June 28, 2015
The rain continues to fall around Texas and Amistad is not filling much but it is not loosing any water and that is great for this time of year. Lake levels continue to be steady and slightly rising at 1089.19 ft. above sea level, which is 27 feet below full pool. Water temps have stayed pretty cool with high 70’s in the am hours and low 80’s in the afternoon sunshine. I just concluded a week on the water with my youth fishing camp and not very many quality fish were caught but numbers were good. Fish seem to be caught any way you like from 1 foot to 40 foot. We were averaging about 15 bass per day and 6-8 keepers with the kids. A few large bass were lost this week but that is part of the game. I anticipate the water temps to warm more rapidly as we enter July and summer patterns to become the norm right through mid-Sept. The grass on the lake looks fantastic with lots of pondweed growing to the surface already and hydrilla is taking off. We could use some warm weeks with lots of sun in July and Aug. to continue the phenomenal grass growth. I have see tons of fry in the lake this spring and the grass will be great for them to grow and prosper. I look forward to the next several years on this pond!
Current Patterns -
Shallow: At first light and for about 30min or so you can catch a few fish on topwater poppers or walk-the-dog type lures like the new iMA little stick. Once the sun rises over the horizon your best bet is in covering the shallow water column over deep water with a iMA jerkbait. Large schools of shad are moving early and the bass are taking advantage in the first few hours. Wind blown bluffs and main lake creek cannel turns seem to be a good bet for this pattern. The rivers are producing the most consistent action in the shallows. You can go either way. Up the Devils river or Rio Grande, but don’t stop short… get on up there for the best action. Trickworms and small crankbaits around abundant shoreline cover work well once the sun is high in the sky.
Mid-Depth: Once again the iMA Flit 120 jerkbait is hard to beat in the clear waters of Lake Amistad. I know they have been flying off the shelves of the local tackle shops and they are hard to keep in stock. Texas rigged worms are working in mid-depth zones around the hydrilla and specifically the edges of the thicker grass. A short Carolina rig with your favorite plastic is a good bet when the morning bite slows and the sun gets high in the sky.
Deep: Utilizing your electronics is important for deep-water success. I have seen some scattered bass in the deep zones and have targeted them with drop-shot successfully, but I am not finding them schooled up well yet. This should change as more fish move deeper in July and Aug. The football jig can get bites but you need to drag is slowly and anticipate very few fish throughout the day.
Good Luck out there and Tight Lines!
Kurt
