Cash - Signal Ranch, 5/13/19

May 14 2019

Greg Zimmerman

Fingerling

Member Since :
2018
Number of Posts :
98

I, together with fellow member Harrison Papaila, fished Signal Ranch, Cash, on 5/13/19.  This is an incredible ranch, with top-notch facilities and a lake with a very high density of LMB.  We fished from sunup to sundown, with a 45 minute break for lunch.  The combined catch total was 132 LMB and one, big foul-hooked catfish.  All fish released.  The LMB were post-spawn skinny, though there were one or two late spawners in the group and schools of bass fry in the lake.  The biggest catch of the day was 5.22lbs, with another one at 4.1, then I estimate about 20 between 3.5 and 3.86, about 90 between 2.0 and 3.5, and another 20 that were below 14 inches and would have been culled if this were a culling lake.  The water visibility was low, a little less than 12 inches.  There is a ring of grass with a thick algae matt on top of it from the shoreline out about three feet around the perimeter of the entire lake.  Most of the fish were caught by methodically working the perimeter with a ¼ oz or ½ oz pegged bullet weight and a creature bait or craw and patiently punching the grass/algae matt.  With the low water visibility and steep drop-off, it was not uncommon to catch LMB within a foot of shore.  Chatterbaits fished alongside the grass line were also effective and squarebill crankbaits in the 6-8 foot flats in front of the main boat dock were very productive.  Topwater produced in the lily pads in the hour before sundown.  Don’t overlook the little bay connected to the main lake by the narrow (but deep) channel under the vehicle bridge.  You have to fish from shore but it is a highly productive area.  Overall, one of the most incredible days of fishing that I have ever enjoyed.