Taking the family camping at Inks Lake August 4th - 7th. I have fished Inks several times and have done well in the past.

Looking for information on Buchanan. Would like to make a trip or two, early in the morning to Buchanan, to try for some stripers. Any tips, locations or advice will be appriciated.

Thanks!

Cary

It has been slow as the water temps have been in the 83-86 degree range. Fish the windy points first then move out towards the dam.
In my experience, the action is over shortly after 8.
I have not caught a striper for several weeks, but my friend TerryT has been successful early.
A good fish finder really helps.
I can't wait for October to get here!
R

Thanks RAM!

Quackhead, My family has started visiting Inks lake every November (got flooded out last year) and I would like any info. on where to try that time of year. Any advice?

Flip,

Never fished Inks in the Fall, but if I did I would start looking for....

whites - there is a long shallow point that comes off the tent camping side, probably would start looking off that point and at other points heading up towards the Buchanan Dam area. Also try the cove past the fishing pier on the tent camping side. There is a rock hump on your left as you go down the cove that I would look around.

stripers - if they are letting water out of Buchanan I would be up there behind the dam fishing live bait, other wise trolling from the Hwy 29 bridge towards the buchanan dam and down by the Inks Lake dam or over the river channel trying to mark fish to drop live bait too or to slab to.

Bottom line.... the tactics that work for whites and stripers on other lakes will work on Inks. You just are going to have to do a little looking to find the fish.

Good Luck in November!

Cary

So, what kind of fish finder to you have QH? We bought a fishelite480...it's like getting a new pair of glasses. And I don't even wear glasses,though I do use magnifiers at night to be able to tie on a new lure.
Let me know if and when you go so we can look for you.
Regards,
R

RAM, I have a Eagle Fishmark 480 strapped to a 1989 18ft Cajun fish/ski (maroon over silver). I love the 480 it beat the heck out of the old Hummingbird I had before!!!!

We have reservations at Inks for Aug. 4th - 7th. I would guess I would htry Buchanan Friday and saturday mornings.

I hear that the ramp by the dam is closed. Where is a good place to launch close to Inks Lake?

Hope to see ya on the water!

Cary

From Inks I would go up to Thunderbird, although there is a $5.00 launch fee. Its close enough to Park Road 4 and there is bait fish in the coves around T-Bird.

Ram is right about fishing early...be fishing by 6:00. Try drifting into coves with shad and once you find them, stay on it. We start working coves where the wind is blowing into them for the best luck.

And luck is what it is...its not hard to get skunked.

If you can't find the stripers, you can always fish for trash fish.....



Council Creek lodge is another place you can launch for $5 or you can go past the dam and lauch at the free ramp next to Blackrock county park. I have not lauched there for a while, but that ramp should be OK with the lake just a few feet down.

Check out this post from a few weeks ago....
buch report 7-7
Hopefully, you can see what they look like stacked up on his chart.

R

We have friends that live on Buchanan in Paradise Point. The latest report they gave us was to fish at daylight and dark near Garrett Island for some top water action on sandies and small (mostly undersized) stripers. They have been from Garrett Island and then to what we call the swimming beach in Paradise Point. They never get down as far as the dam and Black Rock Park, so I can't help you with a report from that area.

Again, Thanks for all the info!

Cary