Fishing report

I thought by now, I would be writing glowing fishing reports for Lake D’Arbonne and area lakes, but things have just been a little slower to get cranked up than usual this year. I thought it might be just D’Arbonne because of the drawdown, then the fast rise of the lake followed by colder weather.

But this year’s pattern appears to be hitting the same everywhere. There are some fish being caught. Bass fishing in the shallower water has been pretty good on Lake D’Arbonne on some days. Fish are holding pretty tight to cover for the most part, but the smaller males are roaming the shallows. Most of the big bass being caught are full of eggs.  Big plastic lures in darker colors are working well. Fish slowly. Water temperatures got up into the low 60’s consistently this week, but the spawn is still not in full swing. White perch fishing continues to still be best in the deeper water, everywhere from 14-15 feet deep up to 20-22 feet deep.  The fish are holding suspended in 10 – 12 feet or up to 15-16 feet in deeper areas. Hair jigs and plastic tails are both working, but you have to fish slow.  The bigger crappie have moved out into the sloughs and holding areas and are biting some early in the morning and really late in the afternoon, but catches are still scattered. Shiners and jigs are working.  Even the catfish fishing has been a bit slower than usual. What all this means is one day in the next couple of weeks, fishing may really turn on and be outstanding. When will it start? Your guess is as good as mine.

At Poverty Point, there are some white perch being caught early. Some of the fish here are moving shallow, but there also are still catches in a bit deeper water. They don’t appear to be bunched up anywhere.  Some big bass continue to be caught around the piers and shallower areas with grass or other structure in protected areas.

Lake Claiborne seems to be following the same pattern as D’Arbonne, although the white perch seem to be moving up shallow a little more here than at other lakes. Shiners are working well. Gray and smoke jigs plus chartreuse jigs are working.  Bass fishing has been fair to good. Fishing for white perch on the backwater lakes on the Ouachita River has slowed down a bit. Fish are being caught in deeper water near the bottom in the lakes. Bass fishing is fair on points and up in shallow backwater areas. Spinnerbaits and soft plastics are working.

Wind has been a factor on all the lakes this past week, but should settle down a bit in the next few days. Good luck and be safe!