Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report – February 2006

Bartletts Ferry: Level: 1.7 feet below full pool. Temp: 51-54 degrees. Clarity: Clear on the main lake, slightly stained up the creeks.

Bass: The fishing has been excellent lately for numbers and size, according to Jim Pass. “With the warm weather we have been having, the bass are moving up to shallow flats near deep drops,” Jim said. He will be looking for flats behind points 10- to 12-feet deep. Jim said the larger creeks are slightly warmer than the main lake right now, so check the larger creeks like Halawakee and look in Condo Slough. Jim said Royce Railey and his father hit Bartletts toward the end of January and had a ball catching bass on small crankbaits in shallow water. Royce landed an eight pounder that hit in a foot of water. Jim said the small crankbait pattern should hold up through February. “Think shallow,” Jim said. He said a spinnerbait will be great during warming trends, especially toward the end of the month, and a Rat-L-Trap bite should turn on any time now. Of course the Texas-rig and jig bite can always be good.

Stripers/ Hybrids: “The stripers are starting to run up the river and the major creeks,” Jim said. Go up Halawakee, Old Snipper, Mountain Oak and others. “Anything from Flat Shoals Creek or above should be good right now,” Jim said. The shoals around Langdale and Riverview will get hot. Jim said to rip a silver-and-black Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogue through the shoals to hook up with hungry linesides. “If they are in there, they should hit that,” said Jim.