Mike Eakle with some of yesterday's catch. The snow is gone,.
The lake level is 553.84 and has risen 2-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with no generation since noon yesterday but they have started now. The White River at Newport is at 17.4 feet and we are back in the power pool.The little snow lowered the surface water temperature but it is still in the high 40's. I had between 49 and 50 yesterday afternoon but it varies a bit from main lake to creeks. The shallower the water the cooler the temperature. The water is still stained green and you can see your lure down about 3-feet. It is sunny today with highs in the 40's, a little warmer tomorrow , and then cool back down again. Typical January. The full moon is today. I am still catching crappie on brush in 25-ft. of water near the bottom and a few bass are with them and also at sunset on the grub for both bass and crappie near the shore in chunk rock. Bink is still on temperate bass deep in 60-80 feet of water near the bottom on his spoon. I am using the grub, spoon and Bobby Garland jig exclusively now and am catching bass, crappie and bluegill. Others are catching stripers and hybrids about the same size and several white bass but most of them are small but not all. Nothing is showing any signs of moving much except for fish on the shad which are following them They may be moving in and out depending on the time of day but not different general locations. The water temperature has ranged only from about 52-49 in several weeks, the level has been nearly the same, the visibility has varied a bit but comes right back and nothing is changing much except the calendar. Temperate bass, crappie, bass and bluegill are the best bite with none being exceptional but all having their days if you happen to hit it right. Cold fronts affect it the most. The clear cold days right after one gets here are not usually the best but you can still catch some fish especially if you stick to the jigging spoon but I do not use it in the wind. It is just good to be out and I try to go out every day unless I cannot get out of the wind. It is not my friend. We are past the middle of January and are headed in the right direction. We have missed almost all of the bad weather this last year and have been very fortunate. No storms and no ice and no price increases. These are all good.
