The Weekend Bite—July 25
Northeast Buffalo, New York—Andy Michalak at Big Catch Bait and Tackle in Buffalo, New York expects competitors fishing this week’s...
Northeast
Buffalo, New York—Andy Michalak at Big Catch Bait and Tackle in Buffalo, New York expects competitors fishing this week’s Bassmasters tournament to find plenty of fish at the Roundhouse with rubberworms and jigs. He suggests anglers look for cooler water that will hold the fish. “The water has been so warm that the fish have headed to the deeper holes,” he said. Along the Niagara River, anglers will find muskie in Small Boat Harbor on big pike chubs and spoons. There are lots of weeds so Andy recommends looking for open areas to find the muskie. In addition to the muskie, pan fish are biting along the river right in town. Andy recommends fishing around the locks at the railroad bridge for sunfish and the occasional large perch. “Fishing’s been really good,” he said, “Guys have been filling buckets full along the shore.” He said that anglers can access the river at Ontario Street and at the foot of Ferry Street. Andy told us that the walleye have emigrated to the Canadian side of the river. To boat keepers, anglers are dragging Thompson’s Hole with three way rigs and live bait. Andy reminds anglers that they will need a Canadian fishing license if they want to chase these fish over the border.
Southeast
Birmingham, Alabama—Blake Harlow at Marks Outdoor Sports (www.marksoutdoors.com) in Birmingham, Alabama reports that Guntersville Lake is on fire. He said that anglers throwing big worms or pitching a jig around the docks are scoring some impressive largemouth bass. “We went there two weeks ago and the largest fish was 6 ½ pounds and our five fish stringer was over 20 pounds.” He says that spinner baits have also been effective. “You could also try a frog bite in the morning,” Blake added. He also told us that the night bite on Logan Martin had been phenomenal for guys throwing a big ¾-ounce black and blue football head jig or ¾-ounce spinner bait with a single Colorado blade in black-and-red, black-and-chartreuse or black-and-blue.
South
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Tulsa, Oklahoma_—Despite lots of rain recently, Jack Kitchen at Oakie Bait and Tackle outside Tulsa reports that bass fishing has been good and is getting better as the water clears. He said the best bet was to target Grand and Gibson Lakes with everything from crankbaits to a Carolina rigs. “The spinner-bait bite is kicking in pretty good, too,” he said. He told us that the biggest largemouths are holding around the main lake points in water anywhere from 7 feet to 30 feet deep. He admitted that crappy fishing was slow but sand bass are starting to school on main lake points. Lucky anglers are able to pull slab crappies over brush piles and around bridge pilings with small jigs.
Midwest
Chicago, Illinois—It’s finally happened, kids have taken over the world. Well, at least they’ve taken over the perch fishing on Lake Michigan. Carl Virgo at Henry’s Sport and Baits (www.henryssports.com) told us that perch fishing is closed to anyone over age 18 until August 1. So, its up to the kids to catch good numbers of nice yellowbellies with soft-shell crayfish and fathead minnows on a two hook rig with a small split shot for weight. He said that the little tykes are finding fish from Montrose to the Aquarium to Monroe Harbor and Northerly Island. “We had a kid in here the other day with a full stringer,” he said. Carl told us that the charter boats are still catching Coho salmon in 50 to 100 feet of water a few miles off Chicago. He had heard that the catfish were hungry at Starved Rock. Most anglers are catching the cats on stinkbaits, but the best catfishermen are catching the biggest fish on small suckers.
West
Las Vegas, Nevada—Anglers visiting last week’s ICAST tackle show in Las Vegas were able to sneak away and get in some fishing on Lake Mead. Captain Mark Edison at Adventures in Angling www.worldwidefishing.com/nevada/b2785/index.html told us that striped bass fishing has been hot in the morning and evening, while the weather has been too hot to fish in the afternoon. He said early in the morning he’s finding striped bass busting bait on the surface in the Lower Basin at the Vegas Wash and 33 Hole. He’s been catching the fish by walking the dog with a Zara Spook plug or an unweighted jerk bait. “You can catch 50 to 80 fish a day,” he said.
