Reservation Number : 21923
Property Name : Hat and Star Ranch
Reservation Date : 08/02/2019 PM - 08/03/2019 AM
Total Fish/Sizes : 11 total: 1 @ 5 lbs, 1 @ 3-3, culled 8
Lures Used : Soft plastics, crankbaits, buzzbait, & others

With an unexpected break on the weekend, I made a last minute, late / early tee time for my first trip to H & S.

Two big playful dogs greeted me as I turned near the house.  Beautiful,  pristine park like setting. Grass freshly mowed on road to lake and launch area.  Lake was like glass as I anxiously loaded the 12 ft. club boat.   Bass Forecast called for a 5.5 fair day.  Action started early on third cast near launch on Red shad TR senko.  Caught 7 in 3 hrs.   Biggest on Fri was closing time fish that went 5 lbs. at 8pm to left, facing launch area.  Culled 4.  Tx R 8in Zoom Magnum lizards (Watermelon chart. & JuneBug Red) caught the 3 big fish on Fri.

Nothing on crank baits, chatter bait, swim baits, flukes, jigs, jerk bait, buzzbait except for 1 dink on south end. Not one on weightless wacky rig senkos.  Heard the aforementioned loud coyotes as I was loading up Fri night.  After the short opening late pm session, returned to the Gilmer Inn to rest up, regroup and plan out the strategy for Sat.

Re-read some of the old reports & had a variety of enticing flavors & sizes for the green fish ready to go for the second round early Sat.  With rain in the forecast, I didn’t get on the water until 7:30.  For the second trip in a row to east Tx, storms delayed my start.

Started Sat along the dam, an area I missed Fri.  No takers.  Didn’t catch the first fish until 9am.  Only caught 4 culls on Saturday in 4.5 hours of fishing.  Nothing over 16 in. on Sat. While the 82 degree cooler temps were much appreciated, I could not overcome BassForecast, 4.3 Poor rating.   In hindsight, I might not have been using “deep enough” diving CB’s.  I lost a 6^th Sense 20 ft deep diver CB early Sat.  Time to re-stock!  Debated extending my trip to a full day, but decided to call it quits at noon and head back to Dallas.

I’m not a camper, but I must say the camping area looked very accommodating.  It would be a nice place to take a mid-day lunch break. See pic below.

Water temp:  88 – 93

Water clarity: slightly stained, 2 – 3 ft

Wind: 0 – 5 mph

Regardless of the results, I can’t wait to return and bring a guest.  I appreciate the opportunity to fish these fine PWF properties the land owners share with us.

Keith