New Bullards Bar Reservoir
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New Bullards Bar Reservoir Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueNeko RigsSeasonSummerStructureBouldersCan't believe how fast this lake is changing. The water level is down about 15 feet since the beginning of June. The drop in water is sucking a lot of mud and silt in, so the water is very stained. Unusual for what is normally a very clear water habitat. Nothing that has been working the last 4 weeks seemed to work this day. I decided to try a dark senko (Tilapia Magic did the trick) on a Neko rig and started hitting paydirt. I had a 1/16 oz Woo nail weight, just to help with keep the nose down. They were pulled up very tight to the shoreline of ledges and boulders, in some cases hitting the bait the instant it hit the water. Didn't get into anything real big though. I think those big ones have started their summer travels out into deeper water. That Lews Custom Pro is amazing for slinging light baits around!
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueDeep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)SeasonSummerStructurePointsIt happened again! A double-up with two 2+lb spotties on the 6th Sense Cloud 9 C15! That's two times in three weeks. I actually had myself a day, consistently pulling nice ones in using five different techniques. I'd pull up on an extending point, start at the top of the water column and work my way down to the bottom. 1st with a jerk bait (6th Sense Provoke 97X in Shad) then the Cloud 9 C15 crank bait, then a drop shot with a silvery minnow, then that Strike King football jig with a Juggle minnow, and wrapping up with a Yamamoto Sexy Shad Senko. After I cleaned up on that point, I would move along to another. It was a perfect day!
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueDeep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)SeasonSummerStructurePointsOnly had a little more than half a day to fish this Saturday, so I didn't really have the time to go upriver as I like to. So I had to stay on the main body, which turned out to be a good thing. I learned some new spots today.... I'm forcing a crank bait into my rotation because I've just never had the confidence with them. I have to say, those sure are fun bites! I was also pulling them in with a Yum Tube rigged on a VMC Shakey Head. Those bites were so subtle. Half the time, it was the line moving in an odd direction that had me swinging away.
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueDeep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)SeasonSummerStructurePointsFantastic day out there. I guess the lake is in post spawn, so they're moving away from the edge and starting to eat again. I caught my larger fish on 6th Sense C15 Crank Bait. But as you can see from my picture, I was also hooking into some nice ones with a 6th Sense Jig head paired with a Divine Swimbait in Ghose Ice Minnow. For someone who spends a lot of time finesse fishing, it was so fun to power fish with those baits. And I'll say it again. The Shimano Mastiff Flourocarbon is bullet proof. I had that line scraping rock all day and never had a problem!
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSummerStructureBouldersHad a great day on my favorite lake within 100 miles of my home. It was a very hot, sunny and still day. The fish didn't want to work too hard, so slowing things down with a Strike King Magnum Dreamshot, Blue Craw RedFlake did the job. I actually started off with plum colored finesse worm wacky rigged on my drop shot. But I only had three of those and was out of them fairly quickly. They were the only plum colored finesse worms I had. So after trying a few other colors with no luck, I switched over to the Magnum Dreamshot....20 fish later, I called it a day.
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSummerStructureLedgesI love this lake! First off....the Gee Crack Bellows Stick is fast becoming a favorite when I'm using a drop shot. It flutters so naturally, that even with a slow and steady return, it's wobbling all over the place. And the Natural Pro Blue is a perfect imitation for the kokanee those Spotties love to feed on. They can't resist. Those Woo Drop shot weights are pretty nice also. They slip through rocks and cracks very easily and if it does get hung (not often) the fact they slip off your line instead of breaking off your entire set-up saves you a lot of hooks and baits. Also, a strong recommendation for the Zoom Trick Worm in Plum for your Texas Rig set-up.
- Species
Smallmouth Bass
TechniqueCarolina RigsSeasonSummerStructureLedgesWent out to Bullard Bar July 23 & 24. After knocking out some morning trolling for Kokanee (Limit of 10 on Saturday, 6 on Sunday, which was fun!) I headed up the main fork for my real purpose of being there, in search of some bass. It was tough sledding all afternoon. It was very hot (100 degrees) and the water continues to drop, so there was very little cover. I settled on using a Carolina Rig and was fishing submerged boulders and any drop offs I could find. I spent the day in 10-30 feet of water and was only able to land 4 bass, all in the 1 lb range. Nothing much to brag about, for sure. But I caught two using a 4" Strike King Rage Craw in Green Pumpkin and two more with a 5 1/4" Zoom Super Fluke in White Pearl. I must have tried at least 10 other bait/color combos, but those were the two that worked on this day. For sure my toughest day bass fishing at Bullard's Bar. My previous 3 trips there, I caught at least 20-30 bass each afternoon. This is my first year of fishing Bullard's, so I'm still learning the lake and how each season impacts what I do. I love going there, so I plan to keep learning and happy to share the results....even if they aren't the best.
- Species
Spotted Bass
TechniqueTexas Rigs (Worming)SeasonSummerStructurePointsMy first time out with the Geecrack Bellows Stick. They are incredible the way they flutter in the water. Spotties couldn't stay off them.