Lake Lemon Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

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 as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SUMMER. Water temperatures are in the high 70's, and summer patterns are coming to an end. Bass have feeding shallow, early and late in the day. They have been caught on topwater, crankbaits and swimbaits. Wacky-rigged stick worms are catching finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on gizzard shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and and around shallow vegetation that provides shade.

FALL. AS Fall arrives, bass here will remain shallow, 10 to 12 feet or less, as schools of baitfish into shallow areas where swimbaits, slow-rolled spinnerbaits, and Texas-style worms have been successful in prior years. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move away from the bank to points and ledges where flutter spoons are often the ideal bait.

WINTER. Lake Lemon freezes over, so winter bass fishing is generally limited to after ice-out. Cold water will isolate them around some of the deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 10 to 18 feet deep. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from wintering holding areas, to shallower water around spawning areas. Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and vibrating jigs typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively, preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 1 to 4 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. Crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms and swimbaits are catching bass during this period.

Current Fishing Report: Good

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. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching crappie as anglers have for many decades, long before the new electronics were available.

SUMMER. Water temperatures are still in the high 70's, as Summer comes to an end. Crappie are still being caught at depths of 10 to 12 feet. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging above deep above rocky structures, on steeper rocky banks and around creek channel edges.

FALL. Baitfish, soon will be moving into shallow flats, coves and bays, which will draw crappie into these areas. Here they will feed heavily in preparation for the cold Winter. Small spoons, along with minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late fall starts the migration deeper toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Flutter spoons or live minnows are ideal during this transition

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 18 feet of water. When the lake freezes over, ice fishing for crappie has been good, and the crappie may move a bit shallower under the ice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 12 feet of water, just outside shallow, protected spawning areas. Spring is the ideal time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 4 feet of water. Docks, brush, wood and vegetation are where most anglers typically catch good numbers using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie move outside the spawning area and typically hold deeper on the closest cover. Once they move off the beds, anglers are reporting good success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is a popular choice.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish here, as well as a fun fish to catch.

SUMMER. Following the spawn, most of the bigger bluegill migrate to deeper water, around 12 feet deep. They prefer rocky areas, often hanging out on steep, rocky banks where they can move up and down to feed without having to go a great distance. Small spoons, underspins, and crankbaits are catching some of the bigger bluegill. Nightcrawlers are also catching good numbers. Now that Fall is arriving, bluegill start working their way a bit shallower, and will stay for a few weeks until the shallows begin to get cold.

FALL. Cool, Fall weather drops the water temperature in the shallows and lures bluegill to move up along the shoreline. Steep banks and shallow areas with quick drop-offs are holding schools now. Weed edges, and around lily pads, are often holding fat bluegill in Fall.

WINTER. Cooling shallows have driven the bluegill back to deeper structure with cover, in water ranging from 10 to 15 feet deep. In areas with no cover, anglers are finding them along points and humps with sharp drops into deeper water. When the lake ices over, ice fishing in these areas is producing, but most successful anglers are slowing down their presentation.

SPRING. In early Spring, bluegill migrate from deep winter holding areas toward the shoreline, and are typically caught around 5 to 8 feet deep. As the water warms to the mid 70's they will begin the spawning ritual, building nests in 1 to 3 feet of water. Many of the bigger bluegill prefer to spawn a bit deeper, depending on water clarity. Small spinners and swimbaits, jigs, or hooks with small pieces of nightcrawlers, are good choices for catching a lot of bluegill in Spring.