Thanks
Thanks for listening, from everybody at the GRDA, KGVE, Jeff's team at Luck E Strike in Greenwood, Arkansas, and the dealers around the lake.
Early warm-up
The water temperature keeps getting warmer. Jeff hopes we're not setting up for a big push of Crappie into the shallows around the end of March, only for a big cold front to knock them back hard. That has happened off and on over the last few years. He remembers one year catching a lot of Crappie on the bank on his birthday, around March 27, but that was years ago.
Crappie spawn timing
The upper end of the lake can do well on the bank at the end of March, but the big push usually comes around April 10 to 23 and keeps going. Some people still catch a few stragglers on the bank until about the middle of May. The farther down the lake you go, the later the spawn. The farther up, the earlier. Jeff caught some nice Crappie off his dock over the weekend on the 2-inch Lucky Bug in Desert Hero and in Old School (the black one).
Paddlefish
Haydn with Williams Guide Service says there's a lot of really good fishing around Sailboat Bridge, but you have to keep moving until you find them. The recent push of water moved the fish down into the lake a bit, and if you keep digging you'll find them. Use a barbless treble hook.
Catfish
Catfish are in the shallows. On nice days Blue Cats invade shallow water looking for shad kill, and they can tear stuff up quickly. If you're bank fishing, keep your rod tied down or in a rod holder. They grab it and go.
Bass
Not much Bass news. Bass anglers, especially tournament guys, are tight-lipped and don't post much on the Grand Fishing Report group. Jeff wishes more would share, because with the lake warming the fish will start moving up into shallower water.
White Bass / Spring River
White Bass are ripping things up on Spring River right now, and you'll probably find Crappie too if you can find a place to fish. Pictures on the Grand Fishing Report Facebook group show anglers shoulder to shoulder above Moccasin Bend, with plenty of fish. This is when they push up past the bridge onto the gravel bars. Swimming minnows in the USA color (red, white and blue flakes) are a great choice.
Luck E Strike at your dealer
Ask your favorite Grand Lake dealer for the American-made Luck E Strike hard baits, Lucky Bugs, Swimming Minnows, the Scrounger (back for everyone who fishes them), kits and Jimmy Houston Redman spinnerbaits.