Steve & Lisa Spencer give tips and conditions for local fishing holes in Saline County in this column. See more info about Steve and Lisa at the end.
Conner Bridges, age 9, caught a catfish off of a crappie jig, days later he caught a nice bass off of a fluke out of the same private pond.
Saline River – Bass have been biting minnows, Zoom 4 and 6 inch lizards, baby brush hogs, small spinner baits and Zing tails. Catfish are biting minnows, gold fish, black saltys and chicken livers. Crappie have been biting fair on #4 and #6 minnows, Kalins grubs and Bobby Garland jigs. Fish close to logs and brush that are next to current and fairly deep water. Bream fishing can be so much fun and entertaining on the river. Red worms, crickets, small jigs or fly type baits like bream killers on light line will catch fish all day long. Take a rod with heavier line and some #12 minnows to try your hand at catching some gar. Watch for them to surface and cast your bait close to them. They rarely refuse a live minnow.
Jameson Morgan, age 21 mos. caught a bream on a cricket while fishing at a private lake.
Sunset Lake – Sunset Lake is temporarily closed for renovations.
Lake Norrell – Bream are still biting good on crickets and red worms. Fish just off the bottom around brush, rock walls and deep structure for the big ones. Bass fishing has been fair at night and early in the mornings. Top water baits, buzz baits, Carolina and whacky rigged plastics in dark colors like green pumpkin or black are getting the bites. Catfish have been biting chicken livers, minnows, gold fish and night crawlers. Crappie have been biting well for some at night. #6 minnows and Kalins Arkansas Shad grubs have been catching some good stringers of crappie for those that stay after them.
Debi & Jim Howell caught all these nice bream and also 2 catfish off of worms and bream while fishing at Lake DeGray.
Bishop Park Ponds – Customers are catching catfish on chicken livers, bait shrimp, stink bait and minnows. Crappie have been biting fair in the back pond (Lake Charles) on #4 and #6 minnows. Most have been smaller fish but some keepers have been caught as well. Bream fishing has fun for some youngsters lately in both ponds. Crickets and red worms have been catching bream and a catfish now and then from just about anywhere in either pond. Use small hooks and light line. You’ll catch more small fish than big ones but it’s big fun for the kids. Bass have been biting minnows, Carolina rigged 4 inch lizards and small Strike King spinner baits.
Lake Winona – Bream have been biting well on crickets and red worms. Crappie fishing has been slow but some have been catching a few on #6 and #12 minnows. Bass fishing is best early in the mornings and at night with minnows, top water baits, buzz baits and Carolina rigged plastics. Catfish are biting at dusk and after dark in shallow water on chicken livers, night crawlers, minnows and gold fish.
