April 12 fishing report
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Lay Lake
Water temp: 63 to 68 degrees
Clarity: Stained
Lay is giving up some very nice stringers of both spotted and largemouth bass. Topwater action is heating up fast. Buzzbaits and pig &8216;n jigs fished around or on top of the weeds are producing some vicious strikes.
Medium diving crankbaits (chartreuse with a blue back) are great for spots on any wind-blown point on the main river. Jighead worms are taking numbers of fish as well.
Try any green color (kudzu, green pumpkin, gourd green) worm and fish them in 3 to 10 feet of water near deeper water for spots.
Many largemouth are on the bed or are just beginning to bed. Try big 8-inch lizards or swim a swimming jig. Spinnerbaits are also taking some scattered largemouth and male bass near beds in very shallow water.
Lake Mitchell
Water temp: 64 to 68 degrees
Clarity: Slightly stained
The largemouth are beginning to bed here as well. Look no further than Hatchet Creek to find them. The spotted bass seem everywhere and can be taken on shallow to medium diving crankbaits and jighead worms.
Look for shad schooled up in the main river pockets and the spots will right with them. Crankbaits, rattletraps and flukes are taking these nice spots. Topwater is also getting very good early and late.
Try any stick-type bait or if the water is rough, try a big white buzzbait with a trailer hook.
There have been some giants taken from Mitchell this month including a 10.10-pound largemouth from Hatchet Creek and a monster spotted bass that tipped the scales at 8.02 from a secondary point off of the main river.