Mark Twain- Thursday 4/12

[jaoeyp]

Hey gents! With some beautiful weather finally in the forecast I am planning to play hookie on Thursday and get out on Mark Twain Lake. Main goal is to get better acquainted with the electronics on the boat, but catching some crappie would sure be nice too. Any suggestions on the best place to start to look for them?

[Route U]

Lake was on a 12-13' rise with cold water coming in and then the Corp. dropped the bottom out of it with it just now leveling off around 607' (606' is normal pool). I think your water temps are going to be significantly lower than what you might expect at this time of the year so I would still focus on the lower end of the lake and if I were fishing, spider rig minnows and jigs near the mouth of your major creeks. Sunshine and warmer weather might make them a bit more active however, slow and steady will likely be the game for the next few weeks.

U

[jaoeyp]

Okay, I put in at Hwy U ramp, fished a little ways up middle fork. Water temp was 46-54 degrees. Very muddy water, muddier than I've seen for a while. Marked lots of fish on the Humminbirds (running megas and a 360). Mainly found closed mouth crappie. Managed to catch two spider rigging in the creeks. Talked to a few other folks and they didn't fair much better. Sure was pretty though.

[Route U]

Just talked to Dad and he snuck out yesterday after checking on the cabin. He took my advice (for once) and first comment was, "fish were weird". He caught ~30, with 12 keepers..... SLOWWWWW spider rigging with minnows and fish were tight to the bottom. Checked a few of his early haunts for shallow fish with nothing to show for it.

Still early!

U

[TwainGang]

I'll be spending 5 days up there weekend after next- should be about right.

[Route U]

Quick update on Twain.......albeit I'm in INDIA right now.

Dad and a buddy of ours got out on Saturday and focused on the lower end of the lake. Caught a bunch with 12 keepers that our buddy took home. Rigging minnows and jigs in 9-10 ft. of water and scattered throughout the water column. Seemed as though the males were just starting to stage and the females had lockjaw. If he moved in closer, nothing........moved out to the channel, nothing.

I wasn't there however, knowing those two, good fun was had by all!

U

[BarryG]

Thanks!