Tough January Fishing

Weekend before last one of my clubs had our first tournament. I went to Lake
Sinclair on Saturday morning and spent the day looking the lake over and trying
to find something. The surface temp at the dam and creeks in that area was 52
and clear. Around the steam plant the water was 66 and stained, and at the
marina it was 60 and stained.

I managed one small 14 inch fish in the clear water near the dam on a
crankbait, and also found some shad and fish under them on a big flat point
near the marina. Camped that night - only 22 degrees - and decided to stay in
the warm water most of the next day. Went there and fished everything I could
think of for five hours, finally landing one keeper on a jig and pig. Fished
the deep fish on the point and got one bite but missed it, the shad and fish
would move when I tried to get on top of them. I did catch two small hybrids
near the steam plant.

At weigh-in 10 of the 16 fishermen did not have anything to weigh. We had 11
keepers, and I finished 4th with one weighing 1.38 pounds.

Went to West Point yesterday to check out the lake for my other club's
tournament Sunday. Spent the day in one clear water creek, trying to find deep
fish to jig. Never spotted a school of shad, they were either real shallow or
down in the underwater timber. There were some loons around so I am sure shad
were in the area.

This creek and two others that join it have several underwater roadbeds that
usually hold fish - nothing. Nothing on points, creek channels, humps or
anything else I looked at. I did jig in some brush in a few places on the lips
of drops, thinking they fish might be buried in it, but no bites. The day was
cold, high near 50, high pressure and bright sun, water temp 46 to 49.

I will go back tomorrow and check out some other areas. If I can't find and
deep fish will spend the day throwing little crankbaits at clay and rocks,
along with a jig and pig. Supposed to cloud up tomorrow and rain all day Sunday
- great fishing weather in Jan! I will camp again tomorrow night - I am
determined to spend more time on lakes before tournaments this year, even if it
freezes me!
Ronnie

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