Joe Pool

It appears that the decision to not hold fireworks at Pool by the city was a good idea for us fishermen. I know the usual crazies were out but did appear to overly crazy. I do not know about the rest of you but I picked several times to go out on different days and found the fishing to be pretty good. I found fish in two feet of water as well as 20 ft.and every where in between. The quality of fish was pretty good as well. Anyway had a great 4th and I hope all of you did also.

I'm glad you found them cause I sure didn't. I just can't seem to find the deep fish there and quality of fish shallow for me wasn't too good.

What has been working for you? I've fished the north and south part of the lake the last few weeks, tried deep water around the tree stumps, shallow in the coves, etc. I've had a little luck on Texas rigged plastics but pretty inconsistent. I'm brand new to Joe Pool so any tips you have would be greatly appreciated.

I fished it Saturday and Monday. Found the same issue. I could catch bass in any depth. It seemed. But, none of the fish I caught over two days were over 2 or 3 pounds.

I have a few spots that I fish every time I go. Those fish were consistent. Just no overs this time. Other fish so caught were c rig on 20-25ft. Drop shot in 15-20. All the bigger fish were on a Biffle bug VERY SHALLOW....VERY EARLY. before sun up.

Caught a few decent ones on spinner baits. In 3-4 ft. Around fresh lay downs.

Fish were all over. No real pattern or holding spots. Just scattered. I think the lake needs to settle down a bit. Either stay flooded....or stay full pool. Not up and down and up and down.

Steez--what do you consider early? We were on the lake before daylight throwing that Biffle bug, not even a nibble. We have tried it the last few times out and have yet to get a bite on it. I just don't understand!

Ha. Man....I don't know what to tell ya.

Let's start anyways though

Early to me is 3:30-4:00am. Monday was obviously later since it was a lightning show for hours. Lol.

I use a Biffle bug in green pumpkin on a 3/0 flipping hook and a small (size) 3/8 tungsten weight. Pegged. I flip and drag the bait VERY slowly at stumps, sticks, bushes, beach washouts, etc that are as shallow as 4" of water. Literally no stump along the bank goes un tested. Lol. I can always catch a few in Loyd park area. Especially at the end of the cove where the super shallow water is right along a 10ft drop off. I use green pumpkin colors.

When I say shallow......I mean S H A L L O W. Inches of water....not feet. Trust me. It sounds retarded. It isn't. The fish are there before the sun, air temps, and water temps are up. May not be the biggest fish, but I can say I have lost two VERY LARGE bass lately in inches deep water. One was a 10+ pound bass.

After the sun comes up a tiny bit....the bass will move out to a little deeper water. Only to move right back up to the shaded water by 11:00 or 11:30am.

I am there most every weekend. I have an old POS Nitro...white with black and a little red on it. My truck is a 2016 Black Tundra 4x4 the trailer is a small single axle with red bunk boards. I am usually parked in the first parking spot. If it's there....find me. I will be glad show you what I am doing.

Saturday and Monday both were very good days. Caught between 20-25 each day. Before 1pm. Most were on the Biffle bug. Second most were on the spinner, then drop shot and c rig. I like to throw jigs too....but, when I'm flipping this shallow, I use Biffle bugs. They get hung up way less. If it's deep enough, I will use a jig. Both work. Just when I hang up a jig in 1 ft of water, it's a pain in the [censored] getting out of the boat and walking up to the bait to un hang it. Lol.

I've been fishing it at night a little recently. Been doing a lot of driving of the lake at night and can find them feeding just about everywhere throughout the night but it slows down once the sun comes up. They've been anywhere from 1' to 10'. They haven't been wanting plastics from me but they like a spinnerbait with a swim bait put on the back. They have been trying to hit topwater at night too but mainly keep hitting it and missing.

I'm in a 17.5' Champion with dual consoles and a mercury on the back. Swing by if you see me. Will be doing a lot of Thur-Sat nights and early mornings for a while.

Went out this morning from 3AM til 8:30AM. The lake was on fire. It was very windy and hard to even find a spot to fish out of most of the wind. Ended up finding them shallow and the were trying to swallow a 2.5 square bill. Had 5 until around 7:30 and was heading in. Stopped for one more cast and picked up 12 more in a 30' stretch. Not much size, biggest was about 3lbs but fun. Had a few get off at the boat that may have been in the 4-5lb range. It was an excellent way to end a trip. I found some bunched up deep on my ff but unfortunately, the wind was just too much for me to try and sit off shore and fish for them.

I use to go night fishing out there and throw a med depth crank with the boat in 12 ft and dig bottom on points.that and the dam.you could get on a stack of them around 2-3 am if you could stay awake

I finally got the Biffle bug to work. We got in the trees across from the Loyd swim beach at first light, I caught 6. The largest was just under 4 lbs, the smallest was probably a little under 1 lb. Funny thing, my wife was fishing with me using the same bait, she didn't even get a bite. I told her it was redemption from last week when she out-fished me. Ha!

Its been a couple of weeks since ive been out there but i was catching the bigger fish off of main lake points with brush in about 15-25ft of water early then going to humps in the same depth with shad loaded on them later in the day. Caught a 6lber and 8lber early then caught several in the 2.5 to 3.5 range off the humps. Dont know if its still happening but going out to try tomorrow. Good luck. Been catching mine on 6xds and big worm on shakey head.