Lake Eufaula Fishing Report April 2017

Eufaula: Level: 1.1 feet below 190 full pool. Temp: Low 60s. Clarity: Light stain.

Bass: Guide Billy Darby reports, “It seems that the cold weather and extreme barometric  pressure rise took its toll on our predictions for shallow-water fishing for March, so let’s try again. For early  April, the bass fishing should be good for shallow water. Focus very near the grasslines in dead-water pools, assuming that the next wave of spawn will draw in the medium-sized females, the 3- to 5-pounders. I think the big girls have left for their predictable comfort zones in and around offshore structure, where big spinnerbaits snatched through man-made piles, notably cedar trees, get the reactive bite. Carolina rigs will also get bit bumping rocks creating noise and making silt trails on high spots, points and sandbars.” Tournament angler Les Bratcher reports, “Eufaula is in full bloom for the spring. The bass are chomping, and they are shallow. Most anglers are reporting catches on swim jigs, ChatterBaits, plastics, buzzbaits and on spinnerbaits when there is cloud cover. There have been some great catches in the last few weeks with quite a few bass weighing more than 8 pounds being caught. If the weather stays warm, the shad will start spawning, and it will really get crazy. The best time to fish Eufaula is now, so put down what your are doing and come fishing.” Guide Sam Williams reports, “Changing weather patterns continue to effect fishing. Bass are in various stages of spawning. We saw sows on the beds last week, and this week we are catching buck bass there. We are catching bass behind cover on the bank early with Texas-rigged worms and lizards. We have been punching thicker cover and catching better fish. Deep cover is still holding fish when the shallow bite slows.”

Crappie: Guide Billy Darby reports, “The next very good crappie run will happen the week before the full moon and the new moon in April. Dragging jigs on the flats near grass cover where crappie lay out in aquatic vegetation roots or shallow stump beds will be the ticket to success. By late April, expect to have more luck with live minnows dangling over brushpiles or by pitching jigs very near the grass and wood structure.” Guide Sam Williams reports, “Crappie are still scattered. We have been throwing minnows close to grasslines and picking up a few. The fish are trying to come shallow to spawn. We caught bream, cats, bass and hybrids fishing the grasslines. The nighttime crappie fishermen are doing well under the causeways using lights.”

Linesides: Guide Billy Darby reports, “Hybrids should still be schooling deep—not surfacing yet—on humps. They will be hitting spoons good in early April. Watch your Humminbird for activity. By the end of the month, try trolling curly tail plastics on lead-head jigs, Rat-L-Traps or small medium-running crankbaits along sunken roadbeds. Vary your depth until you hit the magic mark.”

Bream: Guide Billy Darby reports, “When we see 70 or above water temps, be ready for shellcrackers to bed on either the full moon or new moon. More than likely, being the new moon is coming later in the month, I’m betting on the week or a few days before the new moon.”