Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report – July 2023

Bartletts Ferry: Level: 0.7 below 521. Temp: Low 80s. Clarity: The river is muddy from Blanton Creek downstream. There is decent color water up Halawakee Creek to the old railroad trestle

Bass: Tournament angler Tyler Morgan reports that a little bit of everything is happening this year, but nothing is great. Your best bet is at night around underwater green lights. You can catch bass, crappie or hybrids depending on the bait you choose. For bass, first thing in the morning, fish a buzzbait or frog on main river and lake grassbeds and deeper seawalls.  Fish them quickly but efficiently, covering as many as possible. Watch for mayfly husks on the water and birds feeding on the bugs in the bushes to find a hatch, and then fish a popping bait and jig around them. The mayfly hatch will get better and better all month. In tournaments, low double-digit weights have won. Tyler came in second in a night tournament June 20 with 9.80 pounds, and 10.02 pounds won. The Backwaters tournament was won in mid-June with 13 pounds. Fish carefully and pay attention to every cast. Tyler says you may get only two or three bites from decent 3-lb.-plus fish, so be ready for those bites. One or two of them can make a big difference in a tournament. Try a weightless green-pumpkin Trick Worm on 8-lb. line around wood and docks for numbers. The bass seem to be high in the water column, so expect a bite before your slow-falling bait hits bottom. When it hits bottom, reel in for another pitch or cast.”

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