Willow Beach Report

After checking out a possible access to Old River Lake that just didn't pan out, I met LRJoe out at a nearby river lake close to the L&D. Made it out there to see him out there in the middle of the lake. Cruised on out there and he said, "Hey, I sent you a message tellin' ya about all the stumps just under the surface". Hah, he wasn't kidding...Don't know how I dodged 'em coming across there. That lake ended up not panning out as well. Couldn't find any deep water and didn't see any fish on the graphs.

So on our way out we met a gentleman that told us to go try Willow Beach. After he disproved a couple rumors about recent vandalism activity, we decided to try it. By that time, LRJoe only had an hour or so to fish. We caught quite a few dinks, and he had to go. As soon as he left, the wind came with a fury. Ended up catchin' a lot more dinks (and when I say dink, I mean like 3.5") about 14-15' deep on the bottom. Caught a couple good keepers about 1' off the bottom, and then caught one that I weighed at 1lb 15oz suspended about 6' deep over the deeper water. Couldn't find anymore big fish at that depth. Ended up lettin' them couple crappie live to swim another day. I left at about 2:15 with a nice new sunburn and an un-vandalized truck.

It is nice to know we can fish that place (Willow Beach). I think that if we knew it better that we can start catching fish. There were about 12 trucks there at the ramp. I got about 8-12 dinks before having to pack it up.

CEB and I had a good time. Wish I could have fished longer. One thing CEB forgot to say was that on that first lake, my trolling motor took a direct hit at full speed on one of those stumps. It about threw me out of the boat, and bent the shaft on my trolling motor. Glad CEB was not there to see it. He would have cried laughing.

I've never crappie fished there, but bass fished it many times. Seems like I tear something up every time I go, though. Be careful putting in at the ramp on a windy day. A couple of years ago, I backed off the trailer and before I could get out, the wind shoved me straight into the rocks beside the ramp. I've got some nice scars on the hull from that one. In '06 about 3 weeks after I bought my boat (used) I had put in at the Alltel ramp with my dad. We had fished around upstream and decided to try Willow Beach. I had never been in there off the river and didn't know there was a levee going in. Found out real quick when it caught my lower unit going about 25 mph. I had slowed down and trimmed down to make the turn or probably would have sailed right over. I've also hit more sandbars in there than I have caught fish in there...and I've caught alot of fish. ;)

Moral of this stiory is the fishing can be good in there. Just don't do the dumb things I have while you're there.

Also--where is the first lake y'all fished in relation to Willow Beach, if you don't mind me asking?

Were you at the Willow Beach park or further back on the same road. Old dirt parking lot, two launch ramps, one very steep, the other right by a large willow, etc.?

two launch ramps

Well I didn't tear much of anything up at the Willow Beach ramp, but it sure wasn't fun using the one with the two trees immediately behind it. As I was idling up onto the trailer, the motor died (I'm guessing a pinhole in the primer bulb 'cuz it won't stay firm when just idling but never does it at higher operating speeds). Got my poles all tangled up in those tree trying to get back out to open water...did I mention that the wind was terrible?:D

As far as the other lake is concerned, there is an underwater object about 40 yds out in front the ramp...and it doesn't give at all. Almost felt like concrete or riprap. And LRJoe's trolling motor has the gangster lean to prove it!:rolleyes:

Anywho, these are the places we launched yesterday...

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...piepic/map.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...pic/aerial.jpg

Thanks Gentlemen for the report

Well, that's a good report nevertheless. Thanks for sharing.

aj

I thought you were talking about the Willow Beach park. I've never fished the lake. Always thought it was private. I have done fair in the lake you first fished off the river, if you can catch it right. It can be pretty hard on a boat if you don't know it, though.

Chris,
I went out at the house with similar results. I played around on my dock, & caught a couple of nice keeper crappie & a 2.5lb bass. decided to go out w/ some friends in a jon boat, and we could only muster up 4-5 dinks. Water temps were up close to 60, which is a drastic change from 45 last wednesday. shallow water heats up quick. no females were caught, so at least here in oxbow land, males may start moving up to prepare the beds.

I caught all my fish on some of skiptomylu's green/chartreuse hair jigs tipped w/ crappie nibbles. my partner caught em on a jig tipped w/ a minnow. neither pattern dominated though. We were fishing from 2-3ft of water around brush & cypress trees. it's getting close!

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Originally Posted by randybenham

Chris,
I went out at the house with similar results. I played around on my dock, & caught a couple of nice keeper crappie & a 2.5lb bass. decided to go out w/ some friends in a jon boat, and we could only muster up 4-5 dinks. Water temps were up close to 60, which is a drastic change from 45 last wednesday. shallow water heats up quick. no females were caught, so at least here in oxbow land, males may start moving up to prepare the beds.

I caught all my fish on some of skiptomylu's green/chartreuse hair jigs tipped w/ crappie nibbles. my partner caught em on a jig tipped w/ a minnow. neither pattern dominated though. We were fishing from 2-3ft of water around brush & cypress trees. it's getting close!

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Hey Randy, speaking of your neck of the woods...The fellow we were talking to said that he heard a report of a 3lber coming out of Mound Lake. You holding out on us???:D And you're right, it won't be long now!

Thax for the report Ceb fished that area a few times, had some real bad days and some real good days, always took me some time to find them, but when i did, it was the Motherload. CP

Chris,

There should be a 3 pounder in there somewhere. I will say though that you shouldn't always believe what people say. There is a fellow that has yo-yos spread all on the lake, and although they say they are catching slabs, I think they may be overstating their weight. I haven't been able to get out much this year yet. My kids birthdays are march 7 & 10, so these 2 weekends have been spoken for. Hard to get on the water w/ birthday parties to attend. Most of what I've been hearing is the bit has been at night. We'll have to see. I know that water heated up quick. females should be getting ready to head in real soon.

Glad you caught a few and didn't get vandalized.

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Originally Posted by randybenham

Chris,

There should be a 3 pounder in there somewhere. I will say though that you shouldn't always believe what people say. There is a fellow that has yo-yos spread all on the lake, and although they say they are catching slabs, I think they may be overstating their weight. I haven't been able to get out much this year yet. My kids birthdays are march 7 & 10, so these 2 weekends have been spoken for. Hard to get on the water w/ birthday parties to attend. Most of what I've been hearing is the bit has been at night. We'll have to see. I know that water heated up quick. females should be getting ready to head in real soon.

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An quick late afternoon trip might just be the ticket for right now. Hopefully you will be able to get out soon...I can write you a prescription if necessary...:D Be sure to keep us updated.

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Originally Posted by CastandBlast

Glad you caught a few and didn't get vandalized.

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Me too. It's sad to say that I avoided the place solely because of what has happened in the past. The gentleman that we talked to said the word is that the lake access is under litigation with the AGFC being involved. Hopefully the AGFC can acquire the ownership and put in a nice ramp and rework the parking lot

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Originally Posted by ceb

Me too. It's sad to say that I avoided the place solely because of what has happened in the past. The gentleman that we talked to said the word is that the lake access is under litigation with the AGFC being involved. Hopefully the AGFC can acquire the ownership and put in a nice ramp and rework the parking lot

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I would be there ever afternoon if the AGFC puts in a ramp.