Date Fished: 3/30/03
Water Temperature: 60s
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

The last two days of the month have thrown a weather curveball at us. Both days started out with dense fog but they ended with very different conditions.

Saturday we headed out for a bit of scouting but our trips that were scheduled for the 30th and 31st called and asked to be rescheduled because of the poor weather forecasted. Our scouting trip was cut short but we had 23 bass before we went back to the ramp, including a 7 pound gal that fell for a Senko.

Meeting our clients, Dave Eller of Deerfield Beach and his friend Tom Helbing of Indianapolis at 2:00, Scott headed out to the middle of the Marsh where the morning success had come. There was very little breeze and the temps were up but with the front headed our way anticipations ran high for a great bite. Someone forgot to tell the bass however that this was the way they were supposed to play and the afternoon turned into one tough situation. However, being experienced fishermen, Dave and Tom hung in until 6:30 with very little profit to show for their efforts.

Yesterday I met Dave and Tom for the second half of their trip. It was pea soup again this morning as we headed out to the Marsh, with no wind blowing. It takes 5 minutes to idle out to the area we wanted to fish and by the time we hit Twin Palms the wind was already up to 15 MPH. Within a 1/2 hour the wind was chugging over 20. The first couple of casts yielded bass however, so anticipation of a really good morning was high.

Again this morning, as with yesterday afternoon someone forgot to tell the bass about the impending frontal passage. We fished until 11:00 with Dave and Tom finding 5 bass that wanted to participate. All came on Senkos that were T-rigged. Three came from Twin Palms and two from the NW area of the Marsh. We marked a lot of bass but they just refused our offerings.

Scott and I will be away for the christening of my Grand-daughter Madyson up in Lenoir, NC through the 5th. However we will be monitoring e-mails and cell phones so don't hesitate to contact us. We still have some openings for April!

See you on the water.

Date Fished: 3/28/03
Water Temperature: 60s
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

Our last 6 trips on the Marsh have had what I consider pretty good success. Although the bite does not hold throughout the day, the waves it does come in are pretty regular and bring the numbers up pretty quickly.

All of our fishing has been on the Marsh and 95% of the fish caught have come on dark colored Senkos. Many of the hits are fish moving the baits so you do have to be quick on the trigger. We are fishing where there is a lot of brush and stumps, which also mean that you have to get the fish up, and moving quickly.

Just a few tips about fishing in this kind of water and cover.

Plastics will work best because as they are moved across the bottom they will land in or near a nest, aggravate the fish, and then you are in business. The key to this type of fishing with plastics is to fish it slow.

If you do get a fish and they hang you in the brush if you let them go immediately they will in most cases go out the other side of the brush and again you are in business. If you continue to try to pull them through the brush you will in most cases lose the fish and your tackle.

When fishing these conditions it is a good idea to periodically try some other bait if the bite drops off. Hard Jerk baits, spinner baits, rattletraps, and small crank baits are good possibilities. However, don't throw it twice and decide it's no good. If you are going to take the time to switch then give the bait a good try. (At least 15 casts)

Above all else, if you know you are on fish, it's not a good idea to go running around when the bite drops off to see if you find others. In most instances, even if you find more they will probably be in the same mode as the fish you are on.

Good electronics will help when fishing these conditions and a watchful eye will tell you when your bite probability is higher. When you see the fish get close to the bottom be ready, and when you see them 2-4 feet off the bottom your chances will be less. The average fish has been in the 2-4 pound range and every once in a while one that is 7 or better. Several fish over ten pounds have been caught up here as the creel count has been showing. It's only going to get better.

Top water bite has been occurring in the southern reaches of the Farm and those that are there when it happens have been reporting some very exciting times. The fish are moving out of what is considered this year spawning grounds via the ditches and those that happen to catch the top water are having a great time. This year the top water should be right up there with some of the best years in the past. The conditions are ideal for massive shad hatch and when the fry get moving the bass are going to have a field day. If you are in the vicinity then you will be wearing your arm out with a bass on most casts.

See you out there. We still have a few openings in April so if you want to get in on some of this fantastic fishing give us a call.

Date Fished: 3/20/03
Water Temperature: 76
Water Clarity: 1 foot

Our last four trips have been a mixed bag of success with the trip yesterday being the best.

The first three of the four trips were on the slower side with an average of 25 to 30 fish per day. The bass were weighing in the 2-4 pound range, and big fish for the three trips was 7 pounds. This was a substantial drop from previous trips.

The bait that was working was still plastic, (Senkos), and the color needed to be dark. One of the trips did begin in the South end of Farm 13 with Chug Bugs and they accounted for 9 fish, but after the top water that was the end of the bite down there. The balance of that trip and both days of the the others was spent on the Marsh. There were lots of fish being marked, but they spent a lot of time suspended and less biting.

Yesterday the bite resumed its normal pace on the Marsh and we boated 69 bass with one over 8.5, and several over 5. Again the bait that worked best, (although we did try others), was the C-rigged Senko in any of the dark colors. Keeping the bait slow was the key and with the wind we had to have two socks out.

See you out there. Say hi if you get the chance.

Date Fished: 3/17/03
Water Temperature: 79
Water Clarity: 1 foot

Four trips over the last three days have spoken loudly as to what the fish will bite relentlessly and that our choice of location was about as good as it can get.

We have averaged over 50 bass per trip with a few lunkers thrown in for good measure. Many of the fish have been in the 3-5 pound range and the sonar is getting worn out handling all the returns from the many fish in the area.

Weather has cooperated every day with our worst day being today. We had a mixture of clouds and sun today but it was a bit breezy. Also we had to pick up and get outta there as thunder rolled in the west just a bit before three.

We have found these fish in a couple of locations; Out in the middle of the Marsh and over in the NW. They have cooperated fully to the excellent appeal that the Senko presented as long as the Senko was dark in color. When the bite dropped off a bit a switch to a Bomber Long A turned some bass our way, and a spinner bait even got into the fray and tricked a few here and there. The Senko 7X Cut Tail worked about as advertised as we switched between them and the 5 inch Senko. I am really getting to like the Cut Tail.

We are still seeing the bite go on and off during the day and we have watched many a fisherman kick the big motor during the off periods and run around. Hint! Hint! guys. If you get on fish and the bite drops off it's going to be the same when you shut that big motor off and cast again. Don't leave fish to find fish. It is just not productive.

See you out there. Say hi if you get the chance.

Date Fished: 3/14/03
Water Temperature: 78
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

Based on the last four days of fishing, my forecast for the month of April is "Lunker! Lunker! Lunker!" fishing at its finest.

The south end of the Farm is getting topped out with the hydrilla but there are still plenty of bass, and the Senkos have been the bait of choice. Middleton's Stick Marsh Bait and Tackle carries the Senkos and Jeanne is reporting that she is having a difficult time keeping up with the demand, so I am sure that a lot of the fishermen out here are using them. The Senko has consistently produced even when the fishing was considered slow by many. Low day, using artificial baits, over the last four days has been 28 fish, and high has been today with over 130 bass between four fishermen.

Today’s catch came on the relatively new 7X Cut-tail worm put out by the Yamamoto Bait company and we caught them using a variety of colors. Fishing that ranged from 2 pounds to over 10 pounds found the bait and enticement that they couldn't resist.

As reports have indicated, the bass are moving into the Stick Marsh and I have heard of some good catches in the NW areas. It is just a matter of time before the big gals move there in force.

On the Farm side look for the fish to be moving out to the ditch edges. All indications are here for this to be a banner year with April probably being one of the best ever seen on this lake. If you’re looking for a ride and what promises to be an experience of great angling give us a call. We still have openings for the month of April and would be more than willing to get you out there.

Over the last few weeks we have seen a lot of old friends out here and have taken many repeat customers out. Thanks to all that stopped and said hi, and thanks to the customers that keep us hopping out here.

See you on the water. Stop and say hi if you get the chance.

George & Scott

Date Fished: 3/11/03
Water Temperature: 76
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

The last several days have been outstanding with lots of fish and big fish being caught.

Lots of things are rapidly changing here with grass conditions but the water levels have remained constant and the weather patterns keep throwing wind at us.

Shiner fishing, for those that want to do it, is getting more and more difficult in the southern reaches of the Farm. As the grass gets thicker and spreads, more and more of the south end is being lost to that kind of fishing. However, on the outside edges of all that grass people are doing quite well.

On our boat we carry a myriad of artificial baits and usually during any day out there we will throw several different things. Most early mornings are producing quality fish on top water baits: Chug Bugs/chrome-blue. As the day progresses we have been switching to Senkos: Carolina rigged with no weight/watermelon. Throughout the day we will switch on and off with hard jerk baits: ;Bomber Long A/clear gold/orange belly, and spinner baits/white or clown/gold blades. However, throughout the day the consistent winner is the Senko by a landslide.

Obviously, the key to this bait is slow. The bait has to have the opportunity to fall into the holes in the grass if you are going to find the bigger fish.

On the Stick Marsh side we have found buck bass moving into the northwest end, with the occasional female. Look for this location to come alive in the next few weeks as this area historically produces some big bass.

See you out there.

Date Fished: 3/3/03
Water Temperature: 74
Water Clarity: 2-3 feet

If you haven't experienced it then it is difficult to perceive, even with all the reports, just how good the fishing is at the Stick Marsh. However, although the lake fished small for the last several weeks, lots of big fish have been caught and released, and lots of medium size fish kept the casts rolling in anticipation of the big fish. We have seen and talked with people from all over the country in the last few weeks and almost all went away very happy with their experiences here.

A great deal of the fishermen have been very successful with artificial baits as opposed to shiners and of course as you all know, shiners have been difficult at best to come by. The combination of cold temperatures this winter and the spawn period have made the catches for shiner fishermen slim. However, the hard jerk baits and Gary Yamamoto’s Senko were working exceedingly well so for the most part shiners weren’t a necessity.

I was able to get shiners for Tom Reeves Sr. and Tom Jr. and we rolled through them pretty quickly. By 1:00 the shiners had been eaten and out came the Senkos. The catch on this trip was a bit one sided as Tom Jr. had the better luck to the point that it got downright eerie. Dad started on the front deck and Jr. on the back, but as the catch went 10/1 they switched. Jr. no sooner cast on the front deck than the bite swung to the front and it was quickly 15/2. That is, the bass count, because dad was having his hands full fighting off the pickerel. By day’s end it did even out somewhat and both declared it a very memorable day indeed.

Dan Sullivan and friends Mike and Jim opted for artificial and the 63 bass they put in the boat proved their choice to be the right one. Over 15 of the bass came early on succumbing to the presentation of Chug Bugs, and most of the balance was lured out using Senkos. Mike did persist with the Chug Bug on and off throughout the day and managed to catch several more.

We don’t get many requests for Garcia any more, but out next day out was over there. Fishing was fair but certainly nothing like the Marsh. What we found was a lot of the areas are overgrown with lily pads, a lot of the grasses are heavily laden with algae, and most of the fish were small. We did find some decent fish on the south end of the pit and a Carolina rig cast into the pit and dragged out produced. This lake is a good change of pace of lake if you want to see something different but circumstances seem to have taken this fishery down a bit from years gone by.

See you out there.