I haven't fished Sommerville in the fall....any tips/tactics? Typically trolled for whites in late spring after the run. Just looking to catch and release some white bass/hybrids on a lake close to home.

Sommerville is one of my favorite lakes to fish. Start your trip at home. Pull up the Navionics map for Sommerville for free on your computer. Locate the humps and drop offs that are all over the lake. Plug them into a map function on your depth finder. The whites will be on the flats and edges of these high spots. Run the lake from one spot to another until you see fish on your depth finder. Now for the fun part. The fish are attracted to splashers and thumpers. Use the depth finder to find fish and the splasher to bring fish to the boat. The fish will stack up under the boat and be actively feeding. I use Dennis Christians method of dropping a #4 Mepps Agila spinner to the bottom and reeling it up through the school of fish until I get a bite. I watch the depth finder to see how high up the fish go and drop it back down when I get above the school. Sommerville is a little to far to drive for me and Lake Belton is easy. Like you I am a catch and release fisherman. I modified my Mepps with barbless hooks. Yesterday I fished with a friend on Belton and caught 100 whites and 3 hybrids to 22 inches. When the bite slows, move to find new fish. The noise maker is the key to success. If you don't have a splasher, use an old rod or a stick to tap on the boat. Look up slashers and thumpers on Utube and see how they work. I have poor luck with slabs and a Hell-pet rig along the edges of the drops you found could put some fish in the boat. I wish you good luck.

it's SOMERVILLE guys!!!!!

Thanks Bill, I familiar with Mepps fishing! My old neighbor moved to Cedar Creek and fished alongside of Dennis C. and it works. I have not used a thumper and am intrigued by the noise maker and attracting the fish and making them EAT. I will investigate!!! Thank you so much for your response.

Spell check didn't catch it!

There is a taxidermy guy in Brenham that makes splasher props for Minn Kota trolling motors, Search the forum for splashers for more info.

Try this guy out for Splasher props.

Kayak fish the upper end of hte lake, Nails creek park, get a year permit, you come and go at your
will. Older woman there is hoot to talk too!
We fish the shallows, get awayf rom the main part of lake, at boat ramp go left back in the there about 1/2 mile or so,
if your arms are up to paddling, lake is down now about 1 or so, idiot jet skiers are gone for the summer, so
its peacefull back in the coves, if your quiet, feral pigs will come to the water and bathe, feed, and fight at times,
we use small spinners at times, or i used a large nymph bright white in color with #10 hook on 5wt fly rod, crappie
love that combo.... hard to find clear area at times, with all trees around and limbs hanging over the water....

thats my take form last month, great place to unwind get the hell away from people and cell phones!

Wish I could read the intel with reference to splasher prop . Any help is greatly appreciated .

Gborg, lookin the swap classified section on this forum for his info. He advertises there and all of his contact info is there.

Fall is the best time to go catch white bass and hybrids. They will start to stack up at all the points and humps. This is the time when they feed heavily fatten up getting ready before winter. It will be extremely good catching from now all the way up to Thanksgiving with the mild warm weather trend we been having. I've fish and study this lake for many many years. Trolling, slabbing, casting, live baits and the ONLY ONE METHOD I've concluded that works best is CASTING a three way swivel tied to an 18' deep diving crank bait, and a pet spoon. Basically you are casting a trolling rig. It is much much better than trolling where everyone with a rod casting this rig will get hookups on every single cast ( I promise). Here is my catch with a friend from last week. The white bass is on FIRE. You could not catch an under size white bass if you wanted too. They are all huge. Find them with side scan then anchor about 50 feet from the school. Cast toward the school. Hook ups on every cast. No thumping or splashing needed. Once you start catching all the surrounding fish starts to come and investigate. The school will just get bigger and bigger. To keep the school from leaving it is crucial to not stop casting and catching otherwise they will move and you will have to relocate the school again. Most of the fish are in 10 - 15' fow right now. Points and humps. Go during the weekday and you get the lake all to yourself. Very little boat traffic right now. I guess everyone gone hunting? Best time fish be schooling up is from noon till sun set. Just fyi this crank bait and pet spoon only work in shallow water. If you don't feel your crank bait digging into the bottom you're not going to get any bites. I usually remove all the hooks on the crank bait and add a small bell shape sinker to help the crank bait gets to the bottom. It is crucial that your crank bait is constantly making contact with the bottom as you are reeling. Hybrids will also hit on this rig so loosen your drag slightly or you will snap your line getting bit by a big hybrid. 20 lbs braid for main line, 20 lbs mono for crank bait, and 15 lbs premium mono for pet spoon. Pet spoon leader will be much much longer than crank bait. You can leave your outboard engine running. The noise from the engine also seems to attracts the fish. I never turn my engine off.
And last a suggestion a longer and light weight but yet strong flexible fishing pole good medium action is recommended. I found that this ugly stick fishing pole is the perfect pole for the job. Affordable, good action, and indestructible.

Cool Post Daica

Thanks, I shall .

A Friend - Bruce - showed me that same technique and its does work great. Great fisherman!
Only problem is its hard to reel in that big crank bait.
Its does catch as noted above.

Good to see your still out there BN