Fayette (7/11)

We had a pretty good afternoon yesterday at Fayette. We boated 30-35 (not even going to mention how many more jumped off as we are still trying to move past that part of the experience). All caught 18-20'. We saw lots of fish on the graphs, but not all seemed to be eager to eat. The fish were extremely healthy looking as they should be because the shad light up my screen no matter what part of the lake I go to.

My trips at Fayette this year I have noticed something that seems very unusual - many of the fish I've been catching have very small mouths for their body size. They are healthy, but their mouths are very small in relation to their body size and weight. Is the heat getting to me or has anybody else noticed this recently or in the past?

Thanks for the report. The fish area definitely healthy. Clark Wendlandt did a trip there and posted it on youtube where he marked fish like you; but couldn't catch any unless he was cranking a deep crank bait really fast. I will try that next time I'm there; different speeds and bait to entice the marked fish to bite.

Might just be a sign of a healthy bait fish population.

You talking about the small mouths? Like just getting to certain sizes before normal age because they are eating so good?

We caught several yesterday that were 16-17" and in that 2-2.5lb range that I would equate there mouth size while lipping and releasing to a 10" bass. Next time I go, I'll try and a take a picture or 2 just for show and tell. Hey and I joined the 50 club recently so I'm not ruling out I'm seeing things and that's why I mentined it. Hoping for some corroboration. Water temp was 98+ LOL

I'm, at the 97 club, not real sure I'll ever see that again, it was unreal. And that was fishing solo about ten years a go. They were hitting it on the drop like crazy and it made no difference in bait size or color.

You did good for this time of year. There was like a wall of something in the water from surface to ten feet deep. Not real sure what it is but it wasn't bait. I switched over to down scan and that would show every dot as bait if it had been bait fish.

I think he was referring to age

For sure. Lol

I’m not in THAT other 50 club y’all talk about. And if I caught 97, I’m not leaving until I get to a 100 even if I have to start night fishing.

Any early morning top water bite, or all offshore?

I fished Fayette Tuesday, but mostly for bluegill & red ear. I did, however, catch 5 bass in the 2-3 lb range. You can see a photo on the bluegill section of the forum. I went & checked it out and I guess the mouth does look kind of small...see what u think ? I also noticed a lot of dead shad floating in Johnnys cove...they were so shiny at 1st I thought I was shad lure...then I noticed them everywhere...do they die when the water temp gets over 95 ? Also our best day was 98 on 5/18/12...would have tried for 100, but the nephew fell in & was miserable...so we left at dark.

I’ve seen several dead finger sized shad. I just assumed it was cast netters or left overs from a feeding frenzy. I fished a morning about 1.5 weeks back and top water was like fishing in school of piranhas until 7:30, then it was like the Dead Sea.

Just looked at your bass pic vogey. It looks smaller than normal but hard to tell. Very noticeable when you hold by lower lip.

Yes, my guess is they are just feeding real good right now and getting fat. I think someone need to take me to Fayette to do some research. Waiting on my boat to arrive.

Oh my gosh, I totally read that wrong. My brain was in fish gear mode, my bad.

I can relate to his post though, I am in the 61 club myself. I have worked hard most of my life in construction by choice because inside jobs really got me down, I'm an outside person through and through. But with this choice I made it has cost me major issues with body joints. I have worn them out and fishing has become more difficult to enjoy in my later years, but I still do it as much as my body allows me to. I have gone from twice a week fishing to maybe twice a month fishing. But twice a month does get my fishing addiction taken care of, so I'm good with that.

I saw what appears to me to be an algae bloom trying to develop on my last trip. I switched charts on my sonar to down scan and those huge blobs were not bait fish balls at all. I also saw a straight line at the bottom of a lot of this chatter on the sonar that ran from surface to ten feet down. Even the water color was off. It wasn't solid like this everywhere I went, but the other areas were pretty close to being solid, or there were long lines of it floating around and even under the surface. This same thing happened last year after we received some rain and the run off went into the hot lake. Fayette is a forever changing lake. The things I have seen in the past fifteen years is crazy. But I still think it is a great fishery. Those guys throwing their cast nets all around the shoreline are messing up the vegetation in this lake, they pull it out of the ground by the roots. Now the bigger bass can not hide in cover and ambush pray like most big bass do. Oh well, nothing we can do about it, myself and several others have spoken to everyone we thought could do something about it and so far not much has changed.

BMCD, I’ve got a spot for you anytime. I’ll even let you pick the day and time if you let me take notes. Lol. Be an honor to fish with Fayette whisperer.

Oh man, that is pressure..... May not want to take that invite for fear of disappointment. Did not know I actually had status on that lake. I can do this Sunday or the following weekend most likely.

Sounds like the thermocline is setting in finally.

It could have been thermocline pockets. Last year there was an algae bloom and the water had a foul smell. But I know a guide who lives one mile from the boat ramp, fishes the lake all the time and he doesn't think it's algae, so it probably is not. In fact, he has been on some decent fish out in deeper water. He hasn't been on good numbers, but he is catching some good quality fish. Like five to eight pound fish... The jig has been his go to bait. Pete Dodge guide service. He also has a shop where he sales tackle and he makes custom rods, cleans reels and so forth. Good guy, I highly recommend him.... I have his number but to lazy to get it so I can post on here. But he has a face book page, just type in his name and it will pop up.

last weekend was tough fishing there. the thermocline was at 15ft on the sonar. marked tons of fish that wouldnt move to take my offerings.
tim

U need to get barbarian to take you out there he put us on some fish last weekend. Almost 40 fish on Saturday.

Lol. We did catch a lot of solid fish, but I’m glad you came since you caught the most. Actually BMCD, it was nice to meet you and I had a good time fishing with you.

Had a good time. My boat just came in, will have to return the favor.