Got back out for the Monday Morning Paddle. Hit the water at 6 today but the first fish didn't come until 7:30 on the dot. Another 17" White Bass, right where I'd left off last Thursday. Got lines back in the water, took a paddle stroke or two and immediately hooked a small LM that shook off. Got lines back in the water, took a couple more paddle strokes and immediately got a double hook-up. Landed a 17" and an 18" White Bass simultaneously. Another 17" white after that, then a white perch and one more little LM that shook off on the paddle back to the ramp.
Fish are in roughly the same place, at the mouth of Upper Barton Creek, but a little more out in the main lake channel today. Biting at roughly the same time - 7:30-8:00, eating roughly the same baits (2" shad - Floating Shad Rap sz 7 in shad, ghost white Glass Shad Rap in size 5).
Yeah, I've got them right where I want them - they can only move 4 miles downstream and 14 miles upstream.
Its a spot I've fished for years without ever catching anything like these fish. Its a spot that gets a ton of fishing pressure and 100 tons of boat traffic. They'll move sooner or later but for now I'm just thrilled that I can reach them with a reasonable paddle from a good put-in.
I used to go to the Barton ramp and walk my dog back when I lived up there. The weekends were swamped with boats and every one of them would fish the stumps across the bridge nearby before they moved on... Talk about pressure!!! LOL!
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