Havent been since summer. Just wondering about water temps mainly and few tips, nothing specific. Trying to decide between Monticello and Athens in the morning

Neither, you and your Dad need to make a quick run to Rayburn. Just in case your wondering it is a small lake a little south and east of Dallas. LOL. Good luck wherever you decide.

What's going on with the fish over there? My partner and I went Sunday and caught 17 fish. Water temp was 48. Every fish we caught looked sick. This was not one isolated cove, we fished all over.

By sick I mean skinny. Like fish you catch in farm ponds that are starving to death.

I've got 2 weeks in a row at the end of the month and beginning of February... gonna be spending plenty of time there! Lol

That's not good..

48 is what I saw with temps as well. Graphed a ton of bait 30+ ft deep. We

I started a post a while back on this--a good majority of Athens fish are not healthy.

People keep pounding that little lake it just can't handle the pressure. Fish keep eating plastics thrown in the water too, it messes up the fishes digestion. I don't really have a report for you just go fish the outside grass line with senkos or brush hogs you'll catch a few.

Frank sure likes his popcorn hahahaha.
Was on Athens a couple weeks back. Caught good numbers. Wouldnt hit anything other than a squarebill. I am sure that has changed with the colder weather the last couple of weeks.

So I take it Athens doesn't have 75 boats on Saturday and Sunday anymore?

The bass have survived "Pounding Athens" for a lot of years. Not discounting what you saw for fish health........just discounting the reasoning. :-)

That is so funny, I have never caught a single fish at Athens on a moving bait. Seen 2 caught on spinner bait, but that's it.

I've caught a few on a spinner bait and had some luck running a trap through schooling fish. But usually senkos and flukes produce the best for me.