Franks Tract

[Ryan]

I'm camping at Sugar Barge right now and I realized that Franks Tract is right next to where we're camping... I've read allot of reports about that area before and wanted to give it a shot this evening... I have all different kinds of shoting heads for different depths and I guess its like 2-6 ft deep average??? I got a boat but no fish finder so I need a little help here if anyone can give me some advice... and is it even worth fishing this time of year??? Maybe some topwater for bass? Stripers or Largemouth... I don't care... any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[WinterrunRon]

Ryan,

Franks's Track is an excellent area to fish for stripers and largemouth. My best outings are when the tide is moving, either in or out... but moving.

At high tide, fish tight to the tules and banks for largemouth, at low tide you have to move away from the shallow banks and look for structure in deeper water or pockets of weedless water. Deeper water can be as much as 1 foot deeper. At high tide/bright sun, the weed mats provide a perfect opportunity for topwater.

The tide moves in and out twice a day and this causes the fish to re-positon themselves accordingly.

For stripers, fish the breaks in the levees where the current is really moving on an incomming tide and watch for diving terns and seagulls. Where the birds are diving on shad, stripers are feeding on shad. You'll know it when you see it. It can be a few birds to hundreds. The more the merrier!

I use one line for all my striper fishing... Mastery Series Streamer Express, 250 grain on an 8 wt. Anthying close should work fine. I don't fly fish for largemouth.

Good luck.

Ron