You guys know if they are catching them like mad around birch creek park then the whitebass have begun to move out of the creeks to get there! If you want to avoid those crowds then the opposite shoreline from Birch Creek is Pecan and the whitebass can be caught from there too.

Hybrids crossing back to whitebass is possible and I suspect has some influence on the whole population over time. They have been stocking hybrids in Somerville since the seventies and I'd really like to see some DNA testing done on a sampling of whitebass from Somerville compared to pristine populations from waters that have never had hybrids..

We got a lot of rain last night and this morning.. looks like Newmans Bottom might be closed for the rest of the run..

So, when the whitebass and crappie move out of the creeks, what are the next places to try and catch them and what lure?

The crappie should be shallow well into April and will move back to deeper structure as it gets warmer. To catch them you must find the structure and use the same tactics with either jigs or minnows. Whitebass/Hybrids are open water fish and school up chasing shad all over the lake. Once again the same lures you used in the creeks will work but you will have to chase the fish as they follow the shad.. If you have ever witnessed a half acre or so of whitebass / hybrids during a feeding frenzy it's something you won't forget.. Early mornings and late afternoons as summer takes hold.. I like to kayak and wade fish around pecan to deer island on the south shore from April until about June.. Usually the schooling whites begin about daybreak and go deeper as the sun hits the water.. Generally that is about an hour unless it's very cloudy and the bite will continue as long as the shad stay shallow..

Thinking about fishing the lake out of my boat Saturday with a friend. He's boatless at this time, so we may get out there and chase some hybrids and whites.

Plans are --- Lake Austin Wednesday, Fayette Lake Friday, and Somerville Saturday.

The next creek fishing 101 clinic @ Nails Creek park is Saturday the 31st of March 11:00am to 4:00ish then around 5:00pm we start cooking for the fish fry. I'd like to make the fish fry a TFF event where all of us on this Somerville thread get together and celebrate the spring time fishing at the lake. I'll see if the park staff and Partners will attend and as always any campers in the park are welcome. But for the most part it will be an opportunity to meet with other TFF'ers and share a meal of tasty fresh fried fish. It will be a pot-luck sort of affair so everyone can contribute a little something. We will have the cooker going and a grill or two so bring out the entire family and let's have a party at the park! The only cost is the usual fee to get into the state park ($4.00 per person- 12 and over)

I won't be advertising this fish fry outside of my contacts here and through other clubs, but only to the Partners, park staff and happy campers!

Lake Somerville is flooding, two feet high and coming up fast. The Birch Creek Jetty is closed, Newman's Bottom parking lot is under water, Irwin Bridge parking lot is under water and the creek is over the high bank at Irwin. Somerville WMA Box 3, 4, 5 are about 90 % flooded and closed.

Hey we needed the rain.......

I'm still kayaking up Birch Creek Thursday morning 9am if anyone wants to join me..

The bulk of the rain that fell in the Yegua basin hasn't even made it to the lake yet.. but that's part of what the lake was built for.. flood control...

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...I like to kayak and wade fish around pecan to deer island on the south shore from April until about June.. Usually the schooling whites begin about daybreak and go deeper as the sun hits the water.. Generally that is about an hour unless it's very cloudy and the bite will continue as long as the shad stay shallow...
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I have not done kayak. But I do enjoying wade fishing. Last year I found learn about Birch state park very late in March. So, I went camping there a couple times. Wake up in the morning and wade for a couple hours. Not only I caught very large WB, I caught several large mouth also. Fishing in the morning and taking kids hiking during day and evening...

Kayaked up Birch Creek today.. went solo.. and had a blast catching whitebass way up the creek. Had the whole upper end to myself.. just me and the pigs, deer & fish... could have limited out easy but chose to use the fly rods for fun and got my limit of that for sure Jigged for crappie most of the way down the creek but nothing bit.. charted tons of fish but nothing would hit The lake came up about 6 inches while I was there today!

What's the creek level at Newmans and Irwin bridge? Is it even worth making a two hour drive this weekend? How about cedar creek at nails creek park?

Last report was that the Yegua is still flooded and access to Newmans isn't possible and probably won't be open for a while. The lake is rising fast currently at 241.81 (as of 9:00am 23mar2012) and will go higher. All the smaller creeks are fish-able and in good shape going into the warmer season.. Birch creek was good fishing for me Thursday but I had to go way upstream to find the fish.