Can�t get on my preferred lake, Bardwell, so I�ve been to Joe Pool the last two days. The sandies were on fire both days. Over 100 fish in 5 hours each day. I didn�t get on the water until about 10:30 or so. Yesterday the biggest was 14.5�, today�s biggest was 13.5�. About 65-70 % were at or over 12�. I was quite surprised as I haven�t fished JP in about 3 years and I don�t remember ever catching any sandies that big. Used a white, tail spinner, from Wet Rooster Jigs, and a chrome slab. Bait had to be moving horizontally as they wouldn�t bite slabbing vertically. Y�all get out there and get ya some! Easy pickings right now.

Rod,

Thanks for the report on JP. What area would you suggest I start looking in, and depth. Are all the ramps open on JP now? Still new to this game. Had been trying to fish Bardwell earlier in the year, and then locked out like you.

thanks
Ken

I was fishing a hump 20� of water that dropped off to about 35. Spot lock on one side and cast across it to deeper water. Let it sink to the bottom then crank in 4-5 turns and let it sink to the bottom again. Fan cast around the drop off till you get a bite. There should be, a bunch more right there. It�s a pretty reliable pattern this time of year on any North Texas lake. Find a hump and you most likely will find fish. If you can get there at daybreak you can probably get some top water action. Pretty much the same areas and check the points. They will run the shad up the edge of a hump or point early morning and late afternoon. You will know it when you see it, looks like the water is boiling.
A warning about Bardwell, there are hybrid bass stocked in there and the minimum length is 18� with a limit of 5 per day. They look an awful lot like sand bass. Check the first couple of posts in this section for fish ID to tell them apart. It�s a pretty big fine to possess an under size hybrid.
I launched at the state park. Both those ramps are open. I saw some boats launching across the lake, so I would guess they are all open.
Good Luck

Is fishing a bona fide therapy for a wrist?

Yes, it actually is. I had thumb implant surgery May 22nd. It was much improved over the last 2 days. That is a great added bonus. I was really worried about that!