Weekday secret
Jeff is recording from his back porch on a beautiful summer day with not much happening on the lake. Weekdays, Monday through Friday mornings, are still one of Grand Lake's best-kept secrets. The farther south you go the more pleasure boaters you'll find, but from Shangri-La east to Sailboat Bridge and from Sailboat up to the mouth of the Elk River you won't get beat up by big boats. There are just a few WaveRunners and grandparents pulling grandkids on tubes, and everybody is welcome to enjoy the lake.
Reading the water by dock light
Some murky water came down the upper end and crept toward Shangri-La over the weekend. Jeff judges clarity by the halo from the Green Monster fishing lights on his dock at night. The murky water rounded off the halo, and now it's getting brighter again as clear water filters back in and the sediment settles.
Spawn status
Most Catfish are coming off the spawn, though some Blue Cats and quite a few Flatheads are still spawning. The Crappie and Bass spawns should be done, and White Bass are out of the rivers and creeks.
Surface action
A couple of days ago, on a drop-off between Governor's Island and Snake Island, White Bass and some Hybrids blew up everywhere in the morning. They're gorging on the half-inch to one-inch Shad fry from this year's spawn. From now until about mid-August, when the Shad grow bigger, expect fish surfacing in the mornings, evenings and even midday on cloudy days. Try Goat Island, Sweetwater, Governor's Island, Sailboat Bridge, the Bernice Bridge and the shallow gravel just southeast of it. Don't forget trolling.
Luck E Strike at Grove Walmart
Heath Claxon at the Grove Walmart heard the Luck E Strike talk on the report and asked to stock it. There's now a display with jerkbaits, square bills and crankbaits, Lucky Bugs, Swimming Minnows, the Crappie Magic crankbait and kits, with more on order. Jeff especially wants them to get Scroungers.
Scrounger slam
Fishing near Bernice on Sunday with Patricia, Jeff caught Channel Cat, Blue Cat, Kentucky Bass, Black Bass, White Bass and Crappie, all on a 1/8 oz Scrounger with a 2½-inch Moonshine Lucky Bug. He wishes he'd known years ago how good the Scrounger is. Plenty of Bass anglers know it, but Crappie, White Bass, Walleye and Smallmouth anglers mostly don't. Troll it or cast it. He likes the Lucky Bug on it a bit better than the Swimming Minnow. Ask area dealers for made-in-USA Luck E Strike Scroungers in 1/16 or 1/8 oz, or order at LuckEStrike.com.