Lake Level is at 238.59 and releasing 357 cfs.

The video dude and I are thinking about kayaking up from 36 this evening. I don't expect many, if any, new fish have gone through the gates so it will just be a matter of how many fish survived the last year since the last time the gates were open.

I'm not expecting much. Especially since I'm fishing with the video dude. I thought the fish were just camera shy but finally realized it's just him. Might be since I've cursed him so many times. Heck, the fish stopped biting even when I just received a text from him the other day

One very awesome thread! Love seeing the sharing information from other anglers.

Thanks Chuck, We've been lucky that we've had masters of the white bass run and Lake Somerville share their knowledge. People like Fishytx and Hook-Line&Sinker have done so freely and taught us a ton. There's a small group of us that have had so much more success and enjoyment because of it.

Now we need to drag you up here to dissect the sunfish population. Then we would really be blessed

I decided to hit the home lake few hours this evening. With a 6mph NE wind those fish were HANGRY!

First stop produced 40+ whites to 14”. Using Ducktracker Slabs - Didn’t matter if you were vertical jigging, burning it, swimming it back - it was going to get BIT!
12FOW

Had some cool cats asking if they could anchor lock near me to get in on the action - was non stop till 7:30pm for all of us. 🤙🏻

Won’t be back on lake until mid June. I left them all in the lake for you all. GET SOME!

Water temp at Welch: 80°
Midlake: 78°

Shad are EVERYWHERE on the surface.

I paddled up to the spillway from Hwy 36 yesterday evening. I fished from 5:30 to 6:30 and caught a 20" hybrid, a 12" crappie and 3 gar. About what I expected.

I went out to the lake this morning and fished from 6:15 AM to 7:15 AM. As I walked up to the water there were shad spawning and white bass feeding on them. I caught 3 in the first 10 minutes and that was it. There were people fishing in boats and wade fishing but I didn't see anyone catch anything. I assume it was just slow in the area of the lake I was fishing. Hopefully the shad spawn will gain steam now.

J Moe, thanks for sharing. The fishing is much slower than I expected. I remember a few years ago when they shut down the place I paddle up from Hwy 36, that was my best white bass fishing ever. I caught a big white bass for every cast, total more than 70 white bass. That was fun

Got the fly rod out today and Fished the north bank of the lake near big creek marina this morning. I didn’t connect with any WB and saw very little schooling activity though there are plenty of shad. I did get into a nice catfish that put up a 10 min fight on my 5-wt. But that was about it for me at that spot. Several guys in boats I think caught a few WB beyond wade able areas.

Thanks for the information. It's been a weird shad spawn. I had a good day (april 9th), a great day (april 16th), an ok day (april 23rd), then it's gone flat for me. Working too much, wind, rain, lake rise, cold, hot... it's just been weird, thats all i can say. And now the spawn should be wrapping up...

David

Went fishing yesterday morning. Work areas around Welch park, a very few WB were in shallow feeding early. They were gone by 7:15 or so. No more white bass after that. Caught one channel cat after 7:15. That’s all. Total caught 8wb between myself and my friend that came with me. Shad spawn appears to be all but over.

Hey fishingAG sorry man I never saw your post from a while back, I haven't had a chance to get out in a while due to work and what not. Last time I went to big creek I got a 5lb hybrid, about 8 whites and a 4lb cat. But that was about a month ago unfortunately. From the sounds of it, the shad spawn seems to be dying . I'll probably head out there during the week next week just because I like being out there and see what I can get from wading.

Hope all of you guys have been well.

Shad spawn is far from over. Another guide on Sville posted up pics of shad dropping eggs on his outboard earlier in the week.

good to know thanks man! Unfortunately it looks like it's supposed to rain the entire week lol

Forecast calls for up to 10 inches of rain over the next few days.. Looks like another washout for the Memorial Day weekend at Lake Somerville..

Ben, quick question... sometimes I like to watch some of your old videos during lunch, always entertaining. Today I was watching the video of you in the airboat during the drought, followed up with the video in the airboat during the 2015 flood. Who knew we would get back to back to back floods. Anyways, in the floor video, you are on the boat driving around what would be pecan lake peninsula... and you talk about the big tree.

Two questions: 1. Did the flood kill the big tree or did it survive?

2. The corps of engineers seems to have permanently closed access to pecan lake. When was the last time you went out there? Looks like a doable walk, but the brush can be brutal unless the road is still good.

Thanks!

David

Oh - and Hoggwild: shad spawn might not be “over” but it ain’t what it has been in years past for bank fisherman, anyone telling you differently is trying to sell you something (mostly likely a guided trip). Shad are not beating the banks in millions... they might be beating the banks in the thousands, maybe. And they are done by first light. At least at all the normal places I fish. Maybe others have a different experience, but not the bank fisherman I talk to.