Ute Lake:

 Fishing was very good using worms for big bluegill. Fishing was very good using plastic crawdads, tubes, senkos (rigged wacky) and grubs in 5- to 10-feet of water for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Good plastic bass bait colors have been natural, green, pumpkin and watermelon. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass that are scattered around the lake. Fishing was fair using jigs, grubs and minnows in the trees for walleye. Fishing for catfish was fair. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 70s.

Spinney Mountain Reservoir

As of 5/30/2019, water temperatures are still hovering in the high 40's with inconsistent weather patterns keeping things relatively cool. Fishing has been tough as the strong South Park winds have stirred up the reservoir and decreased water clarity. Anglers fishing with jerk baits are still having some success as the fish key in on the vibrations of more aggressive lures when the water is stained. Pike fishing has slowed slightly over the last week but anglers are still able to catch a few using larger jerk baits or swimbaits.

Hopewell Lake

The fishing has been reported as good at Hopewell Lake between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras. They are catching some nice, holdover rainbow trout. I took a drive to Hopewell last week. You can drive right down to the lake. I wanted to catch some brook trout and used worms. Having just an hour to fish, I caught enough for a nice meal. I had forgotten how good a dinner of pan-fried, small brook trout can be. Delicious. There were lots of elk out feeding near dusk and the high mountain pastures were a vibrant green thanks to the wet winter we had. Great to be outdoors.

you can catch muskellunge

Consider that you can catch muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, catfish, and panfish. Northern pike remain one of the prize sport fish. Changing conditions on the river usually mean that the pike are in deeper water and more widely scattered than in past years, but when you hook one you will agree that they are worth the effort.
Smallmouth bass are always one of the most exciting fish to catch. The myriad granite structures and river currents provide great habitat. Current cold water conditions mean that bass probably will not have spawned by the season opener. However, there should be a lot to look forward to in the weeks ahead. Clearer water means that you will probably use deep water tactics like jigging or live bait for much of the summer, but smallmouth are great sport no matter what technique you use.

Delavan Lake Fishing report 6/3/19 through 6/11/19

Delavan Lake Fishing report 6/3/19 through 6/11/19

Fishing is above average overall. Most of the fish remain in the shallow waters, under 10 ft for the most part. The best bite on the lake is Bluegills and Largemouth bass.

Crappie fishing has been above average by Belvidere Park or by Brown Channel. The best depth has been 7-10 ft of water on the weedline. You want to use a 1/32 oz Arkie jig with a purple or chartreuse plastic. Look for the fish east of Willow point or on the outside of Viewcrest Bay by the no wake buoys.

Northern pike action has been excellent due to the colder water temperatures. Most of the fish can be caught in 7-10 ft of water. Look for the fish in Browns Channel or in Viewcrest Bay. You want to fish a slip bobber rigged medium sucker about 1 ft above the weeds. I’ve been using 20 lb monofilament with the bobber set about 4 ft down in 8 ft of water. Big bobbers have been allowing the bobber to lie flat on the water and when the bait become excited the bobber stands erect and lets you know the pike is close at hand. I wait about 30 seconds before setting the hook after the bobber is submerged.

Largemouth bass remain in the shallows in 3-4 ft of water. The best approach is fishing Texas rigged Yum Dingers in green pumpkin or watermelon seed. Look for the fish in Viewcrest Bay or by the outlet on north shore drive. I fished my Yum Dinger on fireline. It seems to help with a positive hook set. I rig the Yum Dinger with a 3/0 worm hook. When the fish bites, I give them about 5 seconds before setting the hook. This gives the fish enough time to eat the bait.

Lake Erie:walleye

  The walleye bite has been very active, when the wind had backed off and given anglers fishable days. The pros at Netcraft report the water southeast of Kelleys Island has produced fish for anglers trolling spoons in 22 to 28 feet of water, at 2 to 2.4 mph. In the area north of Kelleys, bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses have been putting limits of walleye in the coolers. There have also been reports of steady action and good walleye catches southeast of Davis Besse, in 14 to 19 feet of water, with anglers trolling spoons and crawler harnesses with one-ounce weights at 2.5 to 3 mph. Charter guide Eric Hirzel checked in recently with strong reports from the island area and from the waters inside of the firing range. Hirzel and his clients ran spoons and crankbaits and had success with both, but found that Bandits with red or pink bellies were the top producers.

Chautauqua Lake

 

The walleye bite is decent in the early morning, according to Mike Sperry of Chautauqua Reel Outdoors. Slow trolling worm harnesses close to the scattered weed line is working. About 1 mph is ideal as far as speed. Running the harnesses behind bottom bouncers is the best method. This will work on the north and south basin, according to Sperry. A 1/4- to 3/8-ounce jig tipped with a black 4-inch Mister Twister is a great way to jig up some walleye. Quarter-ounce Vibes short cast and pumped back to the boat will work, especially with the water temp rising. White bass will nail these, too.

The crappie bite was good over the weekend in shallow, however that will start to diminish as the water warms. Use 1/32 ounce jigs and minnows under a slip bobber. From reports, the musky fishing was good for opening weekend with several boats reporting multiple fish. A bunch of fish were landed casting on Saturday. Water temperatures in the lake finally hit 65 degrees according to Capt. Frank Schoenacker of Infinity Charters. His focus is on the southern basin for this time of year. On Memorial Day, he caught four walleyes, two on real worms and two on plastics

Conchas Lake:

 Fishing was good using crank baits, chatter baits, jerk baits, Ned rigs, tubes, senkos, jigs and creature baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using minnows, small jigs and curly tail grubs for crappie. Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, sassy shad and minnows for white bass. Fishing was fair trolling minnow and worm rigs and crank baits for walleye. Fishing was good using cut bait, homemade dough bait and liver for catfish. The surface water temp ranged from the mid to high 60s.