Bartletts Ferry Fishing Report – March 2008

Bartletts Ferry: Level: Up 0.5 feet above full pool. Temp: 48-51 degrees. Clarity: Mostly clear down the lake river; stained upriver.

Bass: Good. Dennis Hudson said the fish are starting to move up and stage a little, and a good bite has increased the interest in his Saturday tournaments. “There were 28 boats in my tournament last weekend, and 13 1/2 won it,” Dennis said. “There were a lot of nice fish caught, a lot of 2-lb. fish.” The best bite was on the boat docks in Halawaka Creek. “The guys who won it were bumping crankbaits around docks and skipping worms under boat docks,” he said. Try Trick Worms or Senkos in green pumpkin for clear water, and fish junebug or black in the stained creeks, like Mountain Oak. A small jig, like a Bitsy Bug, should also pick up some fish.

Crappie: Fair, but it should be excellent very soon. “Crappie are still holding deep. Bottom-bumping minnows in 25 to 50 feet of water worked the best last week,” said guide Smitty Smith. “The water in the main lake is a few degrees warmer than upriver, so the crappie haven’t started moving up yet. As the water gets closer to 60, the crappie will be moving up the creeks and under docks and in brushpiles. It will be hot the next two months as the spawn begins. It is time to get the bait wet if you want to catch crappie,” Smitty said.

Linesides: Good, according to Smitty. “The stripers and hybrids are working the mouths of creeks in the deepest water chasing shad. They are about 18 to 25 feet down in 40-plus feet of water. Crappie shiners will catch you a monster,” Smitty said.