Fishing Report - 7/11

I had a half day guide trip yesterday and we caught fish like CRAZY! I get to say "we" because I took the liberty to cast a line for a short spell after lunch. My client yesterday is a birder and photographer as well as an excellent angler so, while he set up some shots he wanted to get of a heron nest, I entertained myself with my old Fisher Saltwater Travler 9wt. The Fisher is a grand old rod and was the first "high end" rod I purchased out of college (at the old Hunter Bradlee store in Dallas). These rods were ahead of their time in the late 80's with 4 pc. design and internal ferrules. It's usually is mated with a Billy Pate Salmon reel but that reel is in Mexico with a friend so it had to tolerate an old Cortland. I took the "big stick" with us in case we got a shot at the monster carp cruising the edge of the flat (we did - they refused).

This eight pounder took a Carp Teaser in about 6 inches of water and went nuts when I set the hook - going into the backing and putting a serious bend in the old rod.

The lake is about 7 inches low now and VERY CLEAR. Grass has started to grow on the east flats and the carp are doing their "lawnmower" routine. You can watch pairs and small pods of smaller fish cluster together and root up patches of grass.. The topwater sand bass bite has started and I'm having good luck finding them EARLY on the SW side of the lake and west of Wolf Island. A fun trip is to hit the lake at sunrise, play with the sandies for a few hours, and then chase carp after the topwater action fizzles (about 9:00am).

Give me a call to book a trip (940)391-9480.