River Lakes

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I am fishing some beginner tournaments this year. I have one coming up in Flowood, MS, Crystal Lake. I have never fished river effected lakes much. Anyone got any tips, tricks, or techniques for me for river lakes and what effects do the rise and fall have to do with them? Any of you MS guys ever fished there, it is right off of 55?

[MississippiBoy]

I've never been there, Bubba. It's pretty close to I-55, right by the stack, but I'm not sure how you actually get there.
The Bass Pro isn't far from there, either, so be careful. The bait monkey may be waiting for you to get closer.
I looked on www.mdwfp.com to see if they had any info, but all I found was an old thread from last year about the lake.

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/topic.as...s=CRYSTAL+LAKE

Maybe that'll help some. Good luck, and let us know how you did.

[Lilmoosecountry]

River lakes are just like rivers in the way they act. Some where there is heavy current feeding in & out of the lake. When they flood the water can be just as dirty as the river. I love Sassy shad & jigs for this application.

[aikenyounggun]

yeah i have always heard that you need current or where there is always a current find something that blocks is like rock or something.... not much experience though

[rangerryan]

fish generally stay shallow if a lake is constantly rising up and falling down. and they are generally murky. never fishing the lake id use big jigs and soft plastics maybe a shallow crank. but you just never know but that is where i would personally start.

[Bassboss]

Try to cast up stream, as it will give your bait a more natural appearance. Stay on the part of structure that is down stream, it has less current and will let the bass exert less force trying to keep in one place! And a little fact I learned on a bill dance show: A lip less crankbait will have more willgles per handle turn than a billed crank bait.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I bought a few R.I. 5" beavers last night, a few Strike King #4 & #5 crankbaits, and shakey heads for the trip. 5s may be a little too deep, but anyways. Bad thing I hate about river lakes, it is either hit or miss, there never seems to be any middle ground.

[rangerryan]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

Try to cast up stream, as it will give your bait a more natural appearance. Stay on the part of structure that is down stream, it has less current and will let the bass exert less force trying to keep in one place! And a little fact I learned on a bill dance show: A lip less crankbait will have more willgles per handle turn than a billed crank bait.

he is fishing a riverlake not a river. most riverlakes do have current and bass will face into the current but there is no casting upstream or whatever.

[JB]

Its about the same scenario here at brookville lake, about six or so creeks and rivers feed into the lake which is a flooded valley. If ya are in the river or creek downsize your lure. If you make it out to the main lake I'd hit the biggest two points that are at the mouth of the cove that the river has feed into.

[woody]

also known as a Reservoir


~Mark

[Bubba_Bruiser]

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...19484&t=h&z=15

This is an overhead of the lake, if the link works right. It is rather small, but our club is only fishing between 20-30 boats I think.

[lowrider]

fish the cypress tree

that looks like some of the places i fish !

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by rangerryan

he is fishing a riverlake not a river. most riverlakes do have current and bass will face into the current but there is no casting upstream or whatever.

Sorry, not that familiar with the term "river lake"

Well now he has some tips for fishing rivers right!!

[MississippiBoy]

From what I've heard, the Pearl River floods it occasionally, after big rains. There's all kinds of fish in there, bass, bream, crappie, stripers, catfish, gar...little bit of everything.

Crystal lake doesn't have current unless the river is up into it and the water is dropping. The best time to fish these lakes are when the river is up into the lake and starts to drop 4-10 feet a day

Like most Mississippi flood control or oxbow lakes fish the old river channels and drops and flats into the channels and stay away from the grass as there lots of grass carp, drum and gar there and they seem to push the Bass out.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

Originally Posted by kg5388

Crystal lake doesn't have current unless the river is up into it and the water is dropping. The best time to fish these lakes are when the river is up into the lake and starts to drop 4-10 feet a day

Like most Mississippi flood control or oxbow lakes fish the old river channels and drops and flats into the channels and stay away from the grass as there lots of grass carp, drum and gar there and they seem to push the Bass out.

I know I am not fishing it anymore, but we have a few around town that I have access to. When the river is falling out of these lakes, do you get near they mouth or exit point for the water. Or is pretty hot for the whole body. I see RangerRyan said to stay in the shallows, but is that for the whole lake in general or the fall out point.