Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report June 2011

Bartletts Ferry: Level: 1.9 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 70s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good. Derrick Millirons said the most consistent places to catch fish this month will probably be around boat docks, but he prefers fishing grass and brushpiles instead. His top bait for fishing the grass is a floating worm. “Zoom makes a very good Trick Worm, but for me, Creme is my first choice. The (8-inch) Creme (Scoundrel) worm is designed with a little longer and thicker tail, which helps it stay in the water better for me,” said Derrick. “The bass are current-oriented, and every grassbed is going to fish different based on the current conditions. Look for the fish to start schooling up on grassbeds that you find on points. Find points that tend to drop off sharply into deeper water. The bass use their air bladders to regulate how deep they want to go when they are resting. The shorter distance they have to travel to reach deeper water, the more attractive the grassbed will be to them as a feeding area. I don’t want my worm to porpoise when I twitch it. I want it to stay down beneath the surface and kick hard from side to side. I rig it Texas style on the Owner hook and put a little arch in the worm’s back, curving it in toward the inside of the hook. This gives the head of the worm a little downward angle, almost creating a small lip like a crankbait. If the worm bends in the opposite direction, it will cause it to surface, or porpoise, when it darts.” Derrick’s favorite color choices are white and yellow. For more on how Derrick fishes Harding this month, turn to page 30.