Good evening everyone,
I have posted a few times here on TFF in the past but I never really introduced myself. Some of you may already know me, but most probably won't. Some of the "old sticks" may have met me or seen me at a few tournaments from the mid 70's to the early 90's with my father, his name is Johnny George from Rayburn
. I have to admit he still puts it on me when we do get to fish together
. I am a die hard bass fisherman, so much so that my dad was taking me fishing before I was born, mom was pregnant with me and still helping my dad pull the boat over the rollers at Lacassine Bayou in Lousianna in 1970, and to top it all off my birth was induced so my dad could fish a tourney that coming weekend, if that is not a hardcore bass fisherman that I don't know what is. I have fished a few tournaments but it is just not for me, I have an extreme case of ADHD and have had it all my life, I just learned to use it to my advantage in my business. I have one of the coolest doctors, he prescribed fishing once a week for me, now if I can just my medical insurance to pick up that tab I would be set. On a side note my hats off to all fathers that take their kids fishing, especially if they have ADHD, its not that easy.
I currently fish Conroe as much as time allows, sometimes 4 to 6 times a month. I do have my guide license but I just keep it active so my friends and business associates can pay me to go fishing for a day
. I am not a pro, a guru, or anything like that, I just enjoy my bass fishing.
Ok, onto Conroe! I don't know of many that would complain more than I about what TPWD has allowed the LCA to do to the lake, I fished it during its hydrilla haydays when you could drag just about anything across or along the edge of the hydrilla and load the boat. Conroe holds a special place in my heart, my personal best, up until 3 years ago was a 6.5 caught on a Chart. Heddon Moss Boss, the one with the paddle wheel and white skirt
. Since I returned to Texas a few years back I started fishing the lake again heavily and have caught a 9, an 8, and several 7's. The bass are still there, but unless things change I fear the worse like many others. I always have lake Livingston around the corner if it gets too bad.
I am a bank beater, a back water boy, or whatever you want to call it. I very rarely fish over 8ft deep unless everything else has completely failed. I do have my brush piles I have placed in a few areas, but I honestly rarely visit them, mostly for table fare. Since I have a light 18'6 Triton I can get into a few areas that the bigger boats can't, especially when the lake is down, and most of the time can be found in the farthest reaches of Peach Creek, the jungles, Lewis, Little lake, etc... If you see a white 18explorer in the back it will normally be me, I haven't seen another 18explorer in 3 years on the lake. Feel free to say hi and introduce yourself if you are out there. My wife says I own a 4 wheel drive boat, if I aint churning mud at some point then I aint fishin', its hard to get her to go with me when I will crawl my boat over every stump to get to where I want to fish
. During the height of the spawn I will have my YAK on the back if I am by myself.
Now to my small Conroe report:
Sunday 1/24, lake at exactly full pool, water temps 54 to 58, depth was 2ft to 3ft, off colored water, lure was a lipless crank and custom spinnerbait slow rolled bumping the bottom. My fishing partner got all of his on a lipless with most of the paint banged off, LOL. Just a side note, you can't find a better fishing partner than a BPS mechanic :), I also can't look back at him and not think "Kenny Rogers". We launched at 10am and fished until 3pm boating 9 keepers and 4 dinks, biggest was around 6# which is pictured below, please excuse the blood, a treble nicked her gill and I did not see the blood until after the photo was taken, she did go back cleaned up and healthy to do her spring business and to fight another day.
Sunday 1/31, right after another big cold front and rain storm, lake was up 6" over pool, water temp in the same exact area was 48 to 51, depth same as above, and muddy. We only picked up 5 in 3 hours, biggest was about 3 pounds, all on lipless.
The water was down by almost 2ft last year for most of the spawn, hopefully it will stay at a decent level this year.
I guess I have rambled on enough and if you are coming to the lake feel free to send me a message, I will be happy to tell you what has been recently working for me, there is honestly not much to hide about the shallows on Conroe.
By the way, I can already hear my dad "BOY- You know I have a tournment there soon, what are you doing to me?" LOL, love ya dad! We all know the lake will change by March
Good bites and tight lines,
JD
