Pickwick Lake Elevation 414
Water Temp. 75

BASS
After fishing most mornings on guide last week, I have found that bass are as productive as any other species in the area for the first few hours of daylight. Usually if I am going to get up early enough to fish the morning hours I like to be out when the sun is coming up but the last few trips I did not start catching fish until around 6:30, which is at least an hour after daylight. I have caught a few fish on top water baits on my last few trips but I am doing a lot better on small crankbaits. The Strike King Series 3 and Series 5 have been very productive on main lake points. I have covered a lot of points on the lake with a lot of luck on most of them. But the key seems to be the time of day and the bait, and the combination is 6:30-7:30 with the Strike King Crank Bait on main lake points. Splatter back and Sexy Shad have been my more productive colors, the Sexy Shad in the Series 5 appears to be the right color and size of the bait fish that are visible on these main lake points.I have never used a color that matched the baitfish in the Pickwick area so well as this new Sexy Shad by Strike King. Later in the day try a carolina rig with a green pumpkin lizard or crawfish.

White Bass
White bass have been running strong for a while now with no sign of slowing down any time soon. Fishing for them is easy and fun. You can catch white bass on a number of baits, in-line spinnerbaits are popular and white grubs are very common and easy to use. On most of my guide trips I like using the smaller crankbaits because they are easy for a novice fisherman and I seem to catch the bigger sized white bass. The most productive crankbait over the last week has been the Series 3 Strike King crankbait in the Sexy Shad color because of its similarities to the baitfish as far as size and color.

Stripers
Stripers are biting really well when the Dam is generating. Yellow tail minnows are running strong right now and accounting for a large number of fish. Fish these yellow tail minnows close to the bottom and drift down stream. If you fish during the morning hours or late afternoon you can catch a lot of fish on a King Shad by Strike King, this bait runs below the surface and is big and strong enough to hold up to big stripers. It is best to fish the King Shad in the new Sexy Shad color on 12 pound test line and throw it where there is a lot of current, because it is jointed its action attracts fish when you simply reel it back slowly with tight line. Just make a long cast and keep your line tight. Fishing for stripers is exciting and a lot of fun but it is getting more and more crowded in the area below the dam where we fish for them and that along with the swift water makes it a little tricky, I have a 21' Bumble Bee bass boat that makes it a little more comfortable for the people fishing with me to feel stable in the swift water. Usually two people can fish while I control the bass boat and although it might look easy I am constantly fighting the current to try to keep us in a good area.

Catfish
I have caught a few catfish while striper fishing. I see a lot of catfish caught below the Dam in 20-25' of water. Most people I see are using bait they are catching in the water such as yellow tail minnows and skip jack.

Compliments of Clagett Talley at Talley's Outdoors 731-607-5266 or www.pickwickareaguide.com