Rathbun

[herb]

Anything happening over there yet? I know it's still a bit early, but are they staging?

[Jigman]

Am going over 1st week of May to prefish a C.A.S.T. tourn. The Corp. is reporting 52 water and +1' of water. (wish it were +4-5'). They should be staging at that temp. as when they report 52 at the dam, usually puts the coves 3-5 deg higher. The CUSA tourn at Mark Twain reported the top 5 teams cathing their fish in 1-5' on jigs under a float. All the message boards are reporting slow to fair at MT. but catching 13+ lbs/10 fish in 1-5' of 57 water, makes me think staging was "several" days ago there. Rathbun usually runs 7-10 days behind Mark Twain.
That's it, Ive got to go this weekend. :D

Roger

[herb]

I agree on all counts Roger. I was at Mark Twain Easter weekend and we found fish staging at an ave. of 6' over the 16' to 21' depths. Just like Rathbun, they need about 5 to 6 more feet of water. But Rathbun is hurting badly for a good "highwater spawn". Not just for the fishermen, but for the fish especially. Good luck in the tourneys.
herb

[Jigman]

Thanks, Herb. With the DNR report of Rathbun, I hope we get some rain to get the lake up in time for the spawn. That should lock in some good fishing for several years. I think I know you, are you from Oakville? What's Odessa doing? I thought I'd take our "Maiden" voyage Sat or Sun.
Roger

[lebruce]

jigman,do you know of any other crappie tournaments at Rathbun or else wherein Iowa,besides CUSA or CAST? Hi Herb, friend was down there Fri.-Sun. turkey hunting.He told me when he got down there he went to the ramp and tossed a jig and got a 12" right off the bat.Then went hunting came back and never got another crappie.Thats all I heard,I got a friend that wants me to go down with him real soon here.We put some brush piles in down there late last summer and he wants to go check them out.

[Jigman]

jigman,do you know of any other crappie tournaments at Rathbun or else wherein Iowa,besides CUSA or CAST? Hi Herb, friend was down there Fri.-Sun. turkey hunting.He told me when he got down there he went to the ramp and tossed a jig and got a 12" right off the bat.Then went hunting came back and never got another crappie.Thats all I heard,I got a friend that wants me to go down with him real soon here.We put some brush piles in down there late last summer and he wants to go check them out.

Lebruce, all I know about in Iowa is CAST at Rathbun on 5/8, and CUSA on 6/5 at Rathbun. We usually do a Lion's Club local tourn at Mark Twain in early May, but I haven't heard anything on it. They usually send me something by mail, but I haven't seen anything yet. Roger

[lebruce]

Thanks anyway Roger, someone told me that there was a few local crappie tourn. at Rathbun and just trying to get more info on them.

[Jigman]

Thanks anyway Roger, someone told me that there was a few local crappie tourn. at Rathbun and just trying to get more info on them.

I know that "new" baitshop on the south side of the road at Bridgeview had some a year ago. Don't know much about them. Seems like they were held every weekendwith a "clasic" finish in the fall?

[herb]

Yeah Roger, I suspect you remember me but it's been many many years since we've seen each other. I used to fish the South Bend Fish America Trail with Singleton. They started screwing up my vacation time at work so that put a stop to my tourney fishing.
As far as Odessa is concerned, I haven't fished it for over 2 years now. Got tired of the spring and summer drawdowns and come fall I'm ussually up north when I have the time. I heard they opened the pipes to start the drawdown already. But that will change soon. The river is going to come back up again. Maybe they'll fall asleep at the wheel and won't get them closed before it puts a bunch of water back in the lake. hehe
Lee, from what I hear, it's pretty spotty. One day they find some and the next is a bust. I'll head either to Rathbun or Mark Twain this weekend. Might even give Little River a try. Really like that lake. If the crappie aren't doing anything the walleye lots of times are.
Didn't mean to write a book, so I'll stop here.
take care

[Zombini]

Hey Herb how ya doing ? I don't think its the big draw down for Odessa, just bringing it down to where it was before the water came up. I could be wrong though. Fished it a couple times this spring. There isn't any water in the lake even when it looks like there is. Yankee was almost bank full and only 4 to 5 foot of water. When I was a kid you couldn't hold decoys in yankee with 7 ft strings. just keeps getting more water surface area, less banks and shallower.
Did catch a few earlier back in the eye brow, had to go over a beaver dam to get there. good fishing zom