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[jbielefeldt]

Went to Newton yesterday. Tough bite for me. Talked to a few of the regulars and they were having a slow day as well. 65 trucks in the lot --  crowded!

Water was pretty clear. Had dropped about 8 inches in the past week. Seems like Plant wasn't producing much hot water.
Temp at boat ramp: 60, up 5 from previous weekend
Temp at big pipe: 65
Temp most of the way to hot end: 65, down 5 from previous weekend
Cold water boat ramp: 55

[illinoisbassfishin]

Good report man.  Thanks.  I have been there the past 4 days in a row now and the water temps have been pretty much the same on the hot side until you go all the way down and make the turn to the west and then it has dropped quite a bit.  Saturday it was 71 all the way down at the buoys and it was only 65 yesterday just like you said as well.  I didn't do any good at all on Friday and Saturday, but yesterday on Sunday did really good and caught a lot of fish and most of them were really nice fish up to 5 1/2 lbs.  The fish bit from 6:30 am til about 10 for us yesterday then all the boats showed up and started beating the banks to death lol.  All of our fish were right on the bank in 1-2 foot of water and I think when the banks get beat to death by wake after time it spooks the fish.  We went out this morning and started at 6:30 as well and fished till about 10 am.  We only caught 6 fish but two of them were over 5 lbs so it was worth the trip.  We would have stayed longer today but we didn't come prepared for the weather.  It was foggy as all get out on the lake and on top of the north wind it was pretty darn cold and my dad and I forgot our coveralls and hand warmers, etc. and started to freeze our butts off.  The fish weren't biting and we were cold so we left.  I've been on the lake 4 days in a row now so tomorrow I'm taking the day off, but I will be back on the lake Wednesday morning at 6:30ish to try it again.

[jbielefeldt]

Thanks for the reply.

You can bet someone is always catching fish somewhere, somewhow. We got there around 9 on Sunday so we weren't the first ones to fish anywhere.

The weekend before, I did really well crankin off of main lake points for suspended fish, but that didn't work at all Sunday. I thought the fish should move in soon, so that's good to hear. The green is starting to show along the banks too. That always helps brings those fish in tight.

Hopefully more folks will fish the cold side in the next few weeks. I know I am. Helps to thin out the boats.

[Jr. Bassmaster]

Fished Newton yesterday 5-16.  Launched out of cold water ramp.  Water temp 58 while around 60 on warm side ramp.  The fish are biting

[illinoisbassfishin]

me and jasonk tore them up yesterday too.  We caught at least 20 keepers and 40-50 fish.  They are biting.  I won a tournament Saturday and got 3rd Sunday.

[Jr. Bassmaster]

Whats it taking to win lately. just starting to get over there been to busy this winter with college. I have a tourney the next two saturdays there

[illinoisbassfishin]

our last tournament took a little over 29.50 lbs to win with a big bass of 6.72.

[Jr. Bassmaster]

Tourney saturday took 26 lbs and was the only limit. took 2nd with 19 lbs with 23 boats.  Fish were on a completely different pattern but plant wasnt running and it was tough.... Ilbassfishin are you fishing the open this saturday?

[illinoisbassfishin]

i plan on fishing the southern illinois all-stars open tournament on the 28th.  I'm glad people think the fishes patterns have switched up and everything because the big fish I've have been catching have been on the same pattern now for a month.  They may not bite as well from one day to the next but nothing has changed at all for me.  And everyone's excuse that the plant isn't running is just hog wash as far as i'm concerned lol.  sorry that's just my opinion.  the way the water temps have been skyrocketing the last week or so there is on way that the plant isn't running.  People come to the lake and don't see anything coming out of the stacks and automatically think the plant isn't running.  The thing is unless it's just freezing cold in the morning you won't see anything coming out of the stacks.  I've been there Saturday and Sunday over the weekend, plus I was there 4 days last week and the water was warmer everytime.  The plant is running I assure you.  Go all the way down the cold side and fish and the plant is making so much noise it's almost annoying to fish and I have been on the lake before when the plant was completely silent.  Every tournament I fish there there is always someone saying it was a tough bite because the plant wasn't running lol.  When the water is that warm this time of year the plant is running.  It may not be running full power but it is running and even if it's not running the fish still have to eat.  It's not like the power plant has a switch for the lake that tells the fish uh oh the plants not running that means we can't bite or eat anything until they turn it back on lol either way they gotta eat.  You just have to change things around with your presentation and you may not catch as many fish or as many big fish but they still eat.  I was there Sunday morning with a friend and we could have had 27 lbs or more in a matter of two hours and been trying to cull the rest of the day.  Oh well I'm glad the theory of the plant not running gets stuck in people's heads and messes with their confidence because i don't care if the plant is running or not when we got 60 to upper 70 degree water temps I'd say we are doing alright for March lol.

[jbielefeldt]

What a brutal cold front today. Good luck with that tourney Saturday.

[illinoisbassfishin]

yea that definitely was a cold front lol.  probably a tough day of fishing today and tomorrow.  Luckily the tournament I'm fishing in is going to be sunday and it's calling for cloudy and rainy so good chance they will bite sunday in the rain.