After fighting 'cabin fever' with only two fishing trips this year, I blamed temporary insanity, got up at 2:30 a.m, and headed for Indian Hollow Ranch yesterday. Knowing it would be hot, I packed an extra half-dozen frozen bottles of water. Sure glad I did! I had few problems launching from my trailer, but was a little concerned about pulling the loaded trailer out, even with 4WD. I shouldn't have worried, though; my Forester came through for me again.

Conditions were beautiful when I launched at 5:30 a.m. The lake was dead calm, the weather was clear to partly-cloudy and cool, and the water temp just out from the steep "ramp" was 86.5 at trolling motor depth. Water clarity - once it got light enough to see - was at least 8 feet. Nice! The water temperature did climb to 90.3 by the time I left the lake.

When I started, there was a good topwater bite on, and the Whopper Plopper accounted for 4 bass in the 2- to 2.5-pound range; caught a 4-00 and two 3+ bass on the Yellow Magic, as well as a hand-sized Bluegill. The topwater bite continued until around 10:30. After that, wacky-rigged Senkos were the ticket. I did pick up a few 14+" fish on the rattletrap and crankbait; they were suspended in the tops of flooded timber in the two big coves. The two biggest fish of the day were a 5-06 and a 4-00. The big girls simply eluded me all day. All in all, though, I had a good time catching 10 under 14" long (harvested) and 22 over the 14-inch mark.

Successful lures: 

            Wacky-rigged 5" Senko, either black/blue flake or watermelon/red flake

            Wacky-rigged 12" snake, black/red flake

            Bone 1/2 oz Yellow Magic

            Shad-colored 6" Whopper Plopper

            Rage Tail Craw, T-rigged, either black/blue flake or California Craw

            Rattletrap, chrome/blue back and "sexy shad"

            Medium-diving crankbait (manufacturer unknown) in a dark sunfish pattern

What didn't work:

            Spinnerbait - white, single spin and black with oversized orange blade

            Hollow body frog (I did miss a good one on it)

            Jig & pork eel

            Lake Fork spoon

Posted By: Tom Dillon