Good culling at Hart Lakes

May 06 2019

Jim Bennett

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
102

Reservation Number : 21183
Property Name : Cody Ranch Hart Lakes
Reservation Date : 05/04/2019 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 27, mostly culls, 3 at 3 lbs returned
Lures Used : senkos, popper

Fished upper and lower Hart all day Saturday May 4.  This part of OK had received heavy rains and flooding this week, so not surprisingly the lakes were overflowing and heavily stained and water a little cooler at 66 deg.  

Started on Lower Hart at sunup and could not get a bite for the first 2 hours of daylight.  Finally found a stretch of bank that had some fish and managed to catch 5 culls pretty quick. No big ones.

Then moved over to Upper mid-morning, where the water was slightly clearer with 6" vis.  The bite was much better over here where we caught 22 over the day and released 3 at 3 lbs. Lost quite a few in the lily pads. No real big ones.  Most caught shallow 1-3 ft in the mossy holes on senkos and top water poppers. See pics below. 

3 lber at Upper Hart:

Homemade Wine Cork Popping Craw

Hart Lakes Cull Basket

     

May 06 2019

Wayne Pruitt

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2017
Number of Posts :
114

Jim,

That is an impressive cull basket of fish…...............wished you guys would have found some big ones as well. First time I ever saw a Homemade Wine Bottle Popping Cork…..........CLEVER….......Great Job!

May 06 2019

Jim Bennett

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
102

Thanks Wayne,

That popper works great, and sits well in the water, and makes a deep-throated "pop-belch". I rig a floating craw (or frog) on a 5/0 rigged TX weedless, with a snap swivel running through the cork body. I drill the hole at an angle so the legs/craw sits at an angle and always turns right side up with the hook hanging underneath, point upward. Amazing how it works through thick weeds and pads without snags. Just one or two pops, let sit for 10-20 secs, and whammo!  They usually come out of the water when they hit it.  The trick is you gotta let them run with it at least 2+ seconds, otherwise you miss quite a few pulling it out of their mouths. Demands concentration and patience on the hookset.  It's a thrill to have it sitting there motionless several seconds, and suddenly a three+ pounder jumps out of the water and dives on top of it smashing it into the moss.  Never gets old.