Trinity Lakes – Covington April 2

Today was a father and son intro trip. David and Anson are beginners and this was their first shot at fish on the fly. We arrived in the morning to blues skies, lite winds and water temps around 62*. We started at Comanche and fished the shore for 30 mins with hopes of fiding some shallow bass. We didn’t have any luck on the shore, so we drifted the timber in the middle channel and immediately hooked up with a few cull bass in the 12 inch range. The fish took charteuse/white clousers fished deep. After 1.5 hours, we picked up and moved to Goose Lake (the guys caught a few more on the shallow flat near the pier while I loaded the boat) The winds started to increase, so we ended up drifting the middle of the lake and picked up two more bass. Both fish were overs in the 2 lbs range and released to be caught again. We then moved to Arrowhead to try fishing the timber. This proved to be the best lake of the day with several fish in the 2-4 lbs range caught in the trees. We switched to a heavy Meat Whistle fly in olive. The best techniques was to cast past a tree, let the fly sink, and then strip it back to the boat. 

Over all we had 8 culls and 6 overs with the biggest right at 4.

Originaly Posted By Sean Polk

Trinity Lakes – Covington April 2

Today was a father and son intro trip. David and Anson are beginners and this was their first shot at fish on the fly. We arrived in the morning to blues skies, lite winds and water temps around 62*. We started at Comanche and fished the shore for 30 mins with hopes of fiding some shallow bass. We didn’t have any luck on the shore, so we drifted the timber in the middle channel and immediately hooked up with a few cull bass in the 12 inch range. The fish took charteuse/white clousers fished deep. After 1.5 hours, we picked up and moved to Goose Lake (the guys caught a few more on the shallow flat near the pier while I loaded the boat) The winds started to increase, so we ended up drifting the middle of the lake and picked up two more bass. Both fish were overs in the 2 lbs range and released to be caught again. We then moved to Arrowhead to try fishing the timber. This proved to be the best lake of the day with several fish in the 2-4 lbs range caught in the trees. We switched to a heavy Meat Whistle fly in olive. The best techniques was to cast past a tree, let the fly sink, and then strip it back to the boat. 

Over all we had 8 culls and 6 overs with the biggest right at 4.

Riley Lake – Gilmer April 3

Today was another beginner trip in east Texas. I met Nikki and Dan at the gate to Riley Lake and we made the drive to the lake tucked back in the pine trees. The lake is a beautiful setting and looks like the perfect east Texas lake with tall pines and slightly tea stained water. We spent some time casting on the dock and then launched the boat and began fishing the cove near the house. Fishing started slow as they got used to casting and learning how to work the fly. The fly of the day was a baby bass clouser with pink eyes. It seamed every log on the lake had a crappie on it. We caught over a dozen crappie and 4 tiny cull bass. It appears the crappie are spawning and the bass haven’t moved up shallow. The water temps was 62* in the morning and warmed to 66* by noon. The trees in front of the house seemed to be the hot spot with 4 crappie caught in 4 casts.

Originaly Posted By Sean Polk

Riley Lake – Gilmer April 3

Today was another beginner trip in east Texas. I met Nikki and Dan at the gate to Riley Lake and we made the drive to the lake tucked back in the pine trees. The lake is a beautiful setting and looks like the perfect east Texas lake with tall pines and slightly tea stained water. We spent some time casting on the dock and then launched the boat and began fishing the cove near the house. Fishing started slow as they got used to casting and learning how to work the fly. The fly of the day was a baby bass clouser with pink eyes. It seamed every log on the lake had a crappie on it. We caught over a dozen crappie and 4 tiny cull bass. It appears the crappie are spawning and the bass haven’t moved up shallow. The water temps was 62* in the morning and warmed to 66* by noon. The trees in front of the house seemed to be the hot spot with 4 crappie caught in 4 casts.

MK Ranch May 21. 2023

We hit MK Ranch near Athens on Sunday 3/22. The air temp was in the 60’s, overcast witha slight breeze from the south. Water temp was 78 and visibilty 3+ feet.

We started witha topwater along the dam and had several redears chase the fly, but the bass didn’t want to surface. We continued down the noth shore line and picked up the first cull on a black meat whistle near the bank. The action was slow until we hit the stumps on the east end and picked up a healthy 4 pounder in 2 feet of water. We had a few more small culls and lots of 8 inch bass follow the fly, but not commit. When we made it back to the boat house we doubled up with a nice 2 pounder and another 4 pounder! It was close to noon, so we called it a day and hit the Boathouse at lake Athens for a burger.

We fished a 1648 jon boat with a 30 horse and had no problems launching next to the boathouse. In fact, my feet stayed dry the entire time. 

Total for the day was 4 culls and 3 released plus a massive redear.

Originaly Posted By Sean Polk

MK Ranch May 21. 2023

We hit MK Ranch near Athens on Sunday 3/22. The air temp was in the 60’s, overcast witha slight breeze from the south. Water temp was 78 and visibilty 3+ feet.

We started witha topwater along the dam and had several redears chase the fly, but the bass didn’t want to surface. We continued down the noth shore line and picked up the first cull on a black meat whistle near the bank. The action was slow until we hit the stumps on the east end and picked up a healthy 4 pounder in 2 feet of water. We had a few more small culls and lots of 8 inch bass follow the fly, but not commit. When we made it back to the boat house we doubled up with a nice 2 pounder and another 4 pounder! It was close to noon, so we called it a day and hit the Boathouse at lake Athens for a burger.

We fished a 1648 jon boat with a 30 horse and had no problems launching next to the boathouse. In fact, my feet stayed dry the entire time. 

Total for the day was 4 culls and 3 released plus a massive redear.

Culppper Farms 6/2/23

Water temp 79-82

Visibilty 12 inches

Slight wind, air temp 72-85, full sun

Culpepper Farms was an awesome treat and the fishing was fantastic! We arrived to slick calm conditions and the water stained with 12 inches visibility. We began by casting a blue popper near the dam and picked up a few culls before we had a big blow up and a nice fish pull us around until it came unbuttoned boatside. We continued fishing the dam and the east side of the lake picking up some nice overs. The fish were chasing bait up to the shore and we could usually catch one if we cast near the blow up. At 10 AM we switched tactics and started casting a black/red game changer on an intermediate line. We picked a few more overs along the dam and called it quits by 11:30.

Most of the fish were caught between the islands and the dam with the dam producing the majority. Shady spots tended to the best bet.  We’ll definitley go back!