Reservation Number : 31839
Property Name : Dogwood Lakes Estate: East Lake
Reservation Date : 04/16/2022 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 33 Fish - One 8 1/2, Two 8’s & Several 3 & 4’s
Lures Used : Large Senkos, Z Craws & Top Waters

Seems like we are forgetting something important on each of our last outings. Trolling motor last trip and Fish Scale Ruler this trip. We leave Houston and hit Henderson late Friday evening. Realized we have nothing to measure a large fish with since I am in the big bass contest. Dogwood has some large bass and a couple of years ago the East lake dominated the weekly post updates for double d fish. No problem, we end up at the local Walmart to find they don't have what I need in the fishing department. Oh well, we end up in the sewing department to find a wooden yard stick. I have 3 big metal fish ruler scales at home and I am humbled to a wooden yard stick on this outing. $4.77 later (a bargain) we are in business. So we are now ready for our Saturday adventure on a Legendary Lake with expectations sky high. A little rest a local hotel and its go time.

Saturday morning finds us at the local whataburger getting breakfast taquitos and plain & dry cheese burgers for lunch later in the day. Boat loaded and we are pounding a shore line just across from the boat ramp. Nervous bait fish with an occasional LMB pounding the bait. We know what needs to be done. Both Phil and I start targeting that shoreline with cast after cast. Bam, Phil hooks up and his rod tip is on fire with the fish going under the boat and to and fro. Finally we get her boated and she is a beauty (see Phil and fish photo attached). Dang near a 2 footer (24 inches measured on the $4.77 wooden yard stick LOL). We get a few photos and place her back in the water. I hook up on an 8 pounder on a top water in this same area and Phil hits another big fish as well……………..3 big fish all on that shoreline gorging themselves on nervous bait fish. Lessened learned – bait gets nervous when they know they are going to be fish food. Keep casting among them and you are bound to hook up sooner or later. 

Weather was amazing with light wind and solid cloud cover. Our boat batteries were pretty much toast by 1 PM and weather now looking ominous with a little light sprinkling. So we called it a day, got loaded up and drove 20 miles to Kilgore Texas to East Texas Hardware (a huge case knive dealer). I am a knife collector and ETH has an awesome collection of case knives. If you are a collector stop in and pay them a visit. They are the biggest case dealer around for real.

We were on the road after the ETH visit with Easter Sunday being the next day. Did not plan on calling it a day early but we were well pleased with our 3 big fish and decent numbers for a half day of effort. If you have not fished Dogwood East or West you need to get them on your schedule. Perfect world would be to fish East for a day and West the next day. You won’t be sorry. Premiere property and a chance at some big fish. What else could a PWF member ask for. 

Happy Easter and Tight Lines,

The Pruitt Brothers