Lake Eufaula Fishing Report – June 2007

Eufaula: Level: 1 foot below full pool. Temp: About 80 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good. Eufaula guide Billy Darby said the bass were still pretty shallow and concentrated in submerged hydrilla at the end of May. People were catching them fishing crankbaits through patches of hydrilla. “When that bait hangs up on the hydrilla, rip it loose and then let it suspend,” Billy said. The fish frequently hit while the bait is suspended. Billy also suggested fishing hydrilla that is matted up on the surface with a frog. Submerged or matted on the surface, hydrilla in close proximity to dropoffs typically holds more fish. As the summer progresses and the water temperature warms to between 85 and 90 degrees, the bass should move to deep creek or river ledges in 18 to 20 feet of water. They will still move up and down in the water column and feed in hydrilla close to those ledges, but Billy said a deep-running crankbait like a Manns 20+ is a good bet fished at the drop-offs. He also likes to fish a Carolina-rigged lizard when the fish move deep.

Linesides: Fair. Late in May, Billy was still waiting for the thermocline to set up. He predicted that would happen in June and said the trolling bite would pick up. “When the lake turns over and the thermocline moves, they won’t be able to stay any deeper than about 25 to 28 feet,” Billy said. “They’ll be looking for that comfort zone.” He said the ticket to catching them is targeting humps that the fish will move up to feed on. Billy likes to find a series of four or five humps and then troll across them with either a spoon or a Manns Stretch 15+. “Just troll the entire distance, you can get ’em down deeper,” he said. Billy also said to watch for schooling activity. If you see them, cast a lipless crankbait.

Crappie: Fair. Stabilizing water temperatures will make it easier to pattern the crappie, also, Billy said. They should start concentrating in 14 to 20 feet in brushpiles once the lake turns over. Most of the brushpiles in Eufaula are man-made, so Billy said you either have to know where they are, or just stumble upon one. He said the easiest way to fish the brushpiles is with a long, 18-foot extension pole rigged with 20 feet of line. He said to drop a minnow straight down into the brushpile and to pull the fish straight back out to avoid getting tangled.