Jesse where do you launch and what area is productive on smallies, for you?

Here's a link to the Comal County Boat Ramps and closures.

http://www.cceo.org/road/closures.asp

And, per the county, kayaks can launch at closed ramps if you don't need a vehicle to launch your boat. In other words you can carry or drag your kayak to the water but you can't take a vehicle past the barricades.

Mrs. Rittiman at Spring Branch used to be a good stop for minnows. Will see how she's doing and post up if minnows are available.

Click Here for Latest report from Canyon Lake

Anyone hear about a record bass caught from Canyon? All I know is it measured a hair over 26" but I did not hear about a weight.

Lake record is 11.69lbs at 26" and this one looks easily every bit of that.

I posted this in the main bass fishing section, but I know all us Canyon Lake anglers post in this thread. There is a link to a pic there.
http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...ght#Post8747700

That older lady that own canyon bait store has gone down hill in the last few years. 10 years ago I used to detail her vehicles in the spot and she was so nice and friendly then. She would give me 5 dozen minnows for a tip and I would spend the night on cranes mill pier. From what I hear they have lost more than they have out in to the bait shop. And they are asking wayyyy to much to sell it. My dad enquired about it. They were asking 350,000 a few years ago. For the bait house and the 1/2 acre and Mobil home behind the bait store. They will mever sell it for that kinda asking price. It's just another small business gone down the tubes in our bad economy. I went in a few weeks ago to ask about the floating pier and they gave me an aditude and the lady acted like she didn't want to speak to me.

Everything around there meaning the lake and park has gone downhill as well and probably the main reason their business suffered.
Used to be that park was free and the fishing pier was open 24/7 365 days a year and the water was up most of the time, and the boat launch was usable as well. They missed a golden opportunity when the powers that be renovated the park and didn't extend the boat launch which was poor planning.
It was a lot more attractive area to fish and bring a lot of folks past their place both going and coming.
It's going to be a hard sell as anyone who does any research on the location can see it's no longer a prime spot for a bait house.

It's been a long while since I've bought bait at a bait store, at $4.99 dozen I either catch my own or use artificial.

Sometimes Minnows are the only answer and $4.99 is pretty
reasonable versus my time to try and catch some myself.

You've got to fish Smallmouth like you would Walleye in the lake and like Trout in the river. Best with live 2" crawdads or leeches/nightcrawlers little or no weight and very small hooks#6s for the dad's and #8 for the leeches and the nightcrawlers hooked through the nose in the river with good flow and plenty of rocks. Hooking's the same in the lake but with just enough weight to keep it lightly on the bottom around the rockiest points you can find.

I usually set sail from launch number one on the lake near the dam. If I find that not useable, I have access to Ft Sam and Randolph Marina to launch. The launch ramps are steep there and it's a last ditch choice.

You will find a lot of people beating the shore for fish on Canyon and if you are going after the smallmouth, this is the way not to do it. If you can cast and hit the shore, you are too close. Turn around and fish outward. It's tough to get away from the largemouth way of thinking but give it try.

The North Shore area has a huge concentration of smallmouth. Avoid entering the scuba area that is marked. The entire shoreline drops quickly to 20+ feet. This is the zone (plus or minus a few feet) you need to target. Sure you can catch some smaller fish in shallower water but the brutes are far down below. Don't worry about "feeling" the bite. It will be obvious when a smallie hammers your lure.

Overlook park also has a big population. Again, you have back away from the shore and mark 20 feet of water.

There is a boat launch at Skyline drive. This area has pea gravel down deep and seems to attract a small population of fish. Hit or miss in this area.

The entire shore line that runs along Village Shores Drive is another great area. Deep water to target, but a lot of brush you can't see. You will hang up often but it's worth it. On tough days and drastic weather changes, I hit this area hard. Problem is if the wind is up, it's a difficult area to fish.

The river channel swings close to the Jacobs Creek boat launch. This entire shoreline is a good area also. Lots of trash and fishing line there however.

I have pictures to prove what I am telling you.

Smallmouth were getting ready to spawn this past weekend and several of us were catching them up to 4lbs very shallow on top waters and spinnerbaits. My buddy had close to a 15lb limit with just smallmouth.

tamale, where were you using topwaters? up river? how far?

Havent caught any smallmouth up the river...ever. We were throwing them in clear water on the lower end of the lake. m

If the smallies are spawning, they will be in shallow water. Short lived on that pattern. My tactics are for summer-ish which will be here soon.

I have had days on Canyon where a buddy hooks a fish, I cast behind his line and a follower eats my bait.

One of these days I am gonna take some video.

Last few years ive had good luck on 4" dingers fishing that mini cove/flat right next to the dam.water super clear there and there's also some lmb in Therese well. Green pumpkin or watermelon red(of course) best colors