Live bait this week

[Stan Wright]

I was able to do a little fishing on Tuesday. Small kind fish action along the shore lines. Peacock bass from 1/2 to 1 pound. I still had a few live bait left over and decided to try fishing the points. Quick action on fish ranging from 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 pounds.

Didn't see any schooling fish. But I did talk to two other boaters who reported good action on live bait near the points.

Water temperature was 73 degrees and raining on and off. Water visibility about 2 feet.
Aloha,
Stan

[tucmaster]

Stan - Thanks for the lake update including water temp and water clarity. Frequent updates like yours really do help those of us who can't get up to the lake as often as we'd like to.

One more bit of information needed for updates:

Can you tell me where the water level is currently at? A good, well-known indicator of water level would be the "saddle" between the shore and the small tree-covered island that's visible from the freeway offramp going into Wahaiwa town (you know, the one directly across the lake from the homeless camps). Is the saddle submerged or dry?

Thanks. Tucmaster out.

[Ca_Bass]

When I drove by the lake the other day the water level looked pretty low. Pretty much the whole point by boy scout island was exposed.

[Stan Wright]

The water level is pretty low. I didn't really pay much attention. That little cove by the parking lot is almost dry. I'm pretty sure the saddle by the park is out of the water, but I'm not sure. The saddle by Boy Scout island is still under water.... but not by much.

They are trying to do a drawdown to 72 1/2 feet. The lake is full and over the spilway when it reaches 80 feet. If a flood comes, the lake will fill and give the people down stream to get to high ground.

I'll check tomorrow.
Stan

[Boatless]

is there a mechanized "gate" to release the excess water? cuz if they're using a pump, its gotta be huge!!

[OO7:BASSINASSASSIN]

Tucmaster-I went by the bridge this week and the saddle is way out of the water, in fact if I remember correctly there is very little water on the other side of the island you were talking about. Looks like you will have to use your low water tactics.

[Stan Wright]

I agree, the saddle by the bridge was 2 feet out of the water on Friday. Over by Boy Scout island the water is low enough you can't get accross that saddle. Lots of small baitfish in the shallow areas.
Stan

[tucmaster]

The cove by the boat ramp almost dry, Boy Scout Island saddle almost dry - wow that IS low. The California grass along the shore must be high and dry. If you like to target the larger shoreline cruising tucs during low water:

Try the points first. During low water, the banded jewel cichlids and small tilapia are flushed out of the California grass, and if there's no other shoreline cover nearby, you'll often find the cichlids/tilapia congregating in very shallow water along the points in an effort to avoid being ambushed by larger tucs.

If the larger shoreline tucs aren't on the points, then they're probably nosing up beneath available cover, looking for cichlids hiding in fallen trees and under submerged root masses of the ironwood trees. Quietly sneaking up to this kind of cover is my favorite low-water tactic. It's tough trying to pull decent-sized tucs out of that stuff without getting tangled and breaking them off. I do lose a lot of terminal tackle and get a lot of frayed line during low water periods. But sometimes you gotta go where the larger fish are at.

All of this is just based on my own experience. Hopefully some out there might be able take some of this information and use it. Good luck and good fishing. Tucmaster out.

[Stan Wright]

Your experience and tactics are right on target. Very well put. I'm going to start a new thread with your very good advice for shallow water tactics.

Thanks for sharing,
Stan