Jackson and I went to Lake Monticello today with an optimistic attitude, the full moon not withstanding. Water temp started at 56 and went to 62. Visibility was 6 feet in most places. We fished high and low but caught only one 3 -3 and we each had one to break off. The break offs were not large. I believe we had almost worn the line in two pulling the swimbaits over all the wood in that lake.  Most action was had on a 4 inch Net Bait green swimbait. We saw a few small bass in the shallows but nothing to get excited about.  A lot of other people were optimistic too as 40 boats were on the lake.  We saw or talked to no one, except for Hal catching any fish. We called him on the way home. He was on Enid and had caught 38, with one @ 4.  He caught 44 the other day and felt that number was within reach again. So much for the moon being full as our excuse for the bad showing.

I went to the Garhole Tuesdayafternoon after taking my daily whipping from the turkeys. I’d write about the turkeys but I would have to use too many expletives.  Want to keep it clean here. The water was super clear which always spells trouble. A chartreuse spinnerbait was still very visible on a 6 1/2 foot rod immersed almost to the reel. The water is also high and spread out to some other large areas with depths up to 8 feet. The backwater areas were not as clear as the Garhole proper. It took me a long time to get a bite, the first one and a fish coming on a Rapala Skitterwalk topwater. After a few more halfhearted strikes I changed to a Strike King Rage Eliminator, a tadpole looking plastic with a greasy action in the water. It can run shallow or deep depending on the retrieve speed.  I had a lot of strikes on it and missed a lot due to the small size of the fish. A big fish was not seen the whole day. The side scan depthfinder showed fish deeper than normal, with what I think were crappie at the 10 to 12 foot level. Normally they would be shallower thinking about spawning. This time of year I have had good catches of crappie in the Garhole on a chartreuse spinnerbait running it just out of sight.  I could not identify any bass on the sidescan but I’d bet the larger ones are deeper and may spawn there due to the clarity of the water. There was a good spawn last year, evidenced by the large numbers of small bass. Another factor adding to the difficulties was there was stringy algae on everything under the water. If a bait ran over a log, it came back with a wad of slime on it. I hope there will be an algae bloom to decrease the clarity somewhat so things will get better.  If the water lever falls this summer and all those fish get concentrated fishing in the Garhole will get hot.

The Catfish Chute got another visit Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. .  I thought it was going to be my last fishing trip for a good many days. The fish started out nailing the Booyah spinnerbait, shallow, just like the last trip. Between 4 and dark (6:30), I caught 13 with a FOD of 4 – 5. There were three more over 3 pounds.  The turkeys did not cooperate all day Saturday or Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon it was windy and cloudy, not a very good turkey day, so after a short nap it was back to the Chute. Between 1:30 and dark (7:30 due to time change) I caught 20 bass and 2 crappie. The bass were caught again on the Booyah but when I would get a bite and miss, a swim jig would be my followup bait. It worked well. The FOD was again 4 – 5 and I had another 4 and two more over 3. The river is forecast to come up 17 feet which will put it in the Chute again. It has been flushed out several times already this year and it seems to have helped the fishing.

Jackson and I went to Lake Monticello this morning with great optimism and drove home this evening in disgust.  We started off by the beaver house and I immediately hooked one about 4 pounds on a swimbait.  It ended up jumping and getting off right at the boat.  Could have called “long handled net” but did not. Later Jackson hooked something that pulled drag like a redfish then pulled the hooks loose.  Later in the evening I had three airballs on a Rage Eliminator, two from the same small fish. We fished with many different baits but none worked. I’m glad turkey season is starting Saturday.

This is what greeted me on my fishing trip to the Garhole Saturday.  I walked and tried to find a place to put in the boat so I could just float into it but nothing would work for sure.  The ditch beside the road was deep enough to float the boat but up where the road starts to be visible again it was choked with bushes. Did not want to get the boat stuck.  I walked down and looked at another bluehole but it almost went dry two years back,  so I decided to go to the Catfish Chute. Finally started fishing at 11:15. Went a long time before a bite but finally caught one right next to the bank.  Most of the water was 52 – 53 degrees but near some springs that were pouring out of the bank it was 56.  The fish were shallow and if you could find some ironwood bushes where you could throw between the trunks and the bank, that is where you would get a bite.  I caught 11 all on a Booyah 1/4 oz spinnerbait and  they were knocking the tar out of it. The FOD was 4 – 4 and most of the others were from 3 to 1 1/2. The FOD I went out on the river today to scout on Indian Point for some turkeys. The water temp in Lake Whittington was 46 and the river was a frigid 41.

This is a picture of Brett Forman with a 6 lb 8 oz bass . Brett is 11 and already a good fisherman. He fishes tournaments with his father Darrell.This one was caught this weekend.  Go ahead Brett ! !