Saturday, May 18, 2024
Water temperatures have been a little slow to rise this year as we are actually having a spring season. Typically, we go from winter straight to summer. Lake temperatures are rising into the 70s and the fish are near their most active time of the year. If you can get on them when they are feeding right now, look out!
Luckily this time of the year, shallow water action is possible most any day. Many fish will push baitfish in the shallows. This is also when many of the baitfish species are spawning. So where would you be if you were a predator? Most likely you will be shallow.
Though I advertise how I call fish in by thrashing the water most of the year, this is one time — when you are fishing real shallow — you want to be sure to not spook the fish. Keep the big motor off and approach slowly. Long casts may be in order, or if you use live bait, it may be good to float your bait into the shallows under a float or balloon.
Bird action can point you to active fish. Some of our wintering birds are still around and they are always looking for an easy meal. Cranes and other birds may point you to active fish as well throughout the year.
With the recent full moon, the threadfin and gizzard shad are spawning in the shallows on most every reservoir and you can be sure there are predators that are not far behind. If you are a hybrid or striped bass angler, nothing is better than a tank full of large threadfin shad commonly called yellowtails. I would also keep the bigger gizzard shad this time of the year as the bigger stripers and hybrids are typically not afraid of “wolfing” down a big gizzard shad.
Due to our earlier golden algae bloom, the baitfish population is down on Granbury. Catching baitfish is a little tougher, but it is possible in the backs of sloughs and creeks.
Granbury sand bass are good in shallow water especially on those warmer days. Possum Kingdom striped bass are good on topwater fished in shallow water. Crappie are moving in the backs of creeks a little later this year, but they are in shallow water. Largemouth bass are still reported to be on the beds in the shallow creeks and bays.
If you find schooling fish feeding on the surface, don’t forget that you can fish below them for bigger fish. Many times, the bigger predators are laying in wait under the smaller feeding fish on the surface.
Shallow water presentations include soft plastics, swim baits, crank baits and spinner type baits. A little deeper and you can work slabs and spoons. The slabs and spoons are excellent choices on structure this time of the year but they can also be tossed into feeding fish as well.
So if you can get away this time of the year, the action is there to be taken. Watch the weather and stay off the lake in high winds. We have had numerous windy days this season. Be careful on the water.
HOOD COUNTY FISHING REPORT
Lake Granbury is around 70 degrees on the main lake. Some creeks are stained from the recent rains. There is some floating debris, so be careful out there. Best fishing reports are for the sand bass on slabs fished from Blue Water Shores to the area in town by the swim beach. Striped bass are slow to fair on live bait fished from De Cordova Bend Estates to the dam. Largemouth bass are fair to good to 7 pounds on the beds in most area creeks and sloughs. Blue and yellow catfish are good on cut bait fished from in town to Hunter Park. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs fished under a cork in the backs of the creeks near docks and rip rap.
