I saw a huge bald eagle near Perot's place last week.

Great report Carey, you seem to have transitioned to the big lake without any issues. Glad you are up there tearing 'em up

Lavon is looking bad, I might just have to try to get up to Texoma if I get a chance before I start deer season.

Great report! See ya on Texoma!

Still wacking them. After the cold front fishing slowed a bit. Today it picked up. I was experimenting with tandem rig with two Coho's from: https://moestackleshop.com/product/cocamoe-paddle-tail-swimbait/ -We absolutely hammered them this morning using that rig. Yesterday I was experimenting with it and using 20 pound shock leader. I quickly found out that when you hook "two" 10 pound fish, they rip each other off. Or at least one will rip off. Today I used 40 pound shock leader, tandem rigged, and had no issues whatsoever. I think the tandem rig really kicked in their predatory instinct and made them bite. You'd feel the rod load up with one fish and then within five seconds, you have another one pick up the second jig. A couple times, one of the two fish, that ate the tandem rig, would pull off, only to have another striper hammer the Coho. Caught doubles throughout the day. Fished in all sorts of depths and under water structure. 10-25 ft



I never ever join in on a boat show. The lake is just too big to join 30 boats and deal with all the chaos. But , today I decided to experience it first hand on Texoma. 30 boats were piled up in one spot. I watch the birds for a minute before I joined in. They were traveling south so I swung around and got ahead of the birds and they came to the boat. Turned on the trolling motor and stayed ahead of the fish. I knew within 15 minutes all the bird activity would halt and the fish would go lay up in a little hole near to where they were busting and they did! I kicked the trolling motor on and started drifting through that hole 1000 yards away from the boat show. I would pull myself up ahead of the hole, drift again, pull myself up, drift again. People started seeing we were catching fish and anchored in my drifting zone that I had been drifting for 30 mins. My drift was only about 40 yards long. I literally had two boats anchor 20 yards behind my boat right in my drifting lane and had to kick the trolling motor on to avoid drifting into their boat. They anchored right in the middle of the hole where the fish were biting. Needless to say, the fish vanished immediately.

I will tell you this: I will never do that again. The lake is just too big to have to join a boat show. Any direction you go there are fish. But, I chose to get near a boat show knowing I would have issues with peeps. So, I took off from the boat show that formed around me and went and found my own fish. Every spot we went to we would catch some good quality boxfish and a couple of really big fish. I had everybody in the boat casting tandem rigs at the fish. Never lost a jig and never had a break off, at least today.

And remember guys and gals, we are very kid friendly. The kid in the picture below is only four years old. Of course he can't cast distance, so I would cast out and he would reel the lures back and set the hook when he got a bite. Bringing your kid along also, increases your fish count, 10 more fish. More meat and quality time with your kiddos.

That is an awesome read Carey, unfortunately potlickers are in every lake. It is all in how you deal with them, sounds like you made the right choice.

What can i say? You reel in stripers as you fish for sandbass.

Fog banks early morning.

Yes, and unfortunately those potlickers are often guides that use cell phones instead of lake knowledge to find the fish.

Dang! Those aren't sandies? Best wish to you, tfly.

Looking good man. Your PM box is full.

Awesome report .. thanks for the details .. can't get up there for awhile, so at least I can read about it

PM box emptied.

I was wondering how a live bait guy was going to go to work for striper express! Guess you are equally versed in artificials too! That's awesome man! Good luck to you Carey.

I would only use live minnows on crappie when they won't hit a jig.

I would only use live minnows on white bass up in the creeks when they won't hit a jig.

90% of the time I use artificial's. After cold fronts or high air pressure I'm usually using bait. That's primarily only in the creeks.

I don't need bait to catch a Striper.

So yeah.......