The last few trips on my local lake Lavon have been outstanding. Of course going out with Catfish Tim makes a huge difference as he knows the lake like the back of his hand, but Ive also had success on my lonesome last couple of times I have been out.

Well today was going to be unseasonably warm, almost 70F and no strong winds, so game on!

My expectations were high and I launched a bit later (Valentines Day), but was looking forward to some Blue Cat'n action in my small boat. A light southerly breeze, and I am drifting along at 0.5 mph without the trolling motor and wind sock. Perfect.

I was planning a south-north drift from the dam, following the deep part of the lake in 35-40 feet of water. It was stacked with fish last couple of trips, and snagged some nice toads in the boat, but no fish spotted today and zero bites.



Nothing, nada.



Worse, the wind died down to nothing so had to deploy the electric trolling motor. To add insult to injury, one of my two long lines got snagged up, and in an effort to free it I got into the worlds worst tangle. Urgh!

OK, Plan B, let's head to the shallow creek beds.



Nothing! No fish at all, in fact it looks like a baron wasteland.



"Someone has abducted all the Catfish in lake Lavon"

It was still a good day.

I got my planer boards working, I threw my taped cast net successfully (no fish, no matter), and it was a beautiful day!



On the way back to the boat ramp I checked the lake in the shallow water between the point and the Marina in 20 feet of water.



FISH!!!



I'm tired, and I'm cooked, so heading back.

Skunked.

Back down to planet earth.

I am 100% sure it wont be my last...

Cat'n R hard!

I completely forgot to mention, the wind got up and turned around, so had to load my boat in 20mph winds and white caps blowing into the boat ramp.

A pucker moment!

I will make a suggestion for next go round Bob. Fish are at the beginning of the spring transition. This means that there are 2 major patterns to fish and some fish will be in mid depth and some fish will be super shallow. The fish that are mid depth will be in staging areas in the the top 1/3 rd of the lake that are close to both deep and shallow water. They are waiting for big rains to make a spring run up into the creeks and creek mouths. The sandbass are staging to make their spawning run and are waiting for big rains to do so. If you can find these staging areas there will be lots of big fish with the sandies. The second pattern is the shallow bite. Threadfin will move into super skinny water that has warmed up and the catfish will follow them up into that water. This happens in the backwater first way up in the skinny water. The areas you are checking are shallow but they are much too close to deep water which keeps them from warming up like super skinny water. I’m no guru by any means but these are the 2 patterns that I look for starting now.

Thanks so much Chris, and great advice.

It's amazing to me after spotting so many good sized cats just two weeks ago, and now those very same areas are wastelands.

Those fish cover some ground!

On reflection I should have spent more time and effort looking for fish. No point fishing with no fish showing.

Onwards and upwards.

I will add, when there is a warming trend like sunshine for at least a day or so there will be a lot of fish move to shallow flats, I’m talking 1-5feet and most likely 2 feet on average. Gato is right, north ends of lake by feeder creeks in the large mud flats is where I would look. For you on Lavon, it’s Highland park ramp and Twin groves ramps on the north arms.

This and what Gato said


Also try to find a good tree line in those shallows if possible to setup on and cast into (don't be afraid to throw right up next to heavy cover)
If it looks like a good place for flipping jigs for bass fishing with stumps, bushes or lots of cover....it's probably a good spot for blues as well.

Thanks guys.

Learning every trip.

Such a beautiful day yesterday, and pretty much had the lake to myself. Skunked, but a good day on the lake regardless.

BCB, when you are talking about skinny water on Lavon, you need to be thinking north of the 380 bridge on the east side and north of highland park on the west side. And watch out because north of highland park, you can walk across the lake from stump to stump without getting wet. When the lake is at full pool you can get way up there, right now 4 foot low, I'm not sure how far you can go. With rain coming this week and again next, I'm hoping we get enough to fill her up a bit...

Thanks Tim, more great advice my friend.

I was hoping/planning to get out tomorrow, but the forecast 30mph wind/gusts has put paid to that, Then we have some snow/sleet/freezing rain to content with.

Much as the fishing has overall been great, looking forward to some warmer temps and wearing a t shirt and shorts in the boat.