Any reports on fairfield for bream? I know there was a huge fish kill last hear bit didn't know if the bream got it to. Also lake level report after the rains?

Yes, the bream were hit hard too. I think the only thing that survived any numbers were Bass and Catfish. I have not seen one report since the fish kill.

Plus #1. There was a posting about the Bream Buster Fish Fry where Fairfiled was being considered as one of the spots. Several anglers said they were going to check it out on their own and get back with a report. This was over a month ago. For what I have heard it is going to take another year or two for the lake to make a come back.

It is my understanding that all the Coppernose Bluegill except very small ones were killed. However, TPWD stocked the lake with 107,000 fingerling Bluegill this spring. Given a few years the Bluegill should be back.

I think these were native Bluegill, not Coppernose.

The lake also received 433,000 Red Drum fingerlings and 650 adult Black Bass, as well as forage fish.

There is no depth gage for Fairfield.

That is sad. I wish they would put the coppernose back in. Any reports on the lake level itself?

A month or two ago I called a couple of guides that were listed on the internet as guides for Fairfield. They both said they are no longer guiding on Fairfield due to the fish kill...both said they hope in 2-3 years. Don't know about the water level. Sure is a pretty park...shame that the kill was so extensive.

Yes it's a shame. Some huge gills came out of there in numbers.

I have been out of state since mid March. As of mid winter Tilapia and Ghost Minnows out numbered the bass and cats, big time. Modest size gar were working hoards of 2-4" ghost minnow schools. Never netted a single shad.

We had netted over 50 dinner plate size Tilapia in a trip a month or two earlier.

Trolling for awhile we charted deep water good size fish bodies, had a few either banged by the down rigger hardware or it was gar doing short strikes on the larger plugs or we used plugs that were too big (which our trolling methods was known for but succeeded anyway). We did troll up a LMB (on the smallest 4" plug we trolled) and a Gar.

No reds were where I thought they had to be, if any had survived.

Drove home dejected for the second time. Lake was too low to think about another trip until BOTH the lake came up, or ramps were modified AND better fishing prospects came about.

Thanks for the update! Hope the lake makes a good come back.

I hear Lake is up from my last trip, about 3-4 feet of water from end of concrete concrete ramp edge, (probably means trailer wheels still have to drop off the ramp ledge or nearly so). Threadfin shad have been seen. Tilapia bow fishing is happening. They stocked Red fingerling this past week. This press release predicted the count would be 407,000.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20110510b

TPWD let ramp revisions out for bid, and got no bid responses. What economy are they in, or all of them BK?

Don,

What's been your experience with the growth rates of reds in Fairfield?

The smallest I ever remember catching years ago started at about 9-10 inches. When FF had abundant forage for them to eat that population group increased in size about 1-1.5" per month.

I am informed today the Spring stocking added just 120,000, they could bring more later this year, but that was all the hatchery had available for FF.

I haven't been hooked up for more than 90 days. I'm starting to get the shakes when water flows into my sink. Trying to find a way to get my heavy duty lines stretched.

How's striper/hybrid fishing for you?

120K won't get it....they need to put 500k every year for a few years, IMO, to get it really going again.

That's a good growth rate and should mean some decent reds next year, wouldn't you think?

Striper fishing has been great on Livingston...but not so good for me on fshing the TSA tournaments. I need a little of that DMZ luck.