Lake Weiss Fishing Report – May 2007

Weiss: Level: .2 feet below full pool. Temp: mid 50 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Slow. Jason Tucker at J.R.’s Marina said it took only 12 pounds to win an April 18 Wednesday night pot tournament, and that catch was anchored with a 6 pounder. “The largemouths had moved up to spawn, then the water temperature dropped,” said Jason. “Most of the fish pulled off the banks. The guy who won the pot tournament was throwing a Carolina rig on secondary points. For details on May patterns at Weiss, see page 106.

Crappie: Jason said that half the crappie had spawned and half had not. “The water temperature dropped from 74 back to 53 degrees,” he said. “That is a drastic drop when the fish are shallow.” He said guide trips out of J.R.’s on April 18 and 19 had brought back between 25 and 45 keepers. “But they are catching them on minnows, bumping bottom out on the ledges,” said Jason. “That’s how we normally catch crappie in November. But if we get four or five hot days, the fish will be right back up on the banks. They have been carrying eggs for a long time.” Kevin Randall said the fish have been way late making it to the bank to spawn because of the fluctuations in water temperature, but they were on the banks at the end of April. He was catching fish by pitching dark-colored Southern Pro curlytail jigs around shallow stumps.

Lock & Dam Report: Jeff at the bait shop said the striped