 to 60 fish per day. The water is still very high. “
Jerry Davis was here with a group of four anglers. Here’s his report: “The overall fishing was a little under expectations by El Salto standards. Deeper water did not produce results like past trips, although we lost one fish on a Swimbait that was between 8 to 10-pounds. Most of our action was in shallower water and against steep bluffs on Senkos and Flukes. Most fish were between 1½ to 2 ½-pounds.
“Throwing right up on the cliffs and letting the bait sink was the best technique. Fishing Swimbaits by letting them sink, retrieving several feet and then letting sink again was another good approach. Split shooting 4 and 5-inch worms in shallow water produced a lot of action for one member of our group. He caught the most and biggest bass using this tactic.
Carolina Rigging was also good with watermelon red colored baits. We also got a few fish on Rat-L-Traps.
Terry Connolly got a 9-pound, 12-ounce beauty while he was here. Terry got his big one on a Swimbait in 25-feet of water.
Jim Smith headed up a party of eight recent Anglers Inn guests. Jim says: “Our party spent the Feb. 5-9 at the lodge. What a great experience with every boat catching between 25-35 bass per day. Most were landed on 10 ½-inch watermelon worms or 8-inch pumpkin lizards with chartreuse tails. Another worm that really worked was a 10-inch Persuader in junebug with a chartreuse tail. At least one bass that topped 7-pounds came on a white spinnerbait. Our party had numerous fish over 5-pouds and three of more than 7-pounds.
"Five-inch Senkos produced all day with low light periods being the best. A 1/2-ounce Rat-L-Trap in chrome & blue or black also produced. It was a fantastic experience and worth every penny and every one of us vowed to return next year.”
Stu Fiehler had this to say about his early February visit.
“This was my second visit to Anglers Inn and again my expectations were far surpassed and fishing was indeed for me no less than epic and a trip for the history books. As a frequent tournament angler I get to fish a variety of different lakes with a wide range of population and quality of bass. El Salto fish are some of the healthiest and most aggressive fish I have had the opportunity to catch. The average fish for me was 4-pounds with several more than 9-pounds and with 11 and 12-pounders topping my four days of fishing.
“I caught most of my fish on a Norman DD22 crankbait that had a white body and green glitter on top. Letting it hit the bottom and stopping and starting was the key. It was a trip to remember and the first class staff and accommodations have made this a trip I will make every chance I get. Fishing at El Salto is as good as it gets. Right now it’s prime time for a monster bass and I’ve got to go home. Aaaah!”
Also in the same group Jim and Judy Scott boated some nice bass on watermelon lizards.
As you can see from these reports, some of our recent guests have had excellent success despite not always having the best of weather conditions. We’ve had a couple of cold fronts recently that made for more difficult angling conditions.
That still didn’t stop Gus McFaddin, a long time member of our Anglers Inn A-Team. Note the accompanying picture of the 9-pound, 8-ounce dandy Gus caught. Carl Sylvester also boated 10½-pounder on a Carolina Rigged watermelon lizard. Terry Connelly got one of 9-pounds, 12-ounces. Those are trophy sized fish any time and anywhere.
As experienced bass anglers know, the big females are on the nest during the spawning season and can be difficult to catch as a result. But they are there. Figure out what they’ll take and how it has to be presented to get results and you’re in business!
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]For February 1st- 15th, 2007 • Air Temp: 45°-60°F (Early Morning and late evenings with the cold front) 73°- 78°F (Siesta time)
• Water Temp: 68°-72°F
• Average number of bass per boat per day: 40-60
• Largest bass caught: 12lbs
Popular lures used this week:
1. Eight inch Zoom or 7-inch Yum Zellamander Lizards in watermelon and watermelon with red flakes.
2. Yamamoto Senkos, Yum Dingers or Bass Pro Shops 5, 6 & 7-inch Stinkos in watermelon, watermelon red flake, black with blue flake, and white & chartreuse
3. Bomber Fat Free Shad and Norman DD22 deep diving crankbaits in citrus shad, Tennessee shad, fire tiger and white.
4. Storm WildEye 4 and 5-inch Swim Shads in pearl white, golden mullet, shad and fire tiger. (Dip tail in Chartreuse dye)
5. Rat-L-Traps in ½ & ¾-ounce in silver with blue back and silver with black back.
6. Rico Pop R in white, white with sparkles and silver & black.
7. 10-inch Berkley Power Worms in watermelon, green pumpkin and black with blue tail.
8. Zara Spook, Sammy and Reaction Innovations Vixen in shad, chrome with black top and white.
Spawning Season Under Way
At El Salto Lake
Another spawning season is in full swing here at El Salto Lake. Water levels are continuing to decline, but are still holding at higher than normal levels.
Angling success has been varied for recent visitors to Anglers Inn. Some have had excellent success, for others angling has sometimes been on the slow side.
Don’t expect to find much sight fishing of the spawning beds at El Salto that’s so common in the United States. The bass here tend to spawn deeper. There is some shallow water spawning on El Salto, but not all that much.
El Salto bass often spawn in at 12 to 20-foot depths and sometimes right down in the tops of submerged trees. You’re just not going to be able to spot the beds at those depths.
So what’s your bet best as far as lures go right now? Some of our recent visitors have had excellent topwater action. Rico surface lures have been especially effective.
Lots of average size fish are being taken on Senkos. Watermelon colored lizards with red flakes and rigged Texas or Carolina Style have also been excellent. Clients have also been boating some dandy fish on Storm WildEye Swim Shads in white with a chartreuse top. Some successful anglers have done well by dipping the tails of their Swim Shads in chartreuse dye.
Jay Schurz and Jim Doll were among our recent Anglers Inn guests. They caught a total of 180 bass in their 3 ½-days on the water. Their largest fish was 6-pounds, 8-ounces. They also had several other fish that topped 5-pounds.
Jay and Jim had their best luck with 8-inch Zoom Lizards and with Swirl Wave Worms in a black and blue color. They also scored with Chatterbaits in a pearl finish.
“Fishing was steady and somewhat predictable,” Jay says. The fish were shallow early and late and went deeper as the sun rose. The fishing was good, but the weather was great! It was my seventh trip down to El Salto, but this was the first time in February. I had no idea how nice the weather was going to be. I still like to fish on the drawdown but, February was the perfect medicine for cabin fever. We flew back to find
6-inches of snow. I already miss not being at El Salto with you.”
Mike Ishikawa and his friend Wayne were also recent guests. “We’re back home,” Mike says in his message to us. “Wayne told me he had a good time on his first bass fishing trip, although the big fish I had promised him did elude us. Fishing was so-so. I did manage a 7-pounder and caught about 50 to 60 fish per day. The water is still very high. “
Jerry Davis was here with a group of four anglers. Here’s his report: “The overall fishing was a little under expectations by El Salto standards. Deeper water did not produce results like past trips, although we lost one fish on a Swimbait that was between 8 to 10-pounds. Most of our action was in shallower water and against steep bluffs on Senkos and Flukes. Most fish were between 1½ to 2 ½-pounds.
“Throwing right up on the cliffs and letting the bait sink was the best technique. Fishing Swimbaits by letting them sink, retrieving several feet and then letting sink again was another good approach. Split shooting 4 and 5-inch worms in shallow water produced a lot of action for one member of our group. He caught the most and biggest bass using this tactic.
Carolina Rigging was also good with watermelon red colored baits. We also got a few fish on Rat-L-Traps.
Terry Connolly got a 9-pound, 12-ounce beauty while he was here. Terry got his big one on a Swimbait in 25-feet of water.
Jim Smith headed up a party of eight recent Anglers Inn guests. Jim says: “Our party spent the Feb. 5-9 at the lodge. What a great experience with every boat catching between 25-35 bass per day. Most were landed on 10 ½-inch watermelon worms or 8-inch pumpkin lizards with chartreuse tails. Another worm that really worked was a 10-inch Persuader in junebug with a chartreuse tail. At least one bass that topped 7-pounds came on a white spinnerbait. Our party had numerous fish over 5-pouds and three of more than 7-pounds.
"Five-inch Senkos produced all day with low light periods being the best. A 1/2-ounce Rat-L-Trap in chrome & blue or black also produced. It was a fantastic experience and worth every penny and every one of us vowed to return next year.”
Stu Fiehler had this to say about his early February visit.
“This was my second visit to Anglers Inn and again my expectations were far surpassed and fishing was indeed for me no less than epic and a trip for the history books. As a frequent tournament angler I get to fish a variety of different lakes with a wide range of population and quality of bass. El Salto fish are some of the healthiest and most aggressive fish I have had the opportunity to catch. The average fish for me was 4-pounds with several more than 9-pounds and with 11 and 12-pounders topping my four days of fishing.
“I caught most of my fish on a Norman DD22 crankbait that had a white body and green glitter on top. Letting it hit the bottom and stopping and starting was the key. It was a trip to remember and the first class staff and accommodations have made this a trip I will make every chance I get. Fishing at El Salto is as good as it gets. Right now it’s prime time for a monster bass and I’ve got to go home. Aaaah!”
Also in the same group Jim and Judy Scott boated some nice bass on watermelon lizards.
As you can see from these reports, some of our recent guests have had excellent success despite not always having the best of weather conditions. We’ve had a couple of cold fronts recently that made for more difficult angling conditions.
That still didn’t stop Gus McFaddin, a long time member of our Anglers Inn A-Team. Note the accompanying picture of the 9-pound, 8-ounce dandy Gus caught. Carl Sylvester also boated 10½-pounder on a Carolina Rigged watermelon lizard. Terry Connelly got one of 9-pounds, 12-ounces. Those are trophy sized fish any time and anywhere.
As experienced bass anglers know, the big females are on the nest during the spawning season and can be difficult to catch as a result. But they are there. Figure out what they’ll take and how it has to be presented to get results and you’re in business!
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