I've been fishing Benbrook for a long time and frustrasted with two things... inconsistent fish and WIND. Two questions about EM...

1 - Is it better protected from south wind?
2 - Is it easier to find sand bass when they're schooling (under birds, humps, sloughs, etc)?

I want my two boys and father to catch sand bass like I've experienced on other lakes... every other cast. Any help is appreciated.

It is protected behind the dam from the south wind if you can get there depending on where you put in.
Eagle Mountain is not a lake that they school a lot on the surface but they do. In my opinion the birds lie more on eagle mountain than help you. Eagle Mountain is a great sandbass lake but it is like any other lake they will only be in a few places. Humps are the primary place to look. Afew ridges and drop offs.
Johnny

Thanks for the info. I fished Somerville in college and caught them EVERY cast during these months. And had great luck at Cedar Creek, too. I hope to put my boys on 'em like that sometime. We only have a 16' Bass Tracker, so I'm always watching wind conditions.

Aggie, save yourself a lot of time and wasted gas money and hire sandjohnny for a teaching trip. Then you can take those boys out there with some confidence.

+1

He has forgotten more than most folks know about Eagle.
Money well spent.

+1

Here's my Which is about what it's worth

Benbrook............

Out of the 15 plus years i have been fishing there.....There are seldom 100+ fish days anymore, I have done it along with the regulars, but dont go expecting it. Your right, a south wind is horrible for such a small lake, even in larger boats, i will re-schedule trips with a 20/25mph south wind. Now, that being said, this is the "easy" time of the year on benbrook expecially for 7/8 lb hybrids consistanly for about the next 2 months. Bait or artificial will work. And as always, there are certain spots that will produce better, only being 3600 acres, its not that hard to find them, only draw back is...There really no pattern per say on benbrook, it changes everyday no matter what....I will blame the fluxuation of the water level to that. and maybe the fishing pressure as of late. Benbrook will give up the good for the most part, but it will humble you just as quick. I can remember around 5 years ago 100+ hybrid days along with sandies, but it has been off for last several years.

Eagle mountain....

Somewhat better with a stiff south wind. As far as catching "ever cast" this is the time also on eagle mountain, running a little past schedule like last year i believe. I can remember about 3 years ago on trips this time of year i could be putting customers on 300+ sandies in a few hours. That has changed for me since then. Actually rounding up a hundred has been pretty tough on me. I will blame the water level also, and when they let water out it kills the bite for me, i think they let water out all year last year. Thats the only excuse i have other than Johnny may have caught them all But i agree, if you want to learn eagle mountain, you need to hire johnny, it shorten your curve.

ditto on hiring johnny on EM and Kerry on BB

ditto....hire a guide, learn the lake, learn the hazards.

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Johnny

+2

Sandbass Johnny,
Taught me more in couple of days than I could learn in years on my own.

Take Care,
Shane

Johnny taught me how to catch sandies without a lipped crank bait being drug behind a boat. He's about the nicest dude I've met since I started fishing in '08.

+1 !!!!!!!!!!!! Very smart guy! He's senses them under his boat through his old bones. When his leg starts shakin you know youre about to kill em!

Aggie Angler 99: I fished EM on vacations and holidays from 1967 to 1999. My father-in-law (Ray Fowler) had a place on the lake about a block north of Augie's. I would launch at Augie's or Twin Points and beach my boat at Ray's. From there it didn't matter how windy it was from the south - we could hug the shore and cruise around to Baptist Point and the main dam hump and fish. Those are two of the best structures on the lake so we usually caught fish (sandies). There is also a point due west across the lake from the spillway dam. That point is pretty protected also from the south winds and usually holds some sandies.

Re surface action with or without bird help, the only consistent action was during the 1st hour after dawn up at the islands - usually on the south side. That's how we always started our fishing day assuming the winds allowed it. After that we went to find them on structures.

I sure do miss fishing there and hope I can get over there this year.