Lake San Antonio 5/18

[joejoe77]

Nice report and awesome fish Tom. I still havent made my way up there yet, but hoping to get out there the week after next. Had to put my boat in the shop.

[Hitts0n]

Punked the skunk! That lake will turn on soon.....

[taylor31]

I don't go there much on the weekends.
Too many idiots in wake boats and on jet skis with no regard for people that are fishing.

The idiots were out in force, there were a bunch of catfish skeletons in the craning station trash so the catfish bite is probably getting good. I might pull an all nighter next weekend.

[Chasing Blues]

Got on the water today just shortly after 6 AM.
Ran across to the south shore just past the pinch and set out my jig on the down rigger.
Attachment 35305
As you can see I don't much care for the pole holder on the downrigger.
Couldn't have gone 100 yards when bang, fish on.
Nice striper I'm guessing at 12 lbs.
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So I'm thinking, "Oh Boy, this is gonna be a great day."
Ha! not another fish in ten hours on the water.
Attachment 35307
I was showing bait here and there but no big bait balls and few fish hanging out on them.
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Water temp was 68* in the morning warming to 71* by 2PM.
The water was Clear down about 5' but lost of Alga spread through it, improved from last time.
I was trolling 4'' pearl Sassy shad type swim bait at 20' about 100' behind my ball.

Hey Plumbertom, sorry you didn't have a better day but congrats on the one you did get. Hope you don't mind mer asking but do I really need a down rigger to fish in the San Ant. Lake? I have never used one before and just want to get a regular troll motor and try my luck. Thanks a bunch.

[plumbertom]

The short answer is "no, you don't".
As you can read I was only 20' down to my ball towing my lure about 75' behind it so the lure wasn't much deeper than the ball.
I have some deep diving lure that I tow by themselves and they run 15-20' deep.
I've caught plenty of stripers at S.A. right on the surface.
I'm just learning to use a down rigger so I'll be making use of it even when it's not needed.
The main reason I wanted one was for the days where the sun is high and bright, that tends to push the fish deeper and I want to go after them in the deeper water by trolling instead of vertical jigging or bait when they're suspended and down deep.

[Chasing Blues]

The short answer is "no, you don't".
.

Thanks! Good luck. The ans was very informative.