Local pro and guide Boby Barack gets stripers on topwater this time of year.
Low light times, early / late and about 4' of water. Throw a zara spook
(clown is good) or follow up with a big dart head with a big worm.
Bill

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
s.com...
"John Kerr" wrote in message
...
Bob, for the most part, I stayed in San Diego during December, January,
and Februrary...the river was just not "kind" enough for me then g.
But one time I camped out at Lake Martinez in January, and caught some
really nice bass under the wooden boat docks at the marine camp end. I
used mostly soft plastics, but my son got a few on top water early in
the morning there. Later in the afternoon we hit the Arizona Channel,
and Hidden Lake, got a few there too. I have no doubt you know those
waters way better than I ever will, but you brought back memories of the
"River" with all the places you described...so I thought I'd say hi
grin.
JK


Topwater in January? Wow! I'm impressed. I caught more numbers of fish
on
topwater than anything else this year, but I haven't seen so much as a
minnow hit the surface since early November.

Martinez lake is a pretty good area. There are guys who fish it
exclusively
most of the year.

The Arizona channel takes some real work these days. Most of the cuts
have
weed growth laying over the channels. You can go in the lower channel and
fish three lower lakes, but then you either have to go back and take the
main channel up to another opening or cut through by running your boat up
over the brush. I've explored by going over the brush, but its slow
going.
Good for a day long adventure, but very time consuming for a tournament.
I
have caught a couple nice fish in some of those back lakes. In the summer
its a great area for sight fishing with rubber worms, and in the winter
there isn't any better place for duck hunting because so few other boaters
will take the effort to get in there.

So anyway, when are you going to come out and teach me the errors of my
fishing ways?

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com