Got on the lake about 7. Threw around the island to start. Graph looked great but couldn't get a bite. Went up towards west bay didn't see birds working so we trolled the east bank. Nothing. Checked at Carter Slough. Very occasional surfacing but couldn't get a bite. Once again marking fish. Got desperate and it was getting hot so busted out the hellpet at the dam. Worked perpendicular to the dam and picked up one fish almost every pass. Most were over 14" but only managed 9 before the heat got us. Snagged a 7 pound channel cat which was fun on the hell pet.


Hope y'all did a bit better than me today but if you need fish troll the dam.

Always a productive spot.

The heat is certainly relentless this time of year. I have a little dock in one of the southern coves and I am installing a fridge stocked with bottled water. I'll be happy to pass out cold water to my fellow anglers that I enjoy meeting when they troll by. Who knows what other cold beverages I might have:;

Thanks toofy I'll give you a holler next time we are on the lake

Look early and late in under 20ft. of water. The first 3 hours of light in the morning and again at the end of the day. I have been out three times this week and have caught 35 to 60 fish each outing in very shallow 90 degree water. During the middle hours of the day the fish are moving so fast it is hard to keep up with them. You locate, catch one or two and .....they gone. Find a slope or shallow flat near the river channel that they are traveling and wait for them to come back to you. Ole Uglies are still getting it done for me fishing down or on top!

I have never had any success fishing at or close to the dam (with the exception of one day a few years ago when the surfacing action lasted like 8 hours straight and covered the entire lake - craziest fishing day of my life). I've graphed the dam itself, the humps outside the dam, and the general area around it - never anything. Tried different times of year, too. Really weird. Glad you made something happen over there.

Have you drug a deep trolling rig by the dam? When all else fails it catches every time.

I love to troll from twin points around the point and along the rip rap. Also have good luck in the power plant Slough.