Report Date:
http://www.ndow.orgFishing has been good here as anglers report catching wipers, trout and black bass. However, heavy flows continue to come into the lake bringing lots of dirt and debris causing the water to be very turbid, especially at the south end. PowerBait seems to be working better than worms for trout. Anglers are also having success using wooly and seal buggers. Other small flies such as hares ears, egg patterns, soft hackles, egg sucking leeches and chironomids should work from shore. Chironimids such as snow cones, frostbite chironomids, zebra midges and Yankee buzzers in rootbeer, black and red are working as the midges continue to hatch in ever increasing numbers. They should be fished right off the bottom in about six to eight feet of water with muddy bottom. Trout are cruising the shallows where the sun can warm up the water to a more desirable temperature. Smallmouth bass are being caught using crawfish patterned flies and lures. Wipers are showing up in the creel with some nice fish being caught along the no wake buoy line at the south end of the lake using black over silver and black over white crank baits, fire tiger minnow imitations and chartreuse crystal buggers and Clouser minnows. Good places to fish for trout include the north end of Jet Ski Beach, the last cove before the dam on the northeast side, the main boat ramp cove and from a boat or float tube at the south end of the lake. During the month of April South Fork was stocked with more than 40,000 catchable rainbow trout.