O'Neil report

[Lee Haskin]

With the wind very moderate last night, I found the Forebay stripers on the grab. I fished sub-surface from 5:00 until the sun went down, with a number of fish, several around 5 lbs. Fortunately, the wind stayed around 6-8 mph, which is perfect for top water. I moved into the flats and the fish were really "looking up". For the last 1 1/2 hour the stripes were blasting my small yellow and white gurgler. 5 of these fish were larger schoolies (5-6 lbs.), and one about 7 lbs.! One of the best top water sessions I have had in a couple of years. These fish were fat and strong.....and one is on the menu tonight!

Nothing like catching fish on top water!!!!......last week it was trout on #18's.....last night is was stripers on a 1/0 gurgler!

Cheers,
Lee

[Scott V]

Thanks for the report Lee, looks like I might have to head that way this weekend.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Mornings have been OK. I've made a couple trips but usually out by midday. I'm looking for LMB more so than stripers. It's starting to look like the fall fishing should be a HOOT.

jay

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Lee and Jay,

What are the big months in the fall?


Lee and Jay,

How long a drive is it for you from your house?



**I remember some of my staff went down there a few years back in the fall and hit it very good one day.

[Lee Haskin]

Hi Bill,

Here's my take on O'Neil topwater action:

As usual, the flats/weeds are perfect this time of year, and the best for fishing topwater, up on the flats, in the morning and evening.
High wind is the problem, and if it is blowing over, say, 12-15 mph. the topwater fishing suffers. During the day, fishing subsurface, the wind, and fishing, should be OK, and subsurface fishing has been very good!

For me, I get serious about fishing top water at O'Neil when the wind starts to drop consistantly. This is usually in September and runs through October.

The other problem has been the stepped-up weedcutting. Last year they cut weeds during the peak of the action (September), killing the flats fishing. We kept moving, trying to stay ahead of the cutter, and it extended our action by a couple of weeks.
I see that the weedcutter just arrived this week, so I am guessing the cutting will start soon. [I wish they could wait a couple of months.]
Because of the weedcutting, I am planning to fish more in August, even if I have to contend with high winds.

Bill, a common misconception is that you need flat calm conditions to catch fish here on top water bugs. This is totally false. In fact, a 6-8 mph wind is better than dead calm. IMHO.
In the wind it is harder to see the weeds because they are laid over by the wave action, but these shallow, heavily weeded areas are where the stripers feed, in the evenings and mornings. With moderate winds the stripers tend to loose there fear, and they are not spooky.

Hey Jay. Hope you are finding some big LMB's.

Cheers,
Lee

[Lee Haskin]

Opps! Forgot to answer your other question.

San Luis is an hour drive for me. Since the topwater action really doesn't happen until just before sunset, I can leave after work and have plenty of time to hit the "golden time".
...and yes, 1 1/2 hour of topwater is worth the 1 hour drive!!!

Lee