I fished with Doug Stange of In-Fisherman magazine on Wednesday and Thursday. Doug is the Chief Editor for In Fisherman Magazine and has been the host of In Fisherman TV since 2002. Doug fishes all over the world and has fished for just about every North American species of fish. Their research still shows that their viewers prefer watching largemouth bass over any other species of fish in North America. We shot enough footage for either one or two 6 minute segments that will appear on the Sportsman Channel January through March of 2013.

Doug fished Longbranch Yates Place by himself with a camera man on Tuesday and managed 4 fish with the largest about 4.5 lbs.

On Wednesday Doug and I fished Sulphur Bluff Timber Lake and did well. We managed about 45 fish from 9:00 Am to 2:00 Pm. Most fish came on traps and square billed 3 foot diving crankbaits. Color did not seem to matter as we threw gold, red and shad colored. However, the shad colored produced the two biggest fish. The two big fish were both better than 5 lbs with the biggest about 6 lbs. We harvested the small ones and released the bigger ones. Most fish were in the 1.5 lb to 3 lb range. A few bigger and few smaller. Surface water temperature was 58 degrees warming to 62 degrees, just a bit early to spawn. However, the spawn in this lake, like most of the north Texas lakes should be any day if it has not already started.

Thursday, Doug and I fished Weston SW lake and only managed 11 dinks from 8:30 to 12:30. We tried various baits, but the best producer was a swimming minnow, a Gulp product, and a swimming jig with a swimming minnow trailer.

After fishing Brian and the landowner met us for an electroshock survey of the lake. The lake had most everything we expected. We shocked crappie, gizzard shad, coppernose bluegill, large red ear sunfish and of course lots of bass. We were amazed to see sub 1 inch red ear and coppernose. This means that there was probably a late spawn all the way into November and maybe even December. Normally, the smallest bluegill you might see would be 2 to 3 inches this time of year. The largest bass we shocked was about 4 to 5 lbs. Please note it is uncommon to shock up really big bass as they simply are able to get away from the current quicker than a small bass.

On a personal note, I fished some tackle and lures I might normally not fish and enjoyed learning a few new tips, techniques and lures to try. I really enjoyed fishing the Abu Garcia MGX reel. By far the best casting reel I have thrown. I have used both the SX and STX, but the MGX took my casting experience to another level. I also used Sufix Advanced Super Line for the first time. Not a true braided line, but floated and acted a lot like braid but better casting distance. Not a paid endorsement, just very happy with both of those products.

The fishing the next few weeks can be the best fishing of the year. Things are busy at Private Water Fishing and we hope you will get out the next few weeks.