TonysLake.com

Well as we all know, old man winter has had a good hold on the fishing so far this new year. Cold, muddy water seems to be the norm right now. Hopefully after a couple more weeks, we can break free from this weather. Things can only get better!!

Stripers: This weather doesn’t seem to affect the stripers very much. They like to eat. Look for loons and seagulls. Then cast bucktails with ice flies, spoons and suspending jerkbaits. Downlines and freelines with live herring and shiners are also working very well.

Largemouth Bass: Try fishing suspeding jerkbaits around secondary points. Jigs and shakey heads around brushpiles, and small crankbaits around shallow flooded brush and boat docks. The recent CATT tourney produce several 20 pound five fish limits.

Bream & Shellcrackers: This bite is good around secondary points and pockets with flooded cover. Fish mini Carolina rigs and split shot rigs with red worms and baby nightcrawlers.

Crappies: The rivers are running red with cold muddy water. But a lot of nice fish are being caught. Dark colored jigs under bridges and around brush piles would be the best bet right now. Spider rigging also producing right now.

Catfish: The ticket to catching catfish right now is fairly a simple approach. Stay out of the cold muddy water. Fish in the main lake. Humps, secondary points and main lake points in clearer water is the hot tip of the week. Anchor down in 20 feet of water and fan cast fresh cut bait around your boat. This is the only bite for catfish right now.

White Perch: Find the perch and this bite can get fast and furious real quick. But finding the perch is the hard part. Try using jiggin spoons, drop shot rigs and perch rigs tipped with minnows.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Thought of the Week: God offers us warmth and comfort in life’s winters.