Claytor Lake Fishing Report 3/1/20

Princeton_Man · March 02, 2020, 06:29:34 AM

Launched from Claytor Lake State Park 11:30 and ran as far as the lighthouse bridge. The surface temperature was pretty a consistent 43°, water was stained but surprisingly free of debris considering all of the rain and flooding we've had. This trip was more for recon and testing my recently installed SeaStar hydraulic steering system. Found no bait but, I did cast a crankbait and a jig for about 30 minutes.

Mike Cork · March 02, 2020, 09:57:48 AM

43 is a tough time to catch a bass... they are pretty sedentary.

Princeton_Man · March 02, 2020, 10:55:32 AM

Quote from: Mike Cork on March 02, 2020, 09:57:48 AM
43 is a tough time to catch a bass... they are pretty sedentary.

There's been two State record Spots pulled out of there in the past month and the Smallmouth fight like #ell in cold water. Back to back to back fronts are more to blame. We had 4-5" inches of snow Friday night into Saturday morning. We went from 26° at 0500 to near 40° by 1030. Forecast called for a high in the 50s Sunday then more rain this week. I had to get out there.

TheLastRodBender · March 04, 2020, 08:31:42 AM

Quote from: Mike Cork on March 02, 2020, 09:57:48 AM
43 is a tough time to catch a bass... they are pretty sedentary.

maybe your southern fish

Up here in VA, 45* is when things start to wake up.

Lipripper · March 04, 2020, 11:52:30 AM

So Jim how did ya like that SeaStar hydraulic steering system?

Princeton_Man · March 04, 2020, 06:23:23 PM

Quote from: Lipripper on March 04, 2020, 11:52:30 AM
So Jim how did ya like that SeaStar hydraulic steering system?

Do you remember the first time you got behind the wheel of a vehicle with power steering? Yup, it's just like that.

Smallie_Stalker · March 04, 2020, 10:35:24 PM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 04, 2020, 08:31:42 AM
maybe your southern fish

Up here in VA, 45* is when things start to wake up.

Yeah, it seems the farther north you go the lower the water temp it takes to get them going.

I theorize it's because they're spent so much time under the ice cold water that whe it warms into the low to mid forties that 10 degrees change is enough to set them into an early feeling mode.

And having the sun finally fully penetrating the surface after so many months probably has something to do with it also.

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zippyduck · March 05, 2020, 02:36:29 AM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 04, 2020, 08:31:42 AM
maybe your southern fish

Up here in VA, 45* is when things start to wake up.

I've caught some hawgs in 45* water. On swimbaits mostly.