10-05-2001, 03:05 AM
DATE: 10-01-01<br>LAKE LEVEL: 561.6<br>NORMAL FULL POOL: 564.0<br>SURFACE TEMP: 73.4 in am - 74.8 pm<br>WATER CLARITY: Normal (Good)<br> <br>CRAPPIE: I started crappie fishing on September the 18th.I bumped bottom with minnows with my partner Harry for 14 good keepers fishing brush piles and the old river channel. On September the 19th I fished Brother Decker, working docks, for 27 keepers.Fished Mike Rhodes on the 20th, a Knoxville builder, for 30 nice fish. Fished Amos & Peggy from Knoxville on the 21st & 22nd and had 12 on the 21st along with the loss of most of my hair.On the 22nd we had 39 keepers. Fished Barry and his son Daniel from Atlanta on the 23rd for 32 nice fish. Fish Michael Watts on the 24th for 20 keepers.(And by the way he has the nicest lady I have had the fortune to fish with). Fished James Hinton from Chicago on a corporate fishing trip and had 14 on the 25th and 29 on the 26th. All nice fish.I fished Randell and his father Carl from Louisville on the 28th & 29th.We had 25 nice keepers on the 28th and had 60 on the 29th. (There is a GOD!) I was off on the 30th.Butch, my partner and Harry my partner are doing about what I am doing or a little better on some days and worse on others.Everyday we caught MANY more fish than we kept. We are basically jig fishermen, but if times get really tough we will drown a minnow.The weather has been a MAJOR factor in our fishing. You cannot go from a surface temperature of 88 to 71 without it affecting the fishing.Along with the cooler temps we have had high winds. In a 3 day period of time I went from shorts and sunscreen to full rain gear to insulated underwear. Most of the time we are using the jigs around the docks.Some of the time we are dropping minnows along the old river channel 10 feet deep in 12 feet of water.Fishing should do nothing but get better. But, remember, fishing is VERY weather related. With the Hinton party on the 25th & 26th, we were fishing 4-5 feet deep in 10 feet of water. With Randell and his father on the 28th & 29th we were fishing 8 inches deep in 10 feet of water. The point I am trying to make is that crappie suspend up and down and will come up and go down all through out the day.Crappie will not go down for a bait.The will only come up. So, if you are not catching fish, you may be fishing too deep or too shallow.Patience, patience, patience! Check their depth at several times during the day.What color of jig that works well in the am may not in the pm.My partner Harry and I had a guide trip in the early spring and at 11:00 we both had approx. 50 fish.(And I am think "boy I'm off the water early and can get some rest".At 11:30 Harry had limited with 60 and I still had 50.I thought that the problem was me so I told Harry to come on over and let me get my troll speed down with his troll speed.I also checked the distance he had his lines out. I had him pull along beside me and he is catching fish the same speed and depth.I couldn't catch a fish.Harry,being the nervous fellow he is, got tired of playing with me and said adios. I still at this point have my brain in gear to try and figure out what in the thunder I am doing wrong.I had been fishing with bubble gum and green.I changed over to darker colors (triple blue & green/blk/green) and within 10 minutes I limited out.Color is very important along with depth.I am now seeing fishermen fishing 12 feet deep when I am catching fish 6 feet deep.Depth & color can make or ruin your day. If you are not catching fish it could be your technique.What works one day may not work the next.Try not to be hard-headed and throw up your hands too soon.I do not know it all. If I did I wouldn't be eating beanie-weenies. The only difference in my fishing and your fishing is that I fish everyday.If we can be of any help we will try to help you whether you hire us as a guide or not.Remember, the money you spend in Centre, AL, helps everyone from the schools to the sheriff. Do not ask a marina operator or a fish camp for a fishing report because the report you get will always be great.When the only way you can catch them is using chartreuse dynamite.Crappie fishing Will get better and better! Hang in there!<br> <br>BASS: The bass are starting to school up also. They are feeding up for the winter just like everything else.Try using Buzz Baits early and Spinner Baits and Pig/N/Jigs later.Rat'l Traps also 1/4 or 1/2 oz. Black & Chrome & Blue & Chrome seem to work the best. Work the flats and sandbars and the creeks in the backs of the coves.The majority of my fishing and my partners fishing has been crappie so far but I have seen a ton of bass chasing shad in shallow water in the back end of coves and cuts.Again, all fishing is weather related.If you see a lot of shad flipping on top of the water you can bet your bippy that the bass will be shallow.Shad are the best barometer for fish depth that there is.If you do not see them flipping you can bet that they are deeper.Again, color is important. The size of your bait is important.Right now the bait fish are about 3" long. You do not want to be throwing a 6" bait when they are feeding on 3". Some of the best success that I have had is not due to my ability but observing what is going on around me, not to exclude other fishermen.This past weekend, I saw many bass fishermen doing many different things, but the successful ones that I saw were throwing rat'l traps and shad raps around docks in the Riverside area.Most of them were culling fish by noon. The died in the wool fish a point or a drop were blank.I expect this pattern will work well because a dock is a natural structure and they are easy to find.<br> <br>STRIPE: On Saturday the 29th I was fishing the Hawg's Den area and saw white herons working the water on the flats behind the Hawg's Den.I was fishing in a 20mph wind and couldn't get my jigs deep enough but my depth finder was almost black with fish.I am a big dummy. I should of had some "Little Fishy's or Shad Raps in the boat ready to go but I didn't.This area seems to be hot right now for stripe along with the mouth of Church-House cove. Keep your eyes open and watch for the birds.And for you skeptic's, I am telling you right now, If you know how to clean them they are as good as any fish you ever ate.If you need details on how to filet them correctly just let me know.Be glad to help! My wife is a VERY picky fish eater,but she is really liking the stripe.<br> <br>CATFISH: Still cut bait on jugs and trot lines and crappie rib cages around any place where fish cleaning is done.Some catfish are running 40-80 lbs.<br> <br>Centre Alabama is a very small community. If you get in trouble here with your motor or your car or what-ever we can help and will be more than glad to do so! Again, If it says fish camp, run.We are more than happy to point you to a good clean place to stay. We do not mind helping anyone in anyway whether you hire us or not. We are just happy to have you visit our community and want you to enjoy your stay.Plant your corn early, do not pee in the wind and under no circumstances buy a Compaq computer!<br>Call us or email us if we can help in any way!<br>Sincerely, Steve, Butch,Harry & Cheryl 256-927-6617<br>Check us out on our web site at www.weisslakeguideservice.com<br> <br><br>