Lake Weiss Fishing Report May 2012

Weiss: Level: 1.4 feet below full pool. Temp: 65-72 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Good. Tournament pro and guide Warren Barnes reports, “The bass are in the postspawn mode all over the lake. Largemouths are being caught around docks. I have been fishing jigs trailed with a Sweet Beaver and stickbaits like Senkos under the docks in the pockets and creeks. The better females have been using docks closer to deep water and have been eating the stickbait better. The early morning topwater bite is picking up as well. Buzzbaits and poppers like the Jackall SK Pop are working very well right now. As for the buzzbaits, I have been using the quieter ones without clackers as the noise seems to spook these fish. A slow retrieve is working best as the better fish are being typically more sluggish. Spotted bass are biting good as well. Finesse baits like the Jackall Flickshake or a Tackle Doctor’s shaky head are working best. Fish these baits around long, rocky points, blowdowns and docks, as the spots seem to be holding on everything in the front of ends of the creeks and pockets. As we move into June, I would look for the deep bite to start producing. Use baits like Carolina rigs and deep crankbaits like the Jackall Muscle Deep 15+ to catch your fish.” Guide Mark Collins reports, “A lot of the largemouths have moved to the backs of the creeks and coves and to the shallow, shaded seawalls. Most are either very near to spawning or have been seen bedding. A small, shallow-running crankbait in shad patterns is working awesome right now. Pitching a jig to any shallow brush or stumps is working well, too. Any shallow brush or stumps can be holding bass right now. A Texas-rigged lizard is also catching a lot of fish. Flipping shallow docks with a jig or tube bait is producing some good bass, also. Spotted bass are being caught on secondary points and humps on Rat-L-Traps and shallow-running crankbaits.”

Crappie: Fair. Mark said, “The river ledges in Little River have turned on. Crappie were caught trolling in 12 feet with 1/16-oz. Jiffy Jigs. The bays and creeks in the upper Coosa River are producing a lot of crappie, also. Use 1/24- and 1/16-oz. Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ12, JJ13, JJ17, JJ20, JJ25 and JJ33. A lot of crappie are being caught shooting docks with jigs. A lot of crappie are showing up on brush and stumps near the bank in 4 to 8 feet of water and are caught on minnows and jigs. Crappie are being caught under lights at night in 8 to 12 feet of water on the river channel in Little River and off docks.”