Report Date:
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Surface water temperatures have moved into the mid to high 60’s and fishing for bass has been good. With the warmer temperatures and sunny days expect the algae to get thicker and the weed beds at the south end of the lake to start forming. Fishing has been fair to good for trout depending upon the day for spin, bait and fly rodders. Bait anglers seem to be having the best luck with worms floated off the bottom about 20-30 feet from shore in six to 10 feet of water. Fly fishermen report that fishing has also been fair to good for trout in the 15 to 20-inch range. Most are being caught with chironomid (midge larva) patterns fished under an indicator. Black or red snow cones with a white bead and contrasting red or black wire ribbing have also been working. Black, olive or purple wooly buggers and leech patterns as well as damselfly nymphs are other patterns to try. Mayflies are starting to appear so the usual Mayfly patterns such as pale morning duns (PMD’s), Adams, light Cahills and blue winged olives should work. Spin fishermen should be using gold colored spinners or lures for trout. Male bass have transitioned from the deeper water to the spawning beds hanging so please give them a break and don’t fish the beds. If fishing for bass, fish the deeper transition water just offshore. Chartreuse was working for the wipers and chartreuse or light olive appeared to be working for black bass. South Fork was stocked with 500 wipers and 10,000 catfish a few weeks ago. It has also been stocked with approximately 41,000 trout this spring. No black bass may be kept until July 1. Return them to the water as soon as they are caught.