Reservation Number : 36570
Property Name : Signal Ranch
Reservation Date : 06/08/2023 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 109 Total - 107 Bass/2 Tilapia - Dinks to 4lbs
Lures Used : Worms/Chatterbait/Frog/Underspin-Swimbait/Fluke

First single day trip with PWF that I have ever broken 27 solo fish/45 fish as a group in one day. Went with one of my best friends (not a member... ‘yet’ ) to celebrate his birthday. He ended with 47 bass and left as we had a storm coming at us. I ended the day at 60, but I should have left at 43. We actually could have passed 120 fish with all of the fish that came off at the boat or came off mid retrieve. 

Here’s the details you want but you can read farther for more info on why this was such an epic trip:

Water was 85+ if my Deeper Chirp was accurate. Stained with limited visibility, but you could see clearly 2 feet off the bank with polarized lenses.
Lures that worked in order of most fish caught to least fish caught: $$$Worm #1 (any kind/shape/size) in Black & Black/Blue combos, Worm #2 Watermelon Red Fleck, Worm #3 Green Chartruese Tail$$$, Yamatanuki – Black/Blue Fleck – nearly emptied the pack, Chatterbait (same as my last report for Signal Ranch) Red/Brown w/California Craw trailer, Frog – Ribbit Top Toad Floater, Lipped Crank Bait (bluegill pattern), Flashy Underspin w/shad-minnow color swimbait, Fluke – Shad color
Locations that were hot: Lily Pads, First Fish Feeder, most of the grass edges but especially where there was shade to sunlight transition, under the metal bridge and the attached corners of bank with weeds/grass, main channel running the length of the lake, and a few aerators. Note the most fish were caught under and around the metal bridge and main channel. Read on for more info.

Lures that did not work oddly enough: Lipless crankbait in bluegill pattern, medium size bluegill swimbait(sleeper gill), swimjig with trailer both in Bluegill Colors. I chose these because bluegill pattern was amazing on my previous visit to this property two years ago. Patterns change I guess.

Pre-Trip info: Now we were both looking forward to this trip. If you have fished with me/know me, you know I do a lot of research for every trip. Reading every single fishing report in the history of the property that is close to the same time of year as my trip. Mapping out locations to fish and lures to use. Go look at my previous Cash-Signal Ranch report as it is probably one of the most detailed I have ever done. Let me preface this with why I specifically had higher hopes for the trip. This was my 4th PWF trip this year. The first 3 were in my humble opinion strike outs compared to some amazing PWF trips in the past (I broke my PB 4 times since joining – 2 of which were in the same trip). First trip this year was bad due to weather and me not rescheduling and the other two just not producing numbers. However, one trip we did catch a 4 pounder and two 5’s. So that one isn’t a bad trip, but it was a long and hard day to reach 6 total fish between 2 anglers. I can go to my residential pond and do that for free. The last trip was so bad that I didn’t even report it. This was the first time I can remember not doing a report to help other members. So money to fish ratio this year was bad and I seriously questioned continuing my membership. Renewel passed just before this trip and I was thinking “ok, let’s see how the rest this year goes before making a decision”. It also doesn’t help when you see all of the PWF social media posts are “monster fish or 70+/130+ fish caught” like every week. It’s discouraging when you don’t get those experiences at least once in 3 trips. 

Trip specific info/Info to help others/Good Stuff: Started the day at sunrise. Only two casts in the small area beside parking. We got on the water fairly quickly around 6:30/45. I started with the frog and he started with a small thin worm, working the lilly pads by the dock. We both boated fish by 7AM with multiple strikes and misses. Not decent size but good to get the skunk out of the boat quickly. Immediatly saw 3 different snakes cruising the lily pads and one of which went after my frog. No worries, the nearest fish feeder went off so we put it in gear in that direction. Picked up a few more bass on the same lures and then moved on. Tried first aerator and only picked up 1. Didn’t scan any fish on it. We focussed on the grass lined banks and next set of lily pads before the first penninsula. Not a lot of fish but we caught a couple here and there. Workded the second section and pier (no fish caught near any of the 3 piers all day). Once we reached the bridge we were catching more fish on a consistent basis. I kept trying different lures, but my friend was just raking them in with small black or black/blue worms. He never put the worms down. Just used different colors. After he was kicking my butt with at least a 10 fish lead, I finally caved in and just fished the worm. Honestly, I don’t think the color of the worm mattered as we used other colors and patterns and they bit them all. They just wanted the worm. I went for my old faithful 7” Tournament Stick-O in Black with Blue Fleck from BassPro. Some of the smaller fish didn’t get good hook sets. So I downsized to the traditional 5 inch worm. The rest is history. I may have used every single 5” black/blue combo worm I had on me. I will need to buy before my next trip. We left the bridge when things slowed and caught a couple in the far back area. No real luck on any aerators which is opposite from my last visit. We headed back to the bridge as the day was getting hotter with the sun getting higher. We anchored back under the metal bridge and it was like we never left. They were just on fire and wanted the worm. 

After passing my personal best number of 27 and we hit 50 bass combined, we broke for lunch. I trolled my chatterbait behind me as we traveled along the main channel back to the pier. I caught nice 2+ pound bass this way. We hit the road and picked up some Burger King in Quinlan. Went drive through because we wanted to get back to the fishing.

Getting back on the water, we wasted little time fishing here and there and went straight to the bridge as the heat and sun was not worth sitting in. Again, didn’t take long before we were catching them left and right. We got off the water close to 4PM so that my friend could take a phone meeting in his car. I fished the road bridge by the parking and bank fished the smaller water area. People call it the small pond but the water connected to the main lake. I picked up 4 or 5 bass this way. Chatterbait and worm. We got on the water after his meeting was done. However, we didn’t make it past the 2nd aerator before we heard thunder. We had seen the clouds build and then dark clouds approaching before. So for safety we got off the water, unloaded the boat/cleared all trash, loaded the cars, but did a little bank fishing because I suggested hitting 80 total bass for the day. He was at 47 and I just needed to hit 43 to achieve this. Mission accomplished at the lily pads. My friend then left. I decided to stay just as long as I felt safe and bank fish tip of the first penninsula. We had graphed so many bigger fish in the main channel, but more specifically between that point/aerator and the metal bridge. I cast as far as I could in that direction to hit the channel and it paid off. As this was happening the breeze picked up and the overall temp had dropped. It felt very cool and comfortable. During this time I was setting mini-goals for myself. Like let’s get to 50. Ok done. Well lets get 3 more to make it a round total of 100 bass. Ok done. Then it was why not hit 60 solo bass. I got to 59 and it was the biggest of the day for me a 4.03 lbs. Then everything stopped. No wind, no cool temp, but I look to my right and NO STORM. It must have skirted by the town. So I walk back and pack up the car, but put grabbed more black blue worms from the tackle box in my car. It took way too long but I picked up my 60th bass at the lily pads. Then I put the gear away and took end of day pictures. I was at the entry/exit gate right around 8PM and the sun was still setting.  What a day!

Earlier I said I should have left when we hit 80 total bass. I paid for it with a sore back. Now I no longer envy the 100+ catch days and don’t feel the need to get there now that I have done it at least one time. From here on out I am hunting quality 5+ pounders and to break my 9 LB personal best. Which I hope will be a 10+. 

Good luck out there and make sure to add this special property to your list.