Lake Burton Fishing Report April 2013

Burton: Level: 1.6 feet below full pool. Temp: 47 degrees. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Capt. Wes Carlton reports, “The spotted bass have began their spring feeding ritual. Most of these fish are in the 12- to 18-foot range. As soon as the water warms up a few degrees, the topwater action will heat up. We have been catching most of our fish on Fish Head Spins tipped with a white fluke. Slow retrieve this bait over main-lake humps and points. The jerkbait bite is good and will only get better in the next few weeks. Target red-clay banks when throwing a jerkbait. The sun warms these areas up faster, and more of the fish seem to congregate here. Use a jerk, jerk, jerk, long pause during the retrieve. The bite will be on fire as soon as we see that upper 50 to low 60 degree water temperature.”

Trout: Wes reports, “The brown trout have started feeding on the blueback herring populations that have moved up shallow in the creeks. We have caught fish on light spinners and jerkbaits (Spro-McStick). Most of our bigger fish have been caught on a 5-inch jerkbait. Try using a steady, slow retrieve on these baits. The trolling bite should pick up in the next few weeks.”

Walleye: Wes reports, “Walleye are in full spawn. We have been catching a few fish down the rivers a few miles away from the spawning grounds. Small crankbaits have been working well (bright colors). We have caught a few on jigs and nightcrawlers this week. Look for these fish to finish spawning and start feeding aggressively in the next week or two. Medium crappie minnows on a jig head works well in the postspawn. Work these jigs in and around brushpiles and rock outcroppings.”