August 2022 Lake Forecast

This month is the toughest of the year for me. Warm water temps and hot sunny days can really dampen the fishing. Best bets for any species is early and late in the day or at night. Being comfortable while fishing is vital to angler success.

Best bets are white bass below Wilson and Wheeler dams. Use spinners, topwater lures, or jigs. Fish are schooling heavily late in the evenings and early mornings on small shad schools in open water. Popping corks with jigs tied 2-3 feet below are my lures of choice.

Crappie are still biting crankbaits trolled in Bear Creek. Fish deep diving lures in 18-29 feet of water. Natural colors work best in sun with black and pinks doing better on cloudy days.

Bluegills are thick in slack water areas along the walls of both dams. Suspend a worm or cricket 1-2 feet of the bottom and hold on. Most of the fish are good eating size. If you start catching lots of channel catfish, you’re fishing too deep. Reel bait up higher in the water column.

Catfish, bass, and Striper bite is relatively slow in most areas, but some fish are being caught. The good news is September is a coming and we are only about 6 weeks away from some great fall fishing.

June Lake Forecast

                This month is typically tough fishing on Wilson and Pickwick Lakes. As the water begins to warm and fish recover from spawning the bite can be tough. Best bets are bluegills around the full moon on June 15^th.  They will be coming in for the second spawn of the season. Fish the same areas you did in May just back out a little deeper. June spawning may be deep as 7-10 feet if the water is clear.

                The tailrace may load up with white bass if we get enough rainfall to generate good current flow. This is always dependent upon river flow. Early morning and late evening action is always best.

                If the first two don’t produce, you can always pursue Mr. Whisker’s. The catfish bite may be slower as well but a few can always be caught. Fish early, late, or at night. Target rocks and gravel bars where mussels and moss are present. Catfish love to feed on fresh growing moss beds in the heat of summer.

                Brian Barton Outdoors will resume fishing excursions September 1oth, I still have a few fall dates open for live bait at this time.

May 2022 Lake Forecast

            This month is one of the best of the year for multi species action. There are still a few bass and crappie in late spawning. White bass and stripers will start congregating in the tailraces, and the catfish and bluegill will be at their prime.

            My two favorite picks this month are catfish and bluegill. For eating size catfish there is not a better time of the year to load the cooler. Use chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp, or worms to catch plenty of 1-3 pound fish. In the upper ends of the lakes go to the tailrace and adjacent waters. In mid lake fish gravel bars and ledges of islands and channels. In the deeper lower lake regions, fish bluff walls 15-35 feet deep.

            For bedding bluegill and shellcracker try weed lines and log jams on pea gravel bottoms.

The full moon is mid – May so the second weekend should be hot. I start by dragging crickets and worms on drop shot rigs in 2-5 feet of water. If the action is slow work out as deep as 10 feet. Bigger fish will hold out deeper until time to actually spawn.