Small mouths on top water has been great.

Meesh

Meesh

New Member
We've been catching the crap out of the small mouth using top water lures, from spook juniors to poppers on the fly rod.

We're finding them in shallow coves, usually with sandy bottoms and no real structure. I have pulled some from above their normal rocky haunts, but mostly in these sandy coves. We're fishing from Halls to Moki and having success.

Of note - I'm only hooking one out of every 5 or so strikes (lots of splashing going on) and also getting a few in the middle of the day so I think it's more of an aggression thing rather than feeding,

Now if I could catch some dang stripers; three or four a day will not fill my freezer!

A shout out to my lake neighbors from Monroe - you inspired me to make this post.
 
Meesh said:
We've been catching the crap out of the small mouth using top water lures, from spook juniors to poppers on the fly rod.

We're finding them in shallow coves, usually with sandy bottoms and no real structure. I have pulled some from above their normal rocky haunts, but mostly in these sandy coves. We're fishing from Halls to Moki and having success.

Of note - I'm only hooking one out of every 5 or so strikes (lots of splashing going on) and also getting a few in the middle of the day so I think it's more of an aggression thing rather than feeding,

Now if I could catch some dang stripers; three or four a day will not fill my freezer!

A shout out to my lake neighbors from Monroe - you inspired me to make this post.
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Thanks for the report. Curious about water temps. Have they started to come down yet?
 
We’re in Escalante just past 50 Mile. Water temps running about 77-78. Catching has been slow but consistent, best spots along walls across from the big houseboat beach back out toward Clear Creek. Daily tally 8-10 Smallies and 4-5 Stripers, 1-2 LMB. Chovies have been ineffective. Stripers and the larger SMB like trolled 6-8 XDs and SMB hitting Yamamoto Kreature Blk Flk Watermelon and 4” D/T H-Grubs NF/LG Grn Purp. (Texas rigs and lead heads).
 
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Meesh said:
We've been catching the crap out of the small mouth using top water lures, from spook juniors to poppers on the fly rod.

We're finding them in shallow coves, usually with sandy bottoms and no real structure. I have pulled some from above their normal rocky haunts, but mostly in these sandy coves. We're fishing from Halls to Moki and having success.

Of note - I'm only hooking one out of every 5 or so strikes (lots of splashing going on) and also getting a few in the middle of the day so I think it's more of an aggression thing rather than feeding,

Now if I could catch some dang stripers; three or four a day will not fill my freezer!

A shout out to my lake neighbors from Monroe - you inspired me to make this post.
Click to expand...
Thank You!

Awesome detail and a great report!

I am planning to go to Bullfrog area on 9-23.
Fishing reports are few and far between.
Haven't seen any reports from middle of the Lake,
Only Wahweap and dam area.
I will post when I return home!
 
We were there from the 14th thru 17. Stayed on the bouy in Halls. We fished from Iceberg to Forgotten. We tried all of our past successes and threw almost everything we had at them, except of course top water. Very limited success. A few big LMB some smallies and cats. Caught almost as many cats off the house boat as we did our on the lake. Very slow. We will try one last time the end of October. Looking for some good reports to help
 
Meesh said:
We've been catching the crap out of the small mouth using top water lures, from spook juniors to poppers on the fly rod.

We're finding them in shallow coves, usually with sandy bottoms and no real structure. I have pulled some from above their normal rocky haunts, but mostly in these sandy coves. We're fishing from Halls to Moki and having success.

Of note - I'm only hooking one out of every 5 or so strikes (lots of splashing going on) and also getting a few in the middle of the day so I think it's more of an aggression thing rather than feeding,

Now if I could catch some dang stripers; three or four a day will not fill my freezer!

A shout out to my lake neighbors from Monroe - you inspired me to make this post.
Click to expand...
When I’m missing a lot of hits on topwater it’s generally because I’m to excited and don’t wait two or three seconds before I set the hook after the take. Letting the fish turn and start to dive back to the bottom before setting the hook has always increased my hookups on topwater fishing. You probably already knew that but some readers on here may benefit from that tip.
 
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DeYoungCrew said:
When I’m missing a lot of hits on topwater it’s generally because I’m to excited and don’t wait a two or three seconds before I set the hook after the take. Letting the fish turn and start to dive back to the bottom before setting the hook has always increased my hookups on topwater fishing. You probably already knew that but some readers on here may benefit from that tip.
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This is a great tip, and it's something that I especially struggle with when fly fishing on top. When a bass breaks the surface from underneath my lizard brain has already tried to set the hook and I rip it right out of their mouths! So frustrating.
 
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