11/16/12

Maria with three Walleye.  The smaller one was 19 inches long. 11-15-12

James Welch from ABQ with a nice walleye taken 11-12-12

Water temp = 55 degrees,  water very lightly stained. 

 Fishing has been pretty good if you like to catch fish!!!!  Minnows, Leprechaun slabs and blade baits are all catching fish.  I have been catching walleye in 30-45 feet of water near the main channel. I have not yet found the Walleye and white bass in the same spot.  I have been finding the white bass in good sized schools on the north side of the channel near the golf course.   Whites slabs are the lure of choice for them. 

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria

 Dakota and Keaton with their limit of White Bass taken 8/9/12

Grandpa Danny with his grand kids on a great day of fishing.

 Results from the Smith R.V. & Marine Tourney held on 8/4/12

Kevin Smith along with Tourney winners Jared and Mark Nikirk from Colorado in their new boat and  Don Hancock-- the Skeeter representative.

Water temp = 79 degrees,  main lake clear with the river arms stained.  

I have had three trips this last week with quite a few fish caught.  We are still catching a few walleye trolling in the brush,  but I have found 2 rather large schools of White bass and they are on one hell of a bite.  One trip we took our limit of 100 whites (25 per person) and the next day we had close to 50 of them.  Most of them were caught in 40 feet of water and about 5 -10 feet off of the bottom.  Use your electronics to locate the schools and then commence on wearing yourself out.  

Walleye--FAIR-- I'm still trolling in the brush and catching a few.  With such a good White bass bite going on I just haven't put allot of time in on the Walleye.

White bass--EXCELLENT--Slabs in 40 feet of water --stop by the shop for further info.

Large and Small mouth bass--SLOW--To give you an idea of how slow it is --last weekends tourney had 106 boats and only 5 of them weighed in 5 fish.  Over half did not weigh a fish.

Channel cats--FAIR-GOOD--Fish stink baits and chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water in the brush. 

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria

7/31/2012

Glen Hawthorne from Clovis with his limit of Walleye taken 7/27/12.

Water temp = 79 degrees and warms up to 82 degrees in the afternoon.  Main lake clear with some staining in the river arms.

Fishing really has been pretty good considering how hot it has been recently.  

• Walleye ---GOOD to EXCELLENT--Trolling crank baits near or in the timber has been producing limits of Walleye for me. It is very important to be on the water early!!! Typical size is 15-18 inches long.  Minnows in 30 feet of water will get some 20-22 inch fish, but you will catch fewer fish.  I have large stocks of the lures that I have been using for the "eyes" ---stop by and see where and what I have been doing.
• Catfish---FAIR to GOOD--The cats have slowed down the last week or two.  Doesn't mean you cannot catch a few,  but the limits of them are extremely rare lately.  Stink baits,  liver and dead minnows have been producing.  Fish 4-8 feet in the morning and move deeper as it warms up.
• Small & Large mouth bass--GOOD-- If there is a breeze there seems to be a good top water bite.  Frogs have been doing well  for top water.  Chigger crawls and tubes have been producing fish in the deeper water.  I would fish the brush on the main lake flats near deep water and grass.
• White bass --I have been catching one here and one there,  but have not found any large schools of them.  Mid August is the usual time when they start to really school up and begin feeding on the schools of shad minnows that are suspended in the 30-40 foot water.
• Crappie --????
• 1st Annual Smith RV & Marine Tourney this Saturday ---- 8/4/2012
• 1st place = 2012 Skeeter fully rigged.  10 places paid.  One day team tourney
• Register at American Legion on 8/3/12 from 6 pm - 7 pm.  Cost = $270/team.
• Call  Todd Town 806-676-1874 or stop the the Tacklebox for the rules and regulations.

FISH - ON,

Rob & Maria

6/27/12

 A couple very happy campers with their mornings catch ----The Bluegill was released unharmed!!!

Russel Berryman and grandson Holden with a couple of Walleye.

Water temp = 74 degrees,  main lake slightly cloudy with the river arms stained.  It has been 100 plus degrees for the last week and it is forecasted to remain about the same for the next week or so.  I have had 5 guiding trips the last week, and I must admit that it has been hard to catch more than just a few fish.  One trip  last Saturday we did catch  a dozen or so Walleye, so the next day I took my wife Maria out and we did not catch a single Walleye.  Its why they call it fishing and not catching.

Small and Large mouth bass--SLOW-- Last weekend the N.M. bass Federation had a tourney.  Out of 31 boat only 4 of them weighed in 5 fish.  Sunday was a little better, but not by much.  On Saturday the average was 2 fish per boat.  That is 1 keeper bass caught every 9 man hours of fishing.  These guys know how to fish so that is why I posted the bass bite as slow.

Walleye--SLOW to FAIR--Get out at sun rise and troll near or in the brush.  The color seems to be important so stop by for the latest info.  Limits are not the rule,  but you still can catch a few of them in a 1/2 day of fishing.  Crawlers in 20 feet of water is also worth a try.

Catfish--Excellent one day and then poor the next.  Try chicken liver in 4-20 feet of water.  Start in the brush and slowly work out to deeper water if need be.  A morning bite is is stronger than the afternoon bite.

Crappie--Are they in the lake?????

White bass--SLOW--I cannot catch more than a couple per trip.  They are scattered and I have not figured out where the big schools of them are.

There is currently a fire ban in the state park,  that means no wood or charcoal fires.  Everything must be propane.  Drink plenty of fluids when out in the sun----swimming or fishing.

FYI   ---    Logan's 4th of July will be celebrated on July 7th.

FISH-ON,
Rob & Maria

                                      The welcoming committee----My wife Maria and her sister Ana

                                              Fred and Troy with fish caught 5/26/12

                                           Troy and Nicole with her catfish taken 5/26/12

                                    Taylor and Austin from Amarillo with some Walleye taken 5/27/12

Water temp = 68 degrees  main lake is clearing finally after a very windy weekend.  The fishing was rather tough over the holiday weekend mainly because of the constant 40MPH wind for 3 complete days in a row.
Fishing pressure was also light, but I did see some decent stringers ---they just were not from my boat.

Small mouth --GOOD to EXCELLENT--Many small fish are being caught, but go a bit deeper and you can find some keepers.  Work the main points on the lake in 10-15 feet of water.
Large mouth --FAIR--- I have heard of some being caught, but I have not seen very many.  Fish the coves ---early morning top water.
White bass--FAIR to GOOD---I have been catching a few ,  but some people are really hammering them.  Troll cranks past Horseshoe for the best results.
Crappie--GOOD--I have not seen limits, but I have seen a few good ones caught up the Ute arm using minnows in 6-10 feet of water near brush.
Walleye--Fair some days to Excellent some days--some days trolling near or in the brush will whack em and other days crawlers in 15-20 feet of water is the ticket.  Other days you do not think a Walleye is in the lake.
Catfish--EXCELLENT-- Use stink baits or chicken liver near brush in 3-6 feet of water.

FISH -ON,
Rob & Maria

                                                 Maria and Luke Blum on a great day

                                                Luke's Aunt Ana along with Luke   5/20/12

                                   Jacob Simmons and Ramey Kimbrough with Walleye taken 5/19/12

Maria and Luke Blum with Walleye taken 5/20/12

                        Shannon and son Eric Burdett from Canyon, Tx. with limits of Walleye taken 5/21/12


Water Temp = 65 degrees and the lake is clear.  Fishing has picked up for all species in the last week or so.  I have had quite a few fishing trips the last week and most of them we ended up with limits of Walleye along with some Crappie, Small mouth bass and White bass.

Small and Large mouth bass--FAIR to GOOD--Plastics near the drop offs are continuing to catch Smallies along with top water lures fished early in the morning.  More and more Large mouth are also being caught near or in the brush using spinner baits.

Walleye--EXCELLENT--Trolling Wally Divers ,  Flicker shads & Bombers in and over the brush is the place to go.  Plan on losing some lures, but the catch is worth it.  Stop by and I will show you the colors you should be using.

Channel catfish--EXCELLENT--My friend Johnny Lathem has been hammering the cats in 3-5 foot of water in the brush.  The fish are averaging 3-5 pounds.  Stink baits and chicken livers is the ticket.

White bass--FAIR to GOOD--I have been catching a few here and there, but I have not found them in any quantities. I have heard that trolling crank baits has been good around the area where the pump is for watering the Golf course.

Crappie--FAIR to GOOD--Ute creek in 10-12 feet of water continues to be the best place to capture a few of them.  I have seen very few limits of them.

Have a save and fun holiday weekend,

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria

May 15th, 2012

Shawn Blackerby along with uncle Jeff with fish caught 13th

Danny and Robert from Texas with their limit of Walleye taken on 5/11/12

Water Temp = 63 degrees main lake clear

We finally received about 3/4 inch of rain yesterday and it was sure pleasant.  I have not seen a rain puddle in my parking lot since Oct. 2010.  We have gotten a tenth here and there, but not a good drizzle.  The last week or two I have been on quite a few guiding trips and have pretty much taken limits of Walleye on all of them.  Most of the fish are in the 15 inch range.  We are catching 3-4    12 inchers for every keeper.  I have not seen so many smaller Walleye in the 6 years that I have been here.  We are going to have a bunch of 18-20 inch fish next year.

Walleye--EXCELLENT--Trolling Wally Divers, Reef Runners and Frenzies will capture some Eyes.  Work the edges of the main channel near or in deep water.  Minnows fished near 12-20 feet of water near structure will also get em.  Take extra care when releasing Walleye that are short ---They are pretty wimpy when it comes to being caught and released.

Small mouth--EXCELLENT--Fish about any point or any flat in the lake with about anything for 12-14 inch small mouth.  They are in 2-10 feet of water.

Large mouth--SLOW to FAIR--Some early top water bite going on, but not a bunch of them being caught.  The water needs to warm up a couple more degrees for them to start staging for the spawn.

Crappie --FAIR to GOOD--both river arms are starting to wake up to the Crappie.  They are still deep--10-15 feet of water, but I am starting to see more caught .  I have even caught a few suspended 10-15 feet down in 65 feet of water.  They were still full of eggs.

White bass--FAIR --I have been catching a few here and there,  but not very many.  I have heard that in front of the dam along with in front of Watson Island will capture a couple.  Troll light colored crank baits for them.

Catfish--FAIR to GOOD-- Stink baits in 2-6 feet of water will catch a few.  Some days you can hammer them, then the next you just manage a couple of them.

Hereford Bass Club is holding a one day tourney on Sunday, May 20th.You can get in it by being at the Marina dock at 5:00a.m.  Tourney is from 5:30 - 1:30 p.m.(MST)

Call Dan Brooks for info---806-344-6823

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria



May 5th, 2012

A nice Walleye taken 5/1/12

A limit of Wallys taken by Darrel Hansen on 5/3/12

A couple of Walleye limits taken by Larry Moses and grandson Cody on 5/4/12

A limit of Walleye taken by me on 5/2/12

A nice batch of fish taken by Jennifer and son Jacob on 5/5/12.

Water temp = 64 degrees,  main lake clear

Fishing is really getting into gear!!!!  Smallies and Walleye are on a terror of a bite. I have been on the water quite a bit this last week and the fish were cooperating.  An early afternoon bite has been present once the wind kicks in.

FISH-ON,

Rob & Maria



Steve and Marylyn from Ruidoso with some Walleye.