Nolin - Dog Creek Area - Late Summer Bass

Hello everyone.

How does the annual drawdown (and up) impact bass around Dog Creek? I know that the area goes pretty much dry. I've managed to catch a few bass there but everything was under 16". Do the larger bass move into the area in the spring/summer?

I am planning to fish this weekend, from kayaks. Any recommendations on bait for the coming weekend?
Planning to locate some live crawfish as that's typically a solid bait but primarily will be using artificial (unless the crawfish prove worthwhile).

Given a kayak entering from the woodland road launch, any recommended places to look for?

Appreciate any info/tips.

Thanks!
Will

Lots of good fish in Dog. If you look at a map when you enter Dog from the main lake and make the left hand turn then the right hand turn, concentrate on the little cuts and pockets on the right hand side. Lots of guys have placed brush piles along that side. Stay out from the shoreline a bit and make sure you fish your baits through the water column.

Thanks!

We fished Saturday and Sunday around Dog Creek - mostly around the boat ramp on Woodland Circle. Tried everything: buzzbait, black/blue spinners, shallow crank, carolina rig, texas rig, wacky rig, even LIVE crawfish and could not get any bass to bite. Tried shallow, obvious cover, even along the rock wall at the point where Dog Creek exits to the main channel. Managed to catch 16 nice bluegill and a couple REALLY nice catfish, but no bass...

To say that area was BUSY this weekend was an understatement. On Sunday there were no fewer than 20 boats anchored across from the boat launch, some were even nice enough to anchor RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of where I had put out a small handful (10) of catfishing jug lines. Some kind person was even nice enough to cut some of my hooks off. Guess it saved me the effort of picking up in the evening...

With miles of shoreline (some with nice sandy/pebble banks or flat rock areas), I'm not at all sure what would convince someone to anchor and swim in the one 50' area (around stumps) where someone is actively fishing... Anyway, I bet my luck will be better in there once the weather cools and the swimmers stay away. Otherwise, with that much activity (and the heat), I can only guess that most fish feed at night during the summer.

Maybe next time.
Will

I have a small club tournament on Nolin Saturday, 6 boats and all the other guys have fished it for years. Anyone got any pointers? Are they starting to move to the backs of the creeks?

Thanks for any help

I am curious how the draw-down affects the fish. From what I am told, the place where we fished near Dog Creek goes completely dry in the winter. I am assuming that means most/all the fish leave the creek and head into the main lake channel where the water is deeper?

Or is it that not all of Dog Creek goes dry (I've never seen it in the winter for myself)?

[QUOTE=websitewill;571124]I am curious how the draw-down affects the fish. From what I am told, the place where we fished near Dog Creek goes completely dry in the winter. I am assuming that means most/all the fish leave the creek and head into the main lake channel where the water is deeper?

Or is it that not all of Dog Creek goes dry (I've never seen it in the winter for myself)?[/QUOTE]

Yeah Pretty much all of Dog Creek from where were to the back is dry in the winter. The fish do migrate with the falling water to the mainlake or mouth area of Dog Creek. It can be good fishing though. Less places for the fish to hide and they’ll typically group up in the winter.

I have had such a hard time fishing Nolin this summer. I have not caught the numbers of fish like I have in years past, and the water looks a lot clearer than it has in years past too. I did catch my first big walleye out of there this year, but I have had a tough time with the bass fishing there.