Rose Valley Lake 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.

The lake has an excellent population of small bass, but some anglers are finding and catching ones over the 15" mark.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 40's, and bass can be found from 12 to 25 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields and brush piles. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate from the group in 5 to 10 feet deeper water. Also, fish habitat planted 7 to 10 deep, along drops into deeper water, attract bass to feed for short periods. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move a bit shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 2 to 8 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 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 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 2 to 6 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. 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 shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 8 to 15 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around rock piles, humps, main channel breaks, shoreline shade, and shallow weed lines.

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 4 to 8 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons are often the ideal bait. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves from the school, in 5 to 10 feet deeper water.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

A healthy population of yellow perch reside here, creating a nice perch fishery for anglers, and they provide a steady food source for larger, predator fish. Small jigs dressed with plastics or live bait, fished on light line, is catching perch in the vegetation in depths from 4' to 10'. Look for vegetation nearby drops into deeper water.

WINTER. The cold of winter drives perch deeper again in search of food and stable water conditions. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Early in Winter, perch are caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 12 to 15 of water. Later in Winter, as the lake freezes over they descend as deep as 18 feet. Plenty of yellow perch were caught last winter through the ice, and there's no reason to expect any different this year. Popular baits include small spoons, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers are beginning to catch them in 6 to 15 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they drop into 10 to 14 feet of water. Coves in in the north arm have historically delivered great stringers of perch.

SUMMER. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 10 to 15 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 6 to 12 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 5 to 10 feet of water. Later in the season, they begin to migrate deeper, toward Winter holding areas. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small crankbaits are ideal this time of year.

Current Fishing Report: Good

These pickerel are one of the more popular species in the lake, and are here in abundance. Most any lure used here for bass or walleye, also catches chain pickerel, even when you don't want to catch them. There are lots of small pickerel being caught, but the bigger ones are generally caught on larger lures. Big jerkbaits, in shad or perch patterns, are proven to attract bigger fish. Large jigs, spinnerbaits and swimbaits are also working.

WINTER. The colder months can be some of the best time to catch pickerel, and this winter should be no exception. They are currently holding in 8 to 15 feet of water, but still feeding somewhat aggressively, often moving up shallow to feed. Most of the big fish are being caught in the main basin. Popular lures include paddletail swimbaits on a Carolina rig, large spoons fished slowly around structure, or jigs tipped with a variety of large plastic trailers. Fishing can also be good with spoons, ice jigs, live minnows and cut bait.

SPRING. Now that the ice has melted, and water temperatures are in the mid 40's, chain pickerel are staging in about 10 feet of water. Later they migrate into bays and coves, 3 to 10 feet deep. Here they will feed heavily and spawn. Shallow coves and bays with weeds, grass and vegetation are their preferred locations, which is why Rose Valley Lake is an ideal habitat for these predators. Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Johnson spoons are ideal lures now, as these pickerel are feeding on small fishes.

SUMMER. During the early and late weeks of Summer, early morning anglers are having good results in 3 to 10 feet of water, for short periods of time. Spinners, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and noisy topwater are all good choices here, along with live and cut bait. Mid Summer drives chain pickerel into medium-depth cover where they can ambush small fish and frogs. Thick vegetation is ideal cover due to the shade it creates. Look for the bigger fish to hold around 8 to 18 feet deep drop-offs, just outside these weedy, shallow flats.

FALL. Cooling water moves these predators into shallower water to feed. They spend other times of the day on points and flats, from 4 to 15 feet deep, along drops into even deeper water. This is a good time to catch a trophy fish. Main lake channel edges, points around secondary creek inlets, mid-lake humps, and flats around creek mouths, are all popular areas in Fall. Later in Fall, they drop into 10 to 15 feet of water, often moving shallower for short periods of time, mostly in late afternoon when the shallows are the warmest.