The Spoonpluggers Forum

Hi Everyone,

I am very new to spoonplugging but have read and studied all of the material. I have been fishing my local lake in El Paso Tx and practicing using spoonplugs. The lake is 48 acres and I really consider it a farm pond, bowl shaped and only 5 ft deep, and no structure just like in the Green Book. The lake typically fills with weeds to the surface, in the summer months, but the lake has just been cleared of weeds and I am able to troll without too many hang ups. Now this is an electric lake so I am limited to an electric trolling motor. I use a 72lb thrust on my 16 ft Lund and can get up to 3.7 mph. I have fished this lake successfully 3 times now catching several small bass and a few good sized catfish. I have noticed several things. 1) The water is a medium or dark yellow green 2) The fish are typically scattered all around the lake, casting produces an occasional fish, but trolling is the only way I can catch several fish. 3) When the fish move, its only late in the evening as the sun sets, likely due to our 300 days of sunshine per year, from being in the desert. Yesterday, I was trolling with a 400 around the lake just tipping the weeds on the bottom every once in a while and the fish became active for 45 min and a buddy and I had our biggest catch to date, it was 24 bass, all were small fish and all caught trolling.

All I have every seen on this lake is fisherman on kayaks or shore fishing. I also started posting videos on youtube to track my progress on the water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvWeEfafc1U I'm hoping to generate local interest in the sport by big catches on this small lake.

Questions:

Will not being able to check faster speeds limit the size of fish I am able to catch in warm water?

Has anyone every tried using the new electric outboards for electric lakes? They seem to be very pricey, Is it worth it to get one for checking faster speeds or do most people catch bass up to 4mph on gas engines?

Will there every be large fish in shallow saucer lakes without protection from the sanctuary?


Thanks in advance.

Jim

Good questions Jim. Your Tube vid was well done.

Jim, Your post is similar to some others trying to get into spoonplugging and trying to go the electric route. I respect the effort you are putting into this place and you are catching a few fish. Short bottom line answer to your questions. You are limiting yourself by fishing that particular lake because of the depths involved for one thing. The electric motor has limitations also. Get off that lake, put you an outboard on that great boat and there has to be plenty of good water color lakes near you and go to work on them. John

Jim,
I have to give you credit for your effort. It is great you are catching fish. And you are correct in that that " bowl lake" will have fish scattered everywhere. They will be holding on tiny breaks that we cant see.
But in this case, I will second what John says.
You have the greatest tool ever invented. The Spoonplug. You have another great tool in the Lund Boat.
Let me ask you this?
Would you go fishing without your rod, or your reel?
Of course not. But in essense you are doing just that. You are limiting yourself in a BIG way.
Go to some larger lakes, and "shoot the works" as Buck used to say.

This time of year, you need to be trolling 8-10 mph in our area of the country in order to make the fish take the lure. You also need to bumping bottom. As we start to cool(if it ever does this year!) then speeds can slow down. An electric motor will not get you there.

Even Floroida lakes have some deep water. It appears you dont.

The good thing is this: You are learning. Knowledge is the key. It will tell you what, why, when, how and where.
In order for you to grow, rest assured you need to find a better lake.
Keep up the videos and increase your knowledge in the process.
Steve

Thank you Steve and John for your response. I will be putting on my outboard, hitting the larger lakes and "shooting the works". Thanks again!

Jim