Lake Eufaula Fishing Report June 2018

Eufaula: Level: 2 feet below 190 full pool. Temp: Mid 70s. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Guide Billy Darby reports, “Hydrilla sprouts in early June will be about 6 feet long. The open-lake areas where you can best detect grass will be on shallow humps, roadbeds, high ridges and in water generally less than 10 feet. When deeper areas are otherwise bare, these patches of vegetation on shallower structure will be holding bass. Cranking just deep enough to stay above the sprouts, no matter what water depth, should pay off. As the weeks progress, so will the hydrilla, so find deeper humps or fish shallow enough to not get entangled. By the end of June, almost the entire south end will be inundated with hydrilla, and the isolated grass pattern will fade away. Some of these same earlier mentioned areas will be the first to produce emerging tips of grass and will still be holding bass, but buzzbaits frogs, etc. will be the go-to choices of lures. The bass in thick grass with even hit on top in midday because that’s when the thickest patches will provide shade. Water level will be the key factor on the edges and for the willow grass bite, but mayflies will also be a player, and don’t forget the bream beds. If you do not know how to detect an active bream bed, here is a helpful hint. While idling and observing the shoreline with your Humminbird on the side-view mode, look only toward the bank side at about 50 feet out. Search for multiple beds. When detected, zoom in on a few beds. If a white streak is detected in one or more beds, presto. After marking the area, back off a few minutes. The lurking bass will return. Then gently approach easy on the trolling motor, and fish the fringes of the bream beds with stealth and long casts.” Tournament angler Les Bratcher #bigbitebaits #alxrods reports, “Bass fishing on Lake Eufaula is starting to fall into the typical summer pattern. You can catch them early shallow and then go to the ledges for midday action. The shad spawn is about over, and we are waiting on the mayflies to appear. Topwater frogs of all types are working well, and there have been some scattered reports of anglers catching fish on plastics around the grass and pads. The ledge guys are beginning to see more fish school up out deep. They are using crankbaits, jigs, Carolina rigs, swimbaits and Alabama rigs to catch Eufaula’s ledge bass. The water level is starting to drop, which will send the bass to the structure. I would be sure to check the generation schedule before I come fishing because the current will help big time. Tight lines till next time.” Guide Sam Williams reports, “Bass are still holding tight to shallow cover. Blade baits and frogs over the top are producing. When the sun gets high, work tight to the edge of the cover. Let the bait sit before moving it. A shaky head Trick Worm and wacky-rigged  bubblegum Trick Worms are working. ChatterBaits are a good bait, also. Deep cover and trashpiles are holding fish for the deep-water fishermen.”

Crappie: Guide Billy Darby reports, “Crappie are holding in tight schools on the ledges in 15 to 20 feet of water near dense standing timber. The crappie are feeding on shad, which makes for a tough bite.”

Bream: Guide Billy Darby reports, “For the bream reapers, use this same bass-fishing technique for finding bream beds—idle and observe the shoreline with your Humminbird on the side-view mode. Search for multiple beds. Discard the stealth, and drown a cricket as soon as you can get your bream buster untangled. Repeat throughout the month of June, especially near and a few days before the new and full moon stages.” Guide Sam Williams reports, “Bluegill and shellcrackers are holding close to cover. We have been catching all three working 1/16- and 3/32-oz. jigs with different colored bodies. A slow retrieve is working. There are also bedding shellcrackers on the flats—red wigglers are the bait there. You can locate these areas by the smell.”

Catfish: Guide Sam Williams reports, “Catfish are beginning to load up with roe and will be under the pads soon. Cut bait on jugs or tight lines are getting a good mess of Eufaula catfish for the table.”