Buddy Cole's Fishing Report
May, 2004
Lake temp rises in time for holiday
By Buddy Cole
With temperatures in the upper 80s the last few days, Ray Roberts' surface temp rose to 75 degrees by Tuesday mid-morning at Jordan ramp. Last week's temp was 72 degrees.
The lake dropped to 631.07 feet by Tuesday morning from last week's 631.18 feet. The lake is now 1.5 feet below the normal level of 632.50 feet.
The channel catfish move to spawn in shallow water is under way. Buck Creek Store said anglers reported limit catches up in the creeks fishing from shore. They won't all go at once. As of a few days ago, anglers reported limits to 10 pounds from 20-foot water.
The store also said three anglers reported 36 good keeper crappie from the timber by moving tree to tree. The fish can be at varying depths from one location to another. The main lake brushpiles are being worked very hard by fishermen and there are large numbers of under legal-size fish.
Sand bass are still working around the creek mouth points and in some cases inside the creeks. Hardly any surfacing fish have been reported.
Black bass have been spotty and catches may run five to 18 fish. The most productive locations have been points, including secondary points, and areas of aquatic vegetation. Carolina rigs work in either location, but soft plastic jerk baits work well in and around the grass.
The best depths have been two to six feet, but somewhere about this time they usually move to about eight feet. Some anglers also say very few, if any, small bass have been caught. Most run in the 2.5- to 3-pound range with fair numbers all the way up 6 pounds.
There's a full moon the third and last quarter the ninth.
Don't forget that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start to spring's recreational boating season. If the weather is good, the lake may have heavy traffic. Be sure to wear your life jackets with kill switches hooked up and be extremely watchful of nearby boat movements. Find an out-of-the-way place to chunk and wind.
Buddy Cole is a former Ray Roberts Lake guide and a member of the Elm Fork Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. www.efcmn.org
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RRSA President Pete Hollar
10 1/2 pounds
Caught June, 2001
RRSA member John Herrin
7 pounds
Caught June, 2001
RRSA Officer Jim McIlroy
9 pounds
Caught June, 2001
Inland Fisheries Director Phil Durocher
7 1/2 pounds
Caught June, 2001
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