Anyone been on Barren?

went yesterday, friday, lake was still way up. Color has improved significantly the fishing, however, has not. I could not even get a bite fihsing in the lake. I tried back in the trees, out in deeper water where I have stuff sunk, on points, on the "old" back break line and got nothing, not even a bite. I fished jigs and I fished minnows.

Heard a bass guy at the ramp say that they cuaght a short fish right off the bat and then a keeper and then nothing the rest of the day out there. Fishing is terrible right now.

I finally decided to put in down in the tailwater to see what I could get into down there. they were letting go quite a bit of water but was still fishable. I tried to find some slack water. Pulled one largemouth out of an old oxbow that had fresh water moving into it. Managed a 13-14 inch smallmouth out of some slack water just off the main current. Only two fish of the day. I even tried to catch a catfish thinking that surely they would bite and still nothing. I may just have to start back turkey hunting to keep me occupied till the fishing improves.

That sure sounded like a tough day. I've left that lake on more than one occasion scratching my head.

I guess until the water level gets right things are going to continue to be tough. The Crappie fishing for me hasn't been good in a couple of years. I don't know whether it's been due to poor spawns or from the crazy up and down fluctuation of that lake. I've never seen a lake stay so messed up. It either doesn't have enough water (like all last year) or to much.

Being that it's the closest lake to my house I sure hate that the fishing isn't better.

going today and into the night will get back a report ASAP... First time and body got a good place to put in?

dropped in at Walnut creek ... Got skunked...

It is just about summer pool... I guess it is time to try something. I was going to day but got off working here at the house and didn't make it. I hate high blue skies too. I wonder if we have missed the crappie bite? The dogwoods are already done ad that usually coincides twith he slabs around here at Barren.


Guess I will try the crappie and if I can't get any action that way I may switch off and try my luck with the gills or the shell crackers. I have gotten into them at times in the past and caught the fire out of them.

A few years ago when the water was like this my bro in law and I caught 93 over 10" {gills}in the parking lot at Peninsula Ramp. We caughr lots more but that is what we kept. We went to catch a few small gills to use for tomato plant fertilizer.

So....Anyone been fishing Barren in the llast little bit?

No real word on the crappie. I hear a few Hybrid are hitting at night chasing the shad.

I'm planning on taking my son Friday night and trying them myself.

I have a friend that has been doing pretty good on the hybrid. He fishes below the dam and way up the river. Now sure but I think he uses shad as bait. He called the other day and had been catching some.

Have another friend that has been catching hybrid, largemouth and small mouth in the area right at the dam. All the fish are caught within sight of the dam. He caught a 7lb 8 oz largemouth and several nice small mouth and hybrid. He doesn't keep any just takes pics and throws them back..They have been catching all those fish on BIG faintail minnows. They fish for them on the bottom with medium to light spinning outfits. It is FUN when you hook a nice smallie that way! What a fight. You never know what you got till you see it.

We wore that cats out limb-lining when the water was at it's peak a few weeks ago. Caught like 93 in 2 and a half days on 50 lines. We could have hit them a lot harder but took what we needed and quit. Also turned a friend on to how we do it so he could put it in his bag of tricks.

NOW if I could put a few crappie in the freezer I would be happy. Heck some NICE shell crackers and or some NICE gills would make me happy.

My daughter and I went yesterday afternoon. We tried minnows, jigs, redworms...Deep, shallow etc. and caught 1 keeper crappie and 1 keeper gill. The bass were biting the best. I caught several of them on whatever i had on at the time. Dam trash fish!

Mush??

Been catching any?

No I Havent Been At All Sickness In Family It Will Be Awhile. The Lake As Of This Morning Was 05. Above Pool We Have Got One And A Tenth Of Rain In The Last Couple Of Days. Hpoe You Guys Start Catching Them Soon.