The lake level is 568 and dropping about 2-1/2 inches a day with one generator running most of the time and both a little. Surface temperature is 87 degrees. Stripers are where they always are this time of year but not quite so deep and are mostly on the bottom at 50-60 feet and can be caught on jigging spoons. Most other fish are near the thermocline or around 18 feet. Many are around the islands. Bluegill are shallow in warm water near the shore in brush and are biting well on crickets. Mike Eakle caught walleye, catfish and bass all in the same area at 18-feet on a Bink's spoon. All went in the pond. Here is what should happen: Fishing will get better and better as October approaches and then the lake will turn over. This is not like northern shallow lakes where the lake flips from bottom to top and raises debris and stops the fishing. The thermocline just inverts and the water is homogenous from the top to about 30-feet and the fish have no preference where to go and they are just scattered. Sometimes the ambient fall weather stays fairly constant and the lake turns very slowly over a longer [period. You can catch fish at this times but it is a bit more difficult. The water will then cool from the top down and the fishing will start to get better and better until my favorite time which is around Thanksgiving. When it gets cold, the red meat fish will move around the river channels near the bridges and get very lethargic and hard to catch. This is in January. Big crappie, bass and walleye can be caught at this time. Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental's prices drop on Labor Day and you can get a one bedroom cabin for $53/day. Not bad. A free boat stall comes with your cabin. You can save at least $30/day by staying here. We keep the big pool open until it is too cold to swim.
