Every year I see more and more guys run down the center of Monti under the highway bridge all the way to the power lines. They all get lucky I guess. Although some don't know you can run all the way to the corner or the power line columns, and go all the way down to the last of the columns while on plane. That has all been cleared out.

There was a half sub-merged boat stuck on a stump at monticello,last time I was there in the summer.

I remember seeing that one. Fairly close to the power lines up near the RR bridge... Figure they had come from up north, saw the break in the timber about mid-lake and jumped on it towards the power lines.

That's profiling and it's not fair. Take it back RN. I'll let you figure that one out.

do you mean like a backwards "L"? heading North go under bridge, turn right run along the bridge to the intake, then take a left and head back North along the power lines until you hit the other bridge to the East?

I wouldn't go to Welsh inless you like fishing really slow

I'm from Oklahoma, been fishing Monticello in Feb/March for 25 years. Last year was one of my best trips in last ten. Caught two over 8, 4 over seven, 6 over 6 30+ 4--5 lb. range. All in a 100' stretch of bank. Itching to go back this year, watching the water temps. One of many doubles.

That's what I noticed some people doing. I idled once I got close to the point to the right from the bridge past the discharge. I didn't take any chances.

Nice going Charles...

Got my fist club tourney there the last weekend of the month. I'm going to check it out over the weekend. Planned on going today but that didn't happen. I need to check it out before then.

It's easy if you go the right way.....HA! Seriously, go under the HW bridge, point your boat toward the last point that is in line with Smith Bridge. It's just a little to the right and 100 yards before the bridge. Go straight for it, once you get close stay 25yards off the bank on the point and veer left underneath the power lines. That's all runnable, too. Do not stick out too far from underneath lines, stay close to middle and you can run it to the last power line column. You can run the whole lake on dam side of the HW bridge, too.

Since I got accused of profiling (guilty) I thought I would do my good deed for the day. As others shave stated, you can run on 99% of the lake on the south end of the lake. This red line in this map is the path you can take to run all the way to Smith Creek. You follow the basic line and hug that point then make a close to 90 deg turn once under the power lines. The area under the power lines is clear the entire way. The area from the highway bridge to the discharge is also clear to run. EVERYTHING else on the North end is a death trap waiting to happen once you are north of the 2nd small point on the West side of the lake.

Good map Chris G! I would not say anything else north is a "death trap" just idle and you will be fine. Guarantee you will bump some stumps up there.

Looking forward to meeting you Monday night.

I meant for people that try to run on pad. I've seen every inch of that lake including going way back in Smith creek when the lake was up and yes you can idle everywhere but its not a matter of if you will hit stumps but how many and how hard. Like I said before that lake has not only the largest (seen some nearly 3 feet wide) but the hardest stumps I've personally seen.