Anglers Inn El Salto Bass Fishing Report for February 16, 2004

Report:

· Air Temp: 57° F (Mornings) - 74°F (Mid-Day)
· Water Temp: 68-71°F
· Average number of bass per boat per day: 40-60
· Largest bass caught: 11 lbs (5 of them)
Popular lures used this week:

1. Kinami Flashes & Yamamoto Senkos 5, 6 & 7 Watermelon, Black & Blue, Green pumpkin, Pumpkin Seed, Chartreuse.
2. 6-8 Lizards - Watermelon, Watermelon with blue flake, Black with Blue tail, Blue flake, Green pumpkin.
3. Storm Wild Eye Swim Shad 5-6  Pearl White, White w/ Chartreuse top, Shad, Golden Mullet. (5 have been working the best)
4. Rattletrap - 1/2 oz. & 3/4 oz. - Silver/ with Blue back, Silver/ with Black back, Bleeding Baby Bass
5. Jerkbaits  5  7  Silver / Blue, Shad, Fire Tiger.
6. Spinner bait ½ oz. to 1-1/2 oz.  White, White / Chartreuse, Chartreuse, Shad.
7. Popr s (Ricos) & Zara Spooks  Silver / Black, Chrome, Clear, Green Pumpkin.
8. Fat Free Shad & Rapala  Deep and Medium  Citrus Shad, Parrot, Blue Gill, Fire tiger, White

ADDITIONAL INFO:

There were more bass caught over 10 pounds this report than the last. The spawn is still going on and the most productive bait has been soft plastic jerk worms. There are still two types of fishing. One can fish the bank for the spawning females and catch mostly males with an occasional female in the crowd or fish in deeper water for the bigger bass but the numbers of bass caught will go down. If one is looking for a 10+ bass, you must be focused and stay concentrated on fishing big fish areas such as deep points, humps and channel drop offs with bigger baits such as the Storm Wild Eye Swim Shad, ¾ ounce to 1-1/4 spinnerbaits or Carolina rigging a watermelon lizard. Rattletraps have been pulling in some quality bass. One customer caught 6 bass totaling 40 pounds in 20 minutes on silver with a blue back Trap. Out of the 5 eleven pounders caught this report, 2 came on a pearl swimshad, 2 on a watermelon lizard Carolina style and 1 on a Senko on the bank. Wacky style the Senkos and Kinami Flashes have been producing the best numbers while Carolina Rigging lizards and Swim baits have been producing the big female bass. Hard plastic jerkbaits are doing well up on the bank. A 5 jerkbait in the shad color and also golden shiner will catch some fish. After the next full moon, majority of the bass will go out and suspend after the spawn. This is when deep diving crankbaits should work well, especially the Fat Free Shad in the Citrus color. There has been little topwater action in the early mornings and late evenings on Poprs.