Sangchris Lake Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Very Good To Excellent

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SUMMER. Water temperatures warm considerably in Summer, so bass feed shallow, early and late in the day. As the day warms, they are typically caught in 8 to 20 feet of water. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on threadfin shad, gizzard shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are typically caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 12 to 20 feet deep. Drop shots, and wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 10 to 20 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. Mid to late Fall they concentrate in 4 to 15 feet of water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

WINTER. The cold of Winter will isolate largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are usually in the low high 40's to mid 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending from 4 to 15 feet deep over deeper structure. In January they may move deeper. Bass often move a bit shallower on warm, sunny days. Also, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools, 5 or so feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, spoons, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. When water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits are typically get bites just away from the shoreline. In early Spring they feed aggressively in about 2 to 12 feet of water, and prepare for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 8 to 15 feet deep. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass when they are not shallow.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Both black and white crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. This is true for trolling or casting. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search the old fashion way, via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them just as anglers have for many decades. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 10 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 15 to 20 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks with shade. Some of the best fishing is early morning, late evening, or night. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins cooling the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. Fall is one of the best seasons for crappie fishing at Sangchris. Cooling water temperatures concentrate baitfish, and crappie school aggressively around brush, timber, and channel edges. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 6 to 15 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 12 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. The warm-water influence keeps portions of Sangchris productive throughout winter. Crappie often school tightly around standing timber and submerged brush. The water temperature drop into the 40's. The shallows turn cold, causing crappie to migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Typically they are caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 25 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports often come from anglers targeting standing timber and brush piles. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into slightly shallower water to feed.

SPRING. Spring is the premier crappie season. Fish move shallow to spawn and concentrate around timber, brush, docks, and shoreline cover. Both white and black crappie can provide excellent action. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 2 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays, and on shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 8 to 15 feet of water. Once they move out of the shallows, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Current Fishing Report: Very Good To Excellent

Striped bass run in schools, and the use of new technology is helping anglers catch more stripers. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently one of the the easiest ways to locate schools of both fish and baitfish. Once located using these advanced fish finders, striped bass are being caught by trolling, casting or jigging, depending on depth.

SUMMER. Summer is one of the best seasons for striped bass at Sangchris due to the lake's warm-water influence and abundant shad population. Stripers frequently school in open water and along channel edges, often feeding aggressively during low-light periods. These stripers hang out in deeper water during the heat of the day, 11 to 30 feet deep, early in the season. Much of the time they are holding over deeper, open water. Morning often draws the stripers shallower, so look for them around the 10-foot range as they feed on roaming schools of baitfish. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers are likely to be nearby. Later in Summer, expect to locate schools 20 to 35 feet deep. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

FALL. Fall provides outstanding striped bass fishing as cooling temperatures trigger heavy feeding activity. Schools of stripers follow migrating baitfish and frequently push shad to the surface. Early in the day stripers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. They follow schools of bait, which are hanging out in 8 to 25 feet of water. Look for shallow water along wind-blown shorelines, nearby deeper river channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch striped bass at this time of year. Late Fall will find most of the stripers in 20 to 25 feet of water.

WINTER. Striped bass remain active throughout winter, particularly near the warm-water discharge. Fish often school tightly around bait concentrations and can provide excellent action during stable weather periods. Once Winter sets in, stripers will be hanging out in deeper water. They usually feed close to the bottom, around 15 or 35 feet deep as they feed on roaming schools of threadfin shad and alewives. The main lake basin, along deep channels is holding schools of stripers, especially in the section of lake around the dam. Locate schools of bait, then look for stripers close by. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are caught while drift fishing with live bait or cut bait. Spoons, blade baits, and heavy hair jigs are also effective this time of year. Due to the stripers slower metabolism this time of year, anglers are triggering more strikes by working baits more slowly.

SPRING. Spring fishing improves steadily as water temperatures rise and baitfish become more active. Although stripers do not spawn successfully in Sangchris Lake, they often make seasonal movements into creek arms and shallow feeding areas. Water temperatures will have returned to the mid 60's, and that's ideal for the stripers to spawn. Stripers are being caught in the upper end of the lake, and the backs of coves, if there is inflowing water. If they spawn, this is where they will lay eggs in the moving water. They also move into transition zones on the main lake, in 10 to 30 feet of water, feeding on baitfish which are moving toward the shallows. Expect to locate them on mid-depth ledges, flats or points. The lake (and state) record is over 30 pounds, and many anglers believe there are bigger ones to be caught.