When you talk about Pelican Island, which side is more likely to hold fish? I was out there last Sunday just after daylight and I saw a bunch of boats hanging out due West of the island in the middle of the lake. They were all just lined up. It was funny looking. I went over there later in the day and didn't see anything special on my graph...did I miss something on the graph?

I fished the area between the island and the nearest shore with a slab and caught a little catfish. That was a surprise.

I also saw some people fishing on the north side of the island on the 287 bridge side of the island.

So where do most people catch fish near Pelican Island?


Thanks,
OMP

There are humps that come up from the 45/50 foot depths to about 25 feet. The fish will congregate around these in the summer.

Not much action at all on Pelican Isle for the past month. Check out the Flats early for some small schoolies.

The folks lined up were probably like you and had heard the Island was the place to go. Boats attract boats and usually the Flats and the Island are the known locations. Everyone watching each other, but no one catching.

Fish are on the move, chasing bait. Best bet is up the Creek Arms on Points and Shorelines in 10'-25' water. Slabs is the bait of choice. It's a bit tough now unless you fish everyday and narrow the 45,000 acres down.

Check out the reports and pics on the site at www.gonefishin.biz

Good Luck!

Saturday and Sunday were not as good as earlier days that week. Myself and Allen Morehouse split a large group and fished 3 trips over Saturday and Sunday.

There were lots of small whites schooling on the surface for a few seconds and then diving and showing up a few hundred yards away. It is almost impossible to have any serious topwater fun if they aren't staying on the surface for at least a few minutes.

I recommend buying a paper lake map and studying the layout of the lake on paper. It is easier to see the slopes and humps. Whites and hybrids stay on the move a lot, so they might be there a little while and then gone. You can also write on the map specific information that you discover during your fishing adventures.

It is just as important to spend time learning the lake as it is fishing the lake. If you would like to book a "learn the lake" fishing trip, contact me.

Today (7/1) hordes of schooling fish (really not what you would consider Pelican Island), but on the north side (going back towards the 287 bridge from Pelican Island) about 11:am � under those smalls was better fish about 15 feet down (seen on your depth finder).

It really changes everyday � just keep a keen eye open (just like a starving bird - like your life depends on it - just as it does for the birds) � watching every fish jump or shad coming out of the water � and watching especially the birds (and I�m not talking about just birds flying over water and looking and hitting the water � I�m talking about Blue Herons or Giant Snowy Egrets just sitting on the bank or on the water sitting on a stickup on the water � look at those as well - they make a living at this).

The key to fishing is keep moving and looking until you find what you�re looking for (either fish jumping, Birds showing you something or on your depth finders) � move until you find em.

Keep what you need and release the rest,

Thanks everybody. I may try it again this Thursday, if the weather cooperates.

gonna sound silly but what is a slab? Not much but a catfisherman, any help would be appreciated.

its a lure.. a big chunk of lead... look here...

TNT slabs

Slabs are a very generic name for jigs. Jigs vary in size from 1/4 and 3/8 ounce jigs such as the Kastmaster by Acmetackle.com.

Some jigs are much larger such as the TNT and RSR style jigs. These can be either 1, 1.5, 2 or as much as 2.5 ounces and in a variety of shapes. Popular shapes are the shad or coffin shaped jig.

They most often have a trebble hook attached at the base.

The fish sometimes prefer a small jig and other times a bigger one. Kinda of a "match the hatch" situation.

Hope that helps.