Larger Bass Showing Up More Often

As Spawning Season Begins It has been another great two weeks at El Salto Lake.  The spawning season is in full swing. Some bass are being caught in deeper water, but the most are on the nest.  Senko fishing has produced lots of fish.  Anglers have been rigging both Wacky and Texas Style.  Fishing these rigs in the trees and off points has been successful.  The best action at mid-day has been coming by fishing a little deeper.  Watermelon colored lizards and 10-inch worms in a junebug color have been especially effective. 

The most productive crankbaits recently have been the Pradco Fat Free Shad in a citrus color and ¾-ounce silver & blue Rat-L-Traps. The largest bass boated over the past two weeks was caught off a creek channel in 15-feet of water.  It smacked a Berkley 10-inch Power Worm.

There have been many big El Salto bass caught during the period this report covers.  Unfortunately, space doesn’t permit us to list all of them.  We are including a few pictures of some of our happy guests.  

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Erik Lozoya lost a couple of beauties on his recent visit.  Erik says: “Some members of our group had monsters that topped 13, 11 and 10-pounds.  I missed one real large fish when I couldn't turn her around about 3-feet from surface and she spit out my bait. I hooked another on a pig and jig.  She made a fierce slow run straight down in about 10 to12 feet-of water and snapped my 20-pound line like thread.  My fish were a larger average than most.  Others had some fish from 6 to 7-pounds, but mostly from 2 to 4-pounds.  Every day I boated two to three bass of more than  7-pounds and including one 8-pound fish.   My other larger fish averaged 4.5 to 6.5-pounds.  I knew what baits would catch the smaller fish so I wouldn't use them as much unless I got desperate.  My strategy was just different baits with different colors and at the right depth.  Throw in just a few tricks, our guide’s advice and some personal know-how and it makes one hell of a combo.  I will add that the largest fish in our group, the 10-pounders and bigger, were caught on six different types of baits, so go figure.  Although I know there are way better days than that, especially at Anglers Inn, I would still like to beat my personal best with another angler on board of 55-pounds in five fish and 96-pounds in 10 fish. You know how it is to be always spoiled and never satisfied---right?  Not really! I had a great time and want to thank everyone for their hospitality and professionalism.  I look forward to seeing you again.”

John Hendrix was another recent visitor.  John said: “Attached are the pictures of the 9.5, 10 and 10.5-pound fish that I caught one day between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Also included is a shot of a 9-pounder that Joe Street caught last year during the same week.   We fished late morning in the coves throwing watermelon Senkos and a Bass Pro Shop Salted Stick with red flakes.  We boated lots of fish in the 3 to 4-pound range.  Right after Joe caught a 7-pounder, I cast across the cove and began a slow and deep retrieve.   A big fish hit in about 20-feet of water and it was a thrill of a lifetime to get it in.  At that moment it was the largest black bass I had ever caught.  It was warming up by then and our guide moved us out to deeper water to fish Carolina Rigs.  I cast a watermelon seed lizard and on the first cast I caught a 10 pounder.  Wow!  In one hour, I had caught my new record---a 10–pound El Salto lunker.   At 11:15 a.m. we headed in for lunch and siesta.  We hit the water again at 1:30 p.m. and headed for deep points.  Just a little before 2:30 p.m. I threw a Texas Rigged watermelon lizard and all hell broke loose.  A few screams and dreams later---mucho grande!  I had a 10.5-pound beautiful El Salto hawg in the boat.  This was all done in five hours on the best bass lake on earth.  I may never do this again but I know if I want a bigger bass, there is only one lake to head back to.   Thanks for a lifetime fishing experience.  By the way, my fishing buddy Joe Street tells me that he will catch the biggest one next year.”

Air Temp:  44°-51°F (Early Morning and late evenings) 70°-77°F (Siesta time)

Water Temp: 65°-71°F

Average number of bass per boat per day: 40-60

Largest bass caught:  13-pounds

Popular lures used this week:

1. Eight inch Zoom or Yum Lizards and 10-inch Berkley Powerworms in watermelon, junebug, watermelon red flake, black with blue tail, blue flake.

2. Yamamoto Senkos, Yum Dingers or Bass Pro Shops 5, 6 & 7-inch Stinkos in watermelon, watermelon red flake, black with blue flake, red shad and white & chartreuse.

3. Spinnerbaits in ½ to 1-ounce  in white, white & chartreuse, chartreuse and shad.

4. Bomber Fat Free Shad & Rapala DT16 Crankbaits. Both medium & deep divers in citrus shad, parrot, fire tiger, white and red shad.

5. Rat-L-Traps in ½ & ¾-ounce in silver with blue back and silver with black back.

6. Rapala X-Rap or 4 to  5-inch jerkbaits in white, clown, perch and shad.

7. RicoPop in white, white with sparkles and silver & black.

8. Zara Spook, Cultiva Tango Dancer and Reaction Innovations Vixen in chrome, chrome with black top, white and motor oil color.

9. Storm WildEye  4 and 5-inch Swim Shads in mullet, golden mullet, bunker and shad.