Anyone fished Herrington Lake lately?

[Michael D]

Just wanting to know if anyone has been fishing at Herrington Lake lately? I plan on going this week-end. I will post a report when I return.

[Michael D]

Went to Herrington Lake today (Sunday, May 14,2006) and fished out of Bryant's ramp area. Couldn't get the crappie to bite. Tried several kinds of jigs and also tried minnows at a variety of depths. Water temp was 64 and the lake was fairly clear to slightly stained. The skies were mostly cloudy to overcast with periods of light rain showers, but the sun did shine for about an hour around noon. Did manage to catch some decent bluegills with popeyes tipped with wax worms. Caught the bluegills fishing around submerged cover around 5-7 feet deep and also by fishing the popeyes under corks set about 4 feet deep and casting them right against the steep rock walls. Also picked up a couple nice cats(6-1/2 lbs & 3 lbs), they were right against the steep rock walls also. Caught the cats while using the popeyes. That was a nice bonus. Tried bass for a bit and had little success. Caught 2 that were about 12" on a Bandit series 200 crankbait in a crawfish color. Had no luck with plastics or spinnerbaits. Talk to a couple others fishing for bass and they weren't having much success. Maybe someone else will post a report from another part of Herrington. Weather needs to stabilize some. What a strange spring we have had, but just get out and fish every chance you get.

[CrappiePappy]

you have "discovered" a very effective way to catch Bluegill & Catfish, that many other people have been using for years. The "popeye/waxworm/cork" setup is a good way to catch some very nice sized Bluegill, from the cliff walls of Herrington. The Catfish are there to spawn, and will willingly take the same offering. Best cliffs are those with lots of cracks & crevices, and ledges (at < 10ft below surface). This is especially true in the "river end" of the lake, but can also hold true along the cliffs of the "dam end". With this weekend being a "Full Moon" period ..... the Bluegill & Cats were probably making a stab at spawning.
For Crappie ... try standing timber, up in the bigger creeks. Minimum bait depth of 8ft, to a max depth of 20ft (in 20-30ft of water).
For Bass ... plastics/cranks at night, along the main lake banks - from shoreline to 15ft depths, on "stairstep" rock banks, and the points made by pockets along the cliff banks.
For Bluegill/Catfish ... you've got that figured out :D ... should work pretty good on Full Moon periods, until Fall turnover. Another good way to catch some good sized Bluegill, once Summer gets here, is to fish parallel to the cliffs. Using crickets and your favorite style of Bluegill hook ... attach a #4 splitshot sinker about 8-10" above the hook. Cast parallel to the cliff walls, out about 10-20ft away from the wall, and allow the bait to swing back/drop on a taught line until it's directly below you. You should get hit before then, but if not ... continue casting a little closer or farther away from the cliff. Once you've covered an area to your satisfaction ... move the boat to where your longest casts landed, and repeat the process in the "new water" area. Shaded water along the cliff banks, seems to hold the better sized fish. And you'll need the larger splitshot to get the cricket past the smaller, shallower fish The "little guys" tend to hang close to the cliff walls/ledges ... hiding in the cracks/crevices. (with the exception of those Full Moon spawning periods)

Keep up the reports, and thanks for keeping us informed ........ luck2ya ... cp

[Scotty]

I am goin to be fishing there june 12 thu the 17th. and im staying at Gwinn island..What is the best fishing for some nice bluegill, bass, and what ever else that time of summer????

[CrappiePappy]

I am goin to be fishing there june 12 thu the 17th. and im staying at Gwinn island..What is the best fishing for some nice bluegill, bass, and what ever else that time of summer????

Try the cliff walls for Bluegill, Catfish .. daytime ... waxworm on popeye jig ... 6-8ft below a small float (see previous post).
For Bass .... early AM topwater along cliff walls ... crankbaits along deep banks with chunk rock or stairstep rock ledges, in early AM and from just at dark until well after midnight (12-15ft depth range). Plastic worms & craws, texas rigged, at night under Blacklights (5-15ft depths).
For Crappie ... lighted docks, at night, minnows ... around the perimeter of the light, and just off to the dark side of the dock. And be aware ... Hybrid Stripers are also known to school under the Shad that come in to the light !! Crappie can also be caught by tying to a tree, standing in deep water (>20ft) ... putting out lights, and minnow fishing around/under lights. (you don't need really big/bright lights ... a simple 2 mantle lantern or a 12V headlamp in styrofoam is enough ... fish from 8ft - 15ft deep)

Be sure and post a report ................ luck2ya ..... cp

[adam]

im goin to herrington the same time as scotty... were are the best places to fish for catfish and whats the best thing to use?

[CrappiePappy]

im goin to herrington the same time as scotty... were are the best places to fish for catfish and whats the best thing to use?

pretty much anywhere on Herrington is good for catfish. Deep points, cliff walls, mud banks, rocky banks ....... whatever. Daytime catfish fishing would probably be best done as described in my post about popeye/waxworm fishing. Nighttime ... docks, rock rubble type banks, points, & mud banks ... using cut shad.
I don't fish for catfish, specifically ...... but, catch a good one every now & then - usually on plastic worms/craws or crankbaits, at night. .......... luck2ya ......... cp

ps ..... Welcome to Crappie.com !!