To All,

Most of the big fish that are spawning, fish in the 7-10lb range normally spawn in the 10-15 foot zone. I have been fishing for these big fish from Texas, Georgia, California and here for over 30 years and have found that these fish in particular spawn in this deppth range.

Don't waste your time throwing small baits. Use 5" and larger baits and you will score quite often. The Sawyer 8.8lb Largemouth I caught last year and the 6.5lb largemouth proves this point well. Both were caught in over ten feet of water.

So good luck!!
Russ

hey rev,  I was just asking russell the same thing this morning.  Im planning on fishing the lake on thursday and i thought i would be able to find the big girls on camera at the immediate breakline closest to the east shorline that is shallow. 

On the contour map of the lake,  It looks like there are two good breaklines.  One kinda at the southwest and one half way down the lake on the west side.  Did you look at those two places?  Or are there not any recognizable breaklines at those two places.

Any help on what you think,  Before i go would be appriciated.

Dave

I have a camera too, and I think sometimes those bigger fish suspend in open water waiting to move up. They probably cruise the water in areas we don't expect to see them. Just a thought.

I guess this is why people catch good fish on suspending jerkbaits and soft jerkbaits this time of year.

I must have caught 25 little guys, but never saw any of their mamas.  Problem is - that lake is just too small for more than three boats.  Every time I looked up there was someone fishing the shoreline ahead of me. 
But you're right, Russ, the lake is probably 1-2 weeks away from really turning on.

But, answer me this - where do those big girls hide when they're not in the shallows?  I've used the cameras several times now - and there appears to be nothing special about the deeper water.  The bottom is pretty flat - and while I see some logs in 12-14 feet of water - there was nothing hanging around them.  Shallow basin lakes absolutely stump me.  Before and after the spawn I want to know where they go.  I've trolled and cast the deeper edge lines - nothing. 

The nice thing about small lakes is it's pretty economical fishing - you don't need a tank of gas to get around!  And at nearly $2 a gallon I'm going to have to think about small lakes more often.

Morton Heating Up!!,

Yes its kind of hard to keep my little hole secret for very long. Its temperature as of yesterday was 65%, now thats quite warm for April. I went yesterday and lost one over 7 , caught several small males, and broke my favorite skippin rod. Oh well, now its a little shorter.

Saw the "REV", however I didn't get a chance to talk with him since he was on the phone.

The big sows are moving up , but the full big bite is probably a week or so a way.
Russ

SWEET!!!!!!!

Got the boat back and with all the skiers on sawyer went to fish Morton and what a good call! fished from noon till 4:30 and started on the left shore from the launch and saw several beds getting brushed off and caught 8 keepers for a best five of 8. 1/2 lbs all largies with another 10-12 dinks no rockies but several 2-5 lb fish seen but bigger fish spooky all from under docks with senkos and bitsy bugs. 
WELCOME BACK PROCRAFT!!

Well I headed down to Lake sawyer around noon after I got the Lawn mowed (screwed up priorities I know) and ran into doug heading home, and decided that I did not want to compete with the jet ski'ers and headed to Morton,
Seen lots of slimer fisher people (pc) and one large mouth in less that a foot of water under a floating dock that I could not coax onto a hook. other than that spent lots of time on the camera.
I have decided in the lakes that I have been on with the camera that 16 ft is the general current depth of the weed line. I guess light penetration has something to do with that, also probably the type of weed also.