Rathbun Lake
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Rathbun Lake Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Rathbun Lake. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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- Species
Largemouth BassTechniqueHard Topwater (Walking)SeasonSummerStructureRip RapFirst time at Rathbun with my dad and son and initially were going to chase crappie. We could only catch the 7-9” ones so I changed it up to largemouth. I started with a shower blow and instantly was catching fish. I tied on the choppo for the other 2 and they were having a blast with their top water blow ups! We just looked for rocky banks and covered water.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueTexas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)SeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureLaydowns
Fished on Friday and Saturday and the conditions were not very good. Air temps were in the 30s and the wind was in the 20s. On Friday I fished the lower arm and tried find bass in the channel that runs through. I marked a ton of fish but could only manage one bite. Not sure if they were bass or not. The only one I managed to catch was on a laydown in a little cove flipping a bandito bug. On Saturday I went up the lake and tried the flooded timber. Once again I was marking fish but could not find any bass. All I caught was a big drum. The cold and wind were terrible so I left the water early. Water temps ranged from 51 to 54 degrees and only had less than a foot of visibility.
Omnia Community MemberBronze AmbassadorSpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonSummerStructureRock PileWe find muddy points that where are around 10 to 6 feet and throw a drop shot since they were very lethargic
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueBuzzbaitsSeasonSummerStructureRip Rap
It was a challenging tournament but seemed to make the most out of the morning bite throwing a buzz-bait down as much bank as you could possibly go. Once the sun got up it was a good idea to go swinging and throw a big jig around.
SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueSoft JerkbaitsSeasonSummerStructureRip RapFirst time at Rathbun practicing for TBF qualifier today so didn’t get a lot of time with a rod in my hand but what time I did I was able to catch a few fish fishing a fluke very shallow over rip rap quickly to get a reaction bite but the most productive bit for better fish was dragging a swing head on step ledges. Every species seemed to like that approach as well caught many flatheads, walleyes, and even a few drum.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueTexas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)SeasonSummerStructureDocks
I caught some on a stingy Rathbun. Was able to get some decent quality bites flippin around a stick bait.
- Species
WalleyeTechniqueLive Bait RigsSeasonSummerStructureOpen Water/BasinI was slowly (.8 mph) pulling these rigs in 18-24’ of water with abouy 2/3 of a nightcrawler threaded on the slow death hook. Caught a few walleyes, lots of channel cats, and a couple huge hybrid white bass.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueStructure JigsSeasonSummerStructureDam
Bite was very tough today.. would rotate between a outcast jig and a Omega 1/2 ounce swing head with a cracked craw to get all my bites but they where few and far between today.
