Water Level: 199.62 | Water Temperature: 52.5˚
Weather: 33˚ | Partly Cloudy | Winds: 1 mph
1. Largemouth Bass: Target the warmest water in the backs of coves and creek mouths. Use spinnerbaits and rattling crankbaits retrieved at medium to fast speeds. Carolina-rigged plastic worms or lizards fished around brush and creek channels can also be effective.
2. Striped Bass: Focus near creek mouths like Lizard and Holly Grove, where schools of shad are present. Live shad and bucktail jigs remain productive, especially near the lower lake and below Kerr Dam.
3. Crappie: Fishing is good around brush piles and bridge pilings in creeks and coves. Use jigs or small minnows in slightly stained water.
4. Pickerel: Look for them near willow grass beds in the creeks using shad-colored crankbaits.
With water temperatures holding steady in the low 50s and partly cloudy skies, fishing conditions are favorable this week. Light winds and clear to lightly stained water favor active baitfish, which in turn trigger predator strikes. Early spring patterns are in full effect, so focus on warmer pockets of water and cover. Be prepared to adjust retrieval speeds, as faster presentations are often rewarded during this transition period. Get out early or late in the day for the best action and enjoy the quiet, scenic beauty of Lake Gaston this season.
