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Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13476934 03/18/20 04:33 PM
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RedQueen Offline
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Of course I've been using my ultralight! What other way is there? grin Nothing beats landing a big female on it. You'll rarely find me fishing with anything other than UL - I even use them to fish for smacks and specks out at Galveston. My rule is always to go as light as I can for the lures I wanna throw.

Thanks for the tips! I've been jigging with white 1/32nd oz crappie jig heads with 2 - 2.5 in grubs, haven't tried marabou jigs yet though. I probably just need to get more accurate/patient with them. Seems like half my time spent jig fishing the past two days was dealing with weeds and hangups.

Fishing the Yegua is NOTHING like where I usually fish the spawn, over on the Pedernales. Almost everything is eminently wadeable with very little tree cover, so I really never lose lures, and the riffle-run-pool pattern makes finding fish predictable. It's more challenging here, to say the least. But on the other hand, the fish (males at least) are bigger. I can definitely see how flies would be more effective in these conditions but I'm afraid I don't yet have the skill level to cast in such tight quarters.

Where would you suggest fishing the shad spawn on the main lake, and what are your suggestions on lures?

edit: just read @Yakker newbie's post, like him I've noticed most success coming out of the shallow running water areas too. How do y'all fish your jigs there? Is there a strategy to avoiding weeds? Cast with or against the current?

Last edited by RedQueen; 03/18/20 04:46 PM.
Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13476990 03/18/20 05:10 PM
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The shad spawn just about everywhere. Rocky Creek Park, Yegua creek park, Welsh Park, Big Creek Marina, in front of the dam, etc. When they are biting during the shad spawn you can probably catch them on any type of spinner bait, rooster tail, rattle traps, grubs, etc.

I always try to set myself up to drift downstream. I can let it swing across or into structure such as fell trees. I cast across or downstream depending on where i want the fly to end up.

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13477312 03/18/20 09:27 PM
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slopez Online Content
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J-Moe is right on the money about the shad spawn. Man it is a lot of fun. A little friendly advice learned from experience, be sure to have a second rod rigged up and ready to go. A lot of things can go wrong during the "frenzy" that would normally not be a big deal. With the action that hot and heavy, steady hands can be hard to attain. I akin it to "buck fever" (at least the first few times). Once they move off shore, I like to chase them on my kayak. Doesn't take long to fill up a stringer. Just be sure not to bag any undersized hybrids.

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: RedQueen] #13479472 03/20/20 03:15 AM
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Originally Posted by RedQueen
First time poster, long time lurker. Went out to Newman's bottom for the first time yesterday afternoon and then again this morning for a couple hours. Just 12 WB total (and $10+ in lost lures!), only 3 females, egg sacs still full. Fished upstream both times, throwing mainly a 1/8th oz jerkbait, 1/16th oz white spinnerbait (until it got hung up), and a 1/24th oz orange crankbait. Yesterday saw a couple stringers with 5+ fish. Today saw some guy with his grandson just slaying them on what looked like spoons, they had at least 20 fish between the two of them. Other than that, didn't see more than 2-3 per stringer and nothing of size.

Is this just a temporary dampening or is it all downhill from here on out? Also, are there fish to be had at Irwin Bridge? Is there more open water there? On another note, I've been trying to get them on the white/chartreuse grubs that everyone seems to be using, but haven't had much success at all with them (besides a few ambitious bluegill). On top of that, it slows me down having to strip weeds off the grub every other cast. What am I doing wrong? Should I be bouncing it along the bottom or swimming it over the weed beds?


Just my 2 cents: I am assuming that one of your questions is about fishing the classic curly tail grub and jig head. If so I recently published an article in Fur Fish & Game magazine on catching white bass by this specific method. If you are interested I can send you a copy - just let me know by IM. Without going into too much detail it is crucial in my experience to match the correct grub size with jig head weight. A 2 inch grub from different manufacturers will not all swim the same way if used on the same size/weight jig head. On the Yegua I have had success with multiple species (including white bass) using a bulky 2 inch grub with 1/16 oz jig head. The best presentation seems to be keeping the grub close enough to the bottom but avoiding snags. It can be done with practice but you still will lose some jig heads. From reading the posts it seems that the sandies are a little tougher to catch this year than in the past so going more finesse style would probably be best. I use monofilament line but fluorocarbon makes more sense in these conditions. A grub cast downstream and reeled upstream will catch fish even in shallow runs, although in the moving water I prefer something with a little more flash. Good luck!


It was a different world when we were boys and girls....
Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13479558 03/20/20 06:05 AM
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Fished this afternoon up yegua. Didn't see any bank fishers out below NB. No crappie bites at all today. Ended up with 9, a mix of fat cats and whites all on live minnows. Water temps 75 near NB.


If I fished for money.........I'd be broke.

In a world of compromise.....Some don't.
Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13481088 03/21/20 03:14 AM
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NOTE: They have closed the pay station at Newman Bottom. You have to go online to https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/

I went out to Newman Bottom and fished from 4 to 6:30 this evening. There was lots of spawning going on and the bite is still steady. I caught 25 white bass. I also got broke off by three hybrids bang

The water level is holding but has gotten more dirty. The fishing should still be good this weekend and with the additional water it may continue to stay steady for another week or so. Let's hope.

Good luck

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13481165 03/21/20 04:37 AM
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[quote=J-Moe]NOTE: They have closed the pay station at Newman Bottom. You have to go online to https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/

Thanks for the notice, We just had our first white bass fish fry tonight and now my sisters want to try catching some. We will give it a go on Sunday morning. Hope to see some good reports for this weekend, good luck.


Always leave nature cleaner than you found it.
Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13481492 03/21/20 02:49 PM
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J Moe, how can you do it with a state pass? I could not do it, no option for the pass, only credit or gift card available.

Originally Posted by J-Moe
NOTE: They have closed the pay station at Newman Bottom. You have to go online to https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13481624 03/21/20 04:25 PM
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Well, I should have been more patient when I said the rise in water didn't help. It definitely has. The fishing was excellent this morning. It is flowing and off color which makes them much easier to catch with spinning gear. Just about everybody had 10 or 12 on their stringer.

Cedar creek is also flowing. I tried it around the bridge this morning but had no luck. I'll be patient this time and see if the fish show up.

Surprisingly, there was not additional flow in Nails.

This is the weekend to get those limits. Good luck

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: 24x7Fisherman] #13482435 03/22/20 05:04 AM
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I called the birch creek unit today, they told me I can still use the envelope, just slide it under the door at the head quarter office

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13482468 03/22/20 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by J-Moe
NOTE: They have closed the pay station at Newman Bottom. You have to go online to https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/

I went out to Newman Bottom and fished from 4 to 6:30 this evening. There was lots of spawning going on and the bite is still steady. I caught 25 white bass. I also got broke off by three hybrids bang

The water level is holding but has gotten more dirty. The fishing should still be good this weekend and with the additional water it may continue to stay steady for another week or so. Let's hope.

Good luck


you just select Nails Creek State park I assume and get a pass, correct?

Last edited by Trav281; 03/22/20 09:01 AM.
Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13482477 03/22/20 10:36 AM
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Yes Travis. Although I'm not sure the staff is even checking.

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13482506 03/22/20 11:50 AM
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There’s flow in Nails!!!

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13482632 03/22/20 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by J-Moe
There’s flow in Nails!!!


I'm about to head towards Somerville from Houston. Does this flow mean there's other places to fish besides NB?

Re: Lake Somerville [Re: J-Moe] #13482978 03/22/20 07:31 PM
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Called Nails Creek State Park about Pay Station at Newmans Bottom & Irwin Bridge. TWPD & State Park requesting everyone use "Honor" system to pay online. TWPD & State Park employees/volunteers want to avoid "Coronavirus Contamination" so will not touch envelopes & cash placed in Pay Stations at NB & IB. TWPD & State Park will not issue citation for not displaying day use permit.

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