Rough River

[James]

All,

Looking for some general info on areas to fish and lake conditions. Never been to this lake and will be going out of Axtel Ramp.

As always any help is greatly appriciated!

Skeeter James

[Chefdave]

Good luck, I posted the same question several days ago. Several views, no replies. I will be there Saturday night. from what I have heard, the lake is pretty torn up with pleasure boaters and boat traffic in general. The fish aren't really doing anything until well after dark, say 1 or 2 in the a.m. I'm planning on sticking to deeper water, points bluffs and drop offs and working really slow. There was a tourney there last Sat. night and it only took a little over 7 pounds to win it. Hopefully that isn't the case this weekend. Good luck!

[dpage70]

try down by the **** if the pleasure boaters are thick. there are a lot of bluff walls and very rocky banks that don't get the bad mudlines from the waves. if the boat traffic is bad DO NOT go up south fork. there will be a mudline that goes out about 40 ft or so from the bank for miles and miles up the river. new mud makes that lake real rough. doesnt seem to be as bad a pleasure boater "problem" down toward the dam.

[dpage70]

also with all of this rain we're getting right now the creeks will be a mess. be careful it can sprinkle and that lake will fill up with trash.

[Chefdave]

How long does the affect of the rain last? If it rains today, how bad will the creeks be on Saturday? Just asking since I was planning on running way up south fork saturday.

[dpage70]

well it looks like rough only got about .5 inch of rain so that won't cause much problems. the problems mainly will be with the pleasure boaters and floating debris. pleasure boaters run wild up south fork and that churns up the banks really bad. i went from laurel branch up to the island (rougly 10 miles)and from panther creek on the banks were like chocolate milk that went out about 30 or 40 feet from all the waves crashing. rough is also really bad about floating debris after a rain so be careful.

[Chefdave]

I was planning on going past the island Saturday night, but if it is that bad up there I guess I shouldn't even bother. I was thinking I would get away from the crowd and fish a few spots I found several yeard ago. Truth is I don't know the lake all that well and now I'm a bit lost as to where to go, I don't really want to go towards the dam and fish in a crowd, but I guess I don't have much choice. Thanks for the help

[dpage70]

if you get there early enough you may try it and see what the traffic looks like and where the mudline is. i'm just telling you what i saw last weekend. you're right about fishing in a crowd down by the dam though. the saturday night tourney out of the state usually puts several boats down there. north fork doesnt seem to be as bad on the traffic or the mudline although i havent had any luck at all up there. good luck.

[Chefdave]

Thanks for all the info, I'm planning on getting to the lake before dark, if I can I'll run at least to the island and check things out. hopefully it won't be as bad. I had also considered running up north fork, I just don't know that end of the lake at all. I think I'd put myself at a disadvantage fishing unfamiliar water at night. Thanks again,and tight lines!