The lake level is 554.52 and has dropped 1-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours.They have closed the spillway gates again but still are running one generator. The lake surface temperature was 58 when I went out yesterday and should continue to rise with the seasonal temperatures near 70. Our normal high is 66. A low pressure is to come through and will bring wind with it later today. Get your crank bait out and fish the wind blown banks when it does. The lake is clearing nicely both main lake and creeks and you can see your lure down about 6-feet. There is quite a bit of Juniper pollen in the back of wind blown creeks and cuts. I am using live shiners on my trot line and catching some good channel cats every day now. They have moved to the backs of the creeks in the warmer water. I caught some 14-inch crappie also on the grub in about 25-ft. of water. Most of them are not ready to spawn yet and are still in open water on shad. They are very dark and look like black crappie until the light shines on them for a while and then the black goes away. Some are black crappie though. I was fishing in the Red Bank area. It is getting very close to the beginning of the early morning top water bite for bass and white bass. Keep a spitin image or spook tied on and handy. Get out to your spot about 6:45AM and stay there until after sunrise. If they do not come all the way up you can lure them up from about 6-7 feet if you know how to work your lure properly. The fish are not jumping in the boat or in a frenzy but overall is pretty good. White bass, hybrids and crappie continue to bite on the spoon and trolling about anything. Alabama rigs, spoons, crankbaits, grubs and finesse worms are all working for bass. They have not moved to the bank yet. I usually catch a lot of fish on main lake points but not now. Work part way back in the creeks on wind blown banks in 15-20 feet of water. The night bite for stripers has not been the best and will slow as the water warms and the top water bite begins. The moon is too small and the full moon is almost too late. Spring is the time to really participate in catch and release. Small mouth bass are showing up and big ones too. May 1st. is a good smallmouth bass time. The water is a little slow warming but this is about a normal year so far and the lake is at a perfect level and in general in excellent condition. Come on down to Blackburns. We will not charge you too much.
