Patience at Hagg Lake

[Phillip Neidhart]

We started fishing at 8 AM nd in the first thirty minutes had a 12" stocker and a 19" holdover weighing about 4 lbs. After that not one bite all day, and there were fish everywhere. 46 degree water just doesn't cut it. I'll be back when the water temp gets over 50 degrees. We did not see any other fish cought, bank or boat, so I considered myself lucky to even get two!
Still Hungry

 

[FishSchooler]

Welcome to OFF
That sounds good. I might be going on sat for some warmer water (hopefully). Where/what did you catch them with and what depth?

 

[Phillip Neidhart]

Most of the fish were holding in 5 to 15 feet of water, and I was probably in the five foot range. I caught them where most of the big ones have been caught, about 1/4 mile to the right of Ramp C where the creek comes in . I believe it is Sain creek. But there are fish everywhere, and they are just not biting unless you nearly run them over with the lure. Nothing is going to work well until the water reaches at least 50 degrees. Dress very warm, because that wind really gets to you after awhile.

 

[JASMINE]

All the fish I have gotten have been around the five foot area as well, on opening weekend caught this guy in the snow on a 3/8 gold kastmaster. Last Friday my buddy pulled out a monster probably around ten on the same lure. We did not have the camera that day though and we always catch and release so there is no picture. Only caught one on powerbait so far this year. Kastmasters have been the only thing working for me.

 

[Phillip Neidhart]

All right, you guys are all beating around the bush to find out what I used to catch a big one. My buddy saw that picture last week of the broken back Rappala, so he ran down and saved Joe's from bankruptcy. While he was dagging around his bank account all day, I had a trick up my sleeve. Last fall I tried something different and just killed them. So, started out with my mighty fishkiller, a one inch long flatfish with the tinyist of hooks and a small split shot about two feet up the line. The fish just swallow it, and those tiny hooks get imbeded in their mouth. I have never lost a fish using this lure.
Color changes all the time, but red, green and black are usually effective. I can't wait for the water to warm up a little.
I always see a lot of boats trolling up at the dam. In all my years of fishing, I have never caught a trout at the dam. Is it just me, or are they using a different technique at the dam?

 

[JASMINE]

I never catch ANYTHING right at the dam either??? Though I have always done really good in the past the area directly to the left of the dam parking lot. Good place for bass as well.

 

[FishSchooler]

Drop shotting for bass I think is what people do at the dam. Also casting rooster tails. But last year in oct/nov, the dam wasn't even touching any water! :shock:

 

[SNDSLGR]

Wife and I took the boys fishing this afternoon, my oldest caught one real nice one about 14" and that was the only action. We tried the damn and off the pier at boat dock C. His fish off the pier was the only one I seen caught.

 

[OutforTrout]

I was out last weekend and got nothing.. Are you guys all using lures? I was trolling powerbait the week before and got a very nice one up to the boat before it threw the hook.. Was staying very close to shore.

 

[trollin4trout]

Funny how we get locked into fishiing different areas of a lake. Myself-I've fished there about 5 times a season for the last 5 years- I have trolled all over that place numerous of those times. I ALWAYS end up back near the DAM :dance::dance::dance:

HAHAHAHa- that't where I have consistently caught the most fish!!!! When it gets reeeeeeaaaallll slow I start trolling away to another area- but usually if it's slow at the dam, it's slow everywhere- so I end up a couple hours later right back there, where I usually catch more fish.

And all the big fish have NOT been caught at the Sain Creek area-MANY have been caught by the dam also!!!

One curious thing- I've caught VERY few, if any, right next to the rocks of the dam. My theory/ suspicion is that there are big bass around there that eat little fish!! So they don't hang around there much. It's only a theory- I have no proof- except that I never catch a thing right next to it.

If you have a fishfinder, you cannot help but fish there in the summer- the screen is FULL of fish- way more so than the other end of the lake. All you have to do is get something they like down to the depth they are holding at.

OK- I remember this one day- never say never when fishing. We trolled ALL OVER that lake one day- we know they had just stocked the heck out of it several times already, but we could not find a thing. Then we happened to cross the lake at the buoy line and began to catch fish. Ha!- there must have been a big school hanging around there- we caught at least 50 before the afternoon was over. All with a splitshot and a Needlefish no more than 5 ft. below the surface- trolling in and out around the buoys. The next day we came right back and found them still there! So...... the fish are where you find them- not where you expect them or want them to be!

Troll-on........

Jim

 

[thelibrarian]

...the fish are where you find them...

Well said Jim. That pretty much sums up the sport, and that's exactly what keeps us excited about it :clap: