Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report – January 2008

Bartletts Ferry: Level: Down 1.6 feet below full pool. Temp: 57-60 degrees, but dropping. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Good. Dennis Hudson said his Saturday tournaments are bringing in limits of small fish. “We’ve had quite a few fish brought in on our Saturday tournaments,” he said. “Everybody’s bringing in a limit, and 13 pounds seems to be the magic number to win it.” Right now the most consistent bite is on crankbaits in the pockets. “Anything that looks like a small shad will get a few bites,” he said. “Once you find a hole that’s got ’em, you’ll catch a bunch of ’em.” A No. 5 Shad Rap or a 1/4-oz. Rat-L-Trap are good choices. Find a pocket with shad in it, and the fish will be there also. As the water temp drops, Dennis expects the fish to pull out on the river bluffs and on wind-blown, main-river points. He said to try a Norman Deep Little N in 12 to 15 feet of water or to fish jigs on the rocks. “If it gets real chilly, the drop shot will pick up,” he said. Dennis likes to drop shot a finesse worm in green pumpkin, and he also likes junebug and watermelon.

Crappie: Good. Robert “Smitty” Smith said the crappie are hanging in the river channel and in the main creek channels at about 12 feet in 20 feet of water. He said the best way to catch them this time of year is to tight-line live minnows. Look for cover in the channels, and fish around it. The bigger slabs are being caught upriver.