Caught on the Bink's Spoon.
The lake level is 554 and has dropped 1-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with one generator running at full speed. We are approaching the seasonal pool level of 553.75 where the C.O.E. surrenders some of the control of the generation schedule. When they get close to that number they typically quit generating in order to keep the level up as high as they can for as long as they can. They are already keeping the level of the White River at Newport below 12-feet and we will see if they almost dry it up like they did a month ago when we got the big rain. Drop it down to the 540's boys. It is dry here with a burn ban and we can take a couple of inches with very little effect. It looks like we will get some about tuesday. It was cloudy, cool with light wind and misting rain when I went out yesterday. Perfect conditions for fishing. It is to remain in the 50's for about the next week. I was heading out to my favorite brush pile when I went around Mallard Point about three docks and noticed a lot of shad in about 35-feet of water with some fish on them. I dropped a spoon and they were only small White Bass and small hybrid. I released them to grow and went on. The bass and crappie were biting immediately on brush in both 14-feet of water and 35-feet of water. A 3/8th ounce Bink's spoon was used right in the brush and the crappie were very nice in the 12-13 inch range. I later moved to a wind blown bank and took out a grub. The smallmouth were biting about 10-feet off the shore in about 8-feet of water just inside a main lake point and I caught two of them. I then moved a little deeper and switched back to the spoon on brush and caught a Kentucky and largemouth. It was getting dark so I came in. It was a good day for me. Other guests caught some good bass also. The fish are scattered throughout the lake and are either on the bank, in brush or in open water on shad. Crankbaits are working pretty well beating the banks but the buckbrush is mostly all dead from being flooded too long and there is lots of wood to get snagged on it they dive too deep. Work just around the inside of main lake points on wind blown banks, spoon brush and you will catch fish until the next cold front comes through and then it will slow but not stop. Check all main lake cuts with brush for crappie and bluegill and drop a spoon or jig. I saw a troller chugging the shoreline for a long ways but did not see him catch anything. He was out too far in too deep of water but I guess he was tired of getting snagged where the fish were. It is warming up a bit and about time for me to go out.
