Lake Conroe Fishing Report - May 16, 2008

The rain has filled the Lake and it is actually slightly over pool at 201.21. Severe weather conditions during the week have slowed fishing; but, the weekend and next week look great. The surface temperature is now in the high 70’s. About the time it starts to warm to the high 70’s we get more rain that cools the surface temperature back to the low 70’s. Black bass fishing has been great this year and there seems no end in sight for sold bass in the 8 - 12 pound catagory being caught daily. The early and late bite continues to be the best. Hybrid fishing has been outstanding with lots of fish in the flats and shallow water early. White Bass fishing has been great on the flats and sandbars early. Lit docks all around the Lake are attracting hybrids and catfish at night. Crappie fishing has been good under 1097 Bridge. Big Bream fishing continues to be outstanding, with lots of palm size bream being caught in 6 to 10 feet of water in and around rocks. The daylight bite continues to be the best for most fish, with the afternoon bite also being good for catfish in the shallows. Hybrid fishing with live bait back out in deeper water has also produced a lot of fish. You just have to find the fish with your electronics.

Black Bass

Bass fishing has just been remarkable. There are still fish in the shallows and in the backs of all the coves with many on main lake points and secondary points where there is some sort of cover or grass in the shallows. Some good fish are also being caught on the bulkheads early feeding on shad. With most of the grass gone, most are fishing boat docks, brush on the edge and backs of creeks, underwater structure and brush piles. There has been a variety of baits used this past week with 8 inch plus worms Texas rigged in pumpkin seed, plum/blue, june bug, black, plum and watermelon worms. Senkos have also been a good bait. Small shad colored crankbaits have been good for bass early when the fish are feeding on the shad. Some fishermen are changing to larger hooks on the crankbaits and also catching White Bass and Hybrids when fishing points early. Strolling has been picking up with some of the fisherman the past few weeks. Most use a Carolina rigged worm about three feet behind the sinker and swivel. They are strolling areas where this is significant depth change near bulkheads and boat docks. Topwater in the morning have still been catching some real nice fish. Lunker Lures have been the favorite of several fisherman catching the bigger fish early. Don’t forget to check out the latest catches in the Budweiser ShareLunker Program.

Catfish

Catfish fishing has really picked up. See our photo page for recent catches of catfish. There are more and more catfish that have finished spawning and are returning to deeper water. Nice fish have been caught all week under the 1097 Bridge, on baited holes on the Tram, along the River Bed and just off the rocks in all areas of the lake. We are testing a new punch bait for Magic Bait Company. It has been remarkable. You can cast the bait while fishing the bulkheads and docks and several limits of catfish have been caught this past week using several varieties of the ‘test bait’. It will be a real winner and we will keep you posted. Papa John, Wethook Guide Service, Walter Stearns, Kenny Venghaus and others that are testing the bait are very excited about the results and how it can make both deep water and shallow water catfish fishing even more productive. We will keep you all posted. The guides have all been finding catfish on baited holes in 8 to 15 feet of water. A lot of fish are being caught early in the weeds in and around bulkheads and close to rocks. The shad continue coming in early each day making fishing on the bulkheads good until late morning. The shad are on the banks that the wind is blowing into or adjacent to most of the time. The best bait on the bulkheads has been shad up until now. We see this new bait as an answer when the shad are gone. More and more big fish are being caught using King Kat Fish Bait (Premo). under the bridge and in baited holes after chumming with range cubes and soured deer corn. Other baits include cut shad, cheese baits, nightcrawlers and liver.

See page two for rest of report