Claiborne Lake

[jwn]

Hello,
I have a few questions on this lake, my inlaws will be wintering down there from Jan. to ?when it warms up in Iowa. They would like to catch a few fish and I thought I would seek out some info if I could. Thanks in advance for any help.
1. What is the clearity of the lake I am guessing clear?
2. How would you rank the lake for crappie?
3. What would a good average mess measure?
4. What is the perfered method of fishing for crappie on the lake?
5. Is there much visable struchture on the lake?
6. Are there any guides in the area?
7. Is there a particular coler that seems to be best?
8. How is bream fishing on the lake?
Thanks to any info I know I am asking alot of questions but would love to see them catch a couple and better yet send me a report that may get me headed south for a few days in late Iowa winter time.

[prefers shiners]

I'm not familiar with the lake myself, but hang in there and someone will jump in soon and help you out.........

[fishervet]

I'm not familiar with the lake myself, but hang in there and someone will jump in soon and help you out.........

Pastor will give ya some advice.

[homercrappie]

Jwn, I live a couple of miles from the lake. It is best for crappie in the winter months fishing around the dam. It is pretty clear and most of the crappie are caught fishing near the bottom in 20-30ft of water. Some folks use minnows and some use jigs. Bobby Garland baby shad in blue grass, electric chicken, blue thunder, monkey milk will catch fish. Im guessing an average mess would be 15-30 with limits of 50 caught sometimes. They can be caught around lighted boat houses when water warms and fish move in to spawn. The bream can good as well in the spring in the coves and around boat houses and piers. Homer Humpheries does some guiding and you can google him to find his website. Hope this helps.

[Pastor]

I would have to echo the advice given by "homercrappie." I used to live on the lake and the crappie are primarily caught in the deep water during the winter. I would recommend fishing between the blue seawall and the dam. You can't miss the blue seawall; it is a concrete seawall that has been painted blue. If you are headed toward the dam the blue seawall will e on the right. If they will have electronics tell them to find them some water at least 25-30 feet deep ( I always caught most of mine in 30-35 feet of water fishing about 25 feet deep) and drop a shiner or a jig in one of the colors "homercrappie" mentioned down and hang on. Of course the crappie move with the shad and sometimes you have to move around until you find them. One other color I caught a lot of fish on was a rainbow trout color.

There is a lot of visible wood on the shallower end of the lake. However, there is also a lot of invisible wood on the shallow end of the lake and I would recommend being very careful when leaving the boat runs. There are some stumps tat would ruin a boat and an otherwise good day of fishing.

Personally, I never caught bream during the winter months. But during the late spring and early summer you can catch some very big bream up Horse Creek and Bear Creek. You just have to move around the bank until you find them bedded up. I prefer crickets, but worms will work too.

If Lake Claiborne agrees with your parents I have a house on the lake that is for sale. Perhaps I could meet them one day and show them around. I am not guide, but would not mind going fishing one day with your parents. One more thing; on the dam end of the lake the lake is wide open and the wind can become very dangerous very fast. I hope this helps. My phone # is 318-355-5743.

[fishervet]

I would have to echo the advice given by "homercrappie." I used to live on the lake and the crappie are primarily caught in the deep water during the winter. I would recommend fishing between the blue seawall and the dam. You can't miss the blue seawall; it is a concrete seawall that has been painted blue. If you are headed toward the dam the blue seawall will e on the right. If they will have electronics tell them to find them some water at least 25-30 feet deep ( I always caught most of mine in 30-35 feet of water fishing about 25 feet deep) and drop a shiner or a jig in one of the colors "homercrappie" mentioned down and hang on. Of course the crappie move with the shad and sometimes you have to move around until you find them. One other color I caught a lot of fish on was a rainbow trout color.

There is a lot of visible wood on the shallower end of the lake. However, there is also a lot of invisible wood on the shallow end of the lake and I would recommend being very careful when leaving the boat runs. There are some stumps tat would ruin a boat and an otherwise good day of fishing.

Personally, I never caught bream during the winter months. But during the late spring and early summer you can catch some very big bream up Horse Creek and Bear Creek. You just have to move around the bank until you find them bedded up. I prefer crickets, but worms will work too.

If Lake Claiborne agrees with your parents I have a house on the lake that is for sale. Perhaps I could meet them one day and show them around. I am not guide, but would not mind going fishing one day with your parents. One more thing; on the dam end of the lake the lake is wide open and the wind can become very dangerous very fast. I hope this helps. My phone # is 318-355-5743.

u are one nice fella

[jwn]

Thank you guys for the reply's and the info. Cannot ask for better responses to a post of this nature!
Pastor I will pass on your info to my folks. Again thanks.

[jwn]

Couple more questions. The inlaws are going later in the winter tis year, meaning early Jan.so they can be there for the spawn. How is the fishing during the spawn? Looking at the maps I am guessing the north and west arms are where they start but from the feedback to my previous questions I am unsure it it is a good lake to target them for the spawn kinda sounds like dead of winter is the time?

[Tracker123]

I don't know anything about that lake, but they are welcome to join us at the Louisiana Bend gathering at the end of February while they are here. Just thought I'd mention it.

[jwn]

I see that is around 2hrs away, they will not be mobile but may want to go to a gathering to socialize with good folk. please let me know times and dates. Thanks for the hospatality