Cool Coleman

Thought I might get back on the water at Lake Coleman today. After a hard time getting out of bed I finally made it on the lake by 9:00 (ugh). The wind was up (10-20 mph out of the north) and the it was cool (in the low 60s). The water was stained and 62 degrees. I managed to catch 5 - all on a 3/8 ounce shakey head jig with a Yamamoto Stick Worm (Red Shad) but after 3 hours I was cold, blown, and ready for a nap.

Warming Up

Back to Lake Coleman this morning - and the water is warming. Here comes spring!

The water temp was up to 53-54 degrees, clear water for Coleman, wind as the day wore on, and lots of sun (air temps into the upper 60's-70). I got on the water around 8:30 and by 10:30 I had put 10 fish in the boat (only 4-5 more after), most around a pound or pound and a half. A 4 inch worm (red shad) on a 1/8 shaky head jig was the bait of the day. Nothing else got a bite (7" Texas rigged worm, bleeding shad rattle trap). A ledge with brush (near the bridge) in 5-6 ft of water was the place. I caught a few elsewhere - but nothing like on this spot.

A great day on the water.

Cold Water Fishing

I made it out to Lake Coleman on Saturday (Feb 9). What a beautiful day - 70 degrees, light wind, blue bird sky, and a friend in the boat (Larry H). Of course the water was a bit nippy (47-48 degrees) and I'm not sure I got a bit all day (maybe a nibble on a worm). We tossed the boat at'em - everything really slow, but no takers. This time it really didn't matter; it was just great being out on the water.

Let it blow

I decided yesterday at the end of a long week of teaching a January intensive course that I was going to the lake today (Coleman). The forecast was decent - 60 degrees with 10-15 mph wind out of the North.

Well, I went - and it was wonderful. Didn't catch a thing. Didn't get a bite. The air temp was no where near 60 degree and the wind was howling out of the North at 15-20 Mph with gusts. But it was great to be on the water for the whole 2 hours I could stand it. I even ventured out into the main lake just a bit, turned the boat into the wind, and was sprayed with 48 degree water. Priceless.

Reel report: The new Shimano reel is incredible. Smooth, long, and difficult to backlash - that's right, the braking system is really good.

Bassin in December

I had never taken out the boat in December - until today, and never caught a bass in December - until today. A very long and difficult past few weeks (did I say very?) + a positive weather forecast = take advantage. So I did and although the weather did not turn out as planned, the fishing was good and the therapy was excellent.

Lake Coleman, on the water by 7:45 AM, water temp between 55-57 degrees, heavy overcast (fog early), no wind for the first two hours, then a slight northly breeze. The clouds never broke up and it stayed cool (50's) all day until I left at 2:00. The key for the day: SLOW retrieve. I caught 9 fish; 5 of them were nice keeper size between 1.5-2.5 pounds each. All but one fish came on a medium size bleeding shad rattletrap - on a slow retrieve (slow!). A few fish hit within 10 feet of shore in 5-8 ft of water; the others were further out in 10-13 feet of water. I hit my favorite points on the south side, caught 3 on the lake side. Tried the north cove (rattlesnake?) and finally caught a fish, 2 nice ones (I had tried on several trips to catch something in this cove - with not even a hit). Then back to the road bridge - caught one on the south side, then 3 more on the north side (2 good ones).

What didn't work today: soft plastic - both red shad worm and red shad brush hog failed to get any bites, spinner bait, a little top water effort, and the yellow-green crankbait (got one decent fish).

Lake Coleman in the Wind

Out early this morning to fish a little before the strong winds took hold. I made the drive down to Lake Coleman and got on the water by sun up at 7:15 (clear sky, water temp at 76 degrees, lightly stained, and breezy when I got started). I had caught seven one pounders by 10:00, most on a chrome blue bleeding shad rattle trap (the larger size) and a couple on the red shad worm. I didn't get any hits on the yellow-green crank bait, the smaller size rattle trap, a spinner bait, or my pitiful efforts to learn how to fish a jig & pig (almost as bad as my spinner bait work - no confidence at all). I tried a couple of places, but all the hits came in the larger south cove from all the way back to 25 yards around the west point. The wind really picked up by 10:00 and I couldn't get another bite; I was off the lake by 12:30.

Question of the day: Almost all of the fish I caught with the rattle trap were just barely hooked on the back treble. I tried slowing down the retrieve but no change - still just barely hooked (I was amazed I got them all to the boat; just good I guess :) ). Any ideas for when this is happening?

Second question: What's your best color for a jig & best trailer bait? I wonder if a red shad worm seems to be somewhat on, should I use the same color jig & trailer?

And... I'll be headed to Oklahoma for fall break (one whole Friday off, Oct 26). I won't be pulling the boat because of the distance and my return trip through Denton to preach. Sure would be nice if one of my Oklahoma fishing buddies found a boat for that Friday...

Pictures from Saturday

And now a couple of pictures from Saturday (thanks to a new card reader)



Perhaps 2.5 pounds? On my favorite soft plastic - red shad worm.



The first fish of the day - 1.5-2.0 pounds on the crank bait.

Fishing Lake Coleman (Sept 1)

Finally back on the water this morning after too long. The foot is better, but still not there yet.

I launched on Lake Coleman at about 7:00 AM, just as it was getting light. Of course the lake is full and this plus very little to no wind made for a beautiful early morning. I started up rattlesnake cove throwing everything I could think of - a buzz bait, a bleeding shad rattle trap, tried a little top water action, a yell0w/green crank bait, a red shad worm, and even a 1/4 ounce slab (at the sand bass popping the surface). No luck.

I ran back over to the south side in the first big cove and worked the main point with the crank bait and finally... I caught a small one, worked the tip of the point and caught a nice 2 pounder, finished working around the point and then came back tossing the worm - and caught another little one. I moved on further into the cove with the crank bait - and got another good one on the line... and broke him off. Of course I didn't have another crank bait of the same size and color (here I come Academy). I tried a larger size of the same color with no luck and another one the same size with red/yellow with no luck. I did manage to hook a couple more little ones throwing the bleeding shad rattle trap, but that was about it.

It was warming up by 11:00 and I promised to be home by noon so that was it for the day. It was to be back on the water.