[Ranger_R77]

Headed to Choke Canyon on Friday, July 24th with my friend Glen in my Class C motorhome. Before leaving town, I had a blow-out and delay getting down there till after 6pm. Once we set up camp at the Choke Canyon State Park-Calliham unit, we launched the boat. JR from ABF (James Roberts and his 2008 Bass Cat Cougar w/250hp) Nice boat, too...The winds were out of the SE at 18mph and  Gusting to  28mph. We fish towards the river to get out of the wind. We fished in coves in less than 3 feet of water with spotted grass along the bank and out in the cove. We caught our fish of flukes and shallow running crankbaits. Most of the fish were under 3lbs. James has had luck in this area  before and was determined to find some kind of pattern before the weekend. The water was stained and rough, even in the protected coves...We fish for about an hour with under 10 fish caught.

Saturday-July 25th. Started at 6:15am, headed towards then Northern part of Choke lake near dam. We fished around islands, with grass/trees. The lake is nearly 9 feet low. The winds started out at 10mph and increased as the morning went on. Caught fish on flukes and cranks. Also tried spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, but no takers. The wind got up over 30mph and we were forced to work up towards the river. Again, caught fish from 1lb to 3lbs...At noontime took a break since the air temp was near 101 with heat index pushing 110. At 6pm, James received a called from EA and some friends wanting to do a mini-grudge match of 3 bass to 9:30pm. Then winds were howling again. JR, Glen and I found bass in shallow water adjacent to grass. Using cranks and plastics we boated several bass. Once the mini-FUN-grudge match was over at 9:30pm, EA and his group edged out for the win. They had 8lb and change for three fish and we had 6lbs, 11oz for our 3 fish ...Oh well...Still fun as always....Called it a early night.

Sunday, July 26th...Started out near islands, near dam. Continued to catch bass to 3lbs on cranks and plastics in grass.  At 8:30am, BEN S of ABF showed up and wanted to see if we had a camera. He had boat his PB or 8lb 3oz Black Bass using a crankbait. All we had was a video camera (I will post video soon)...He caught it fishing shallow grassy points on the North side of the lake.  As we were talking to Benny, James pulls in a 5lb 8oz bass on plastics off a deep point. We moved to deeper water, and tried several points, in and around three fingers, four fingers and the south side. There were alot of boats on the water, apparently getting ready for a big tournament this coming weekend. Finally found some fish in a cove with shallow flat, adjacent to hydrilla. I caught four bass on four casts, from 2-3.5lbs. Lost one about 5-6lbs at the boat. All on the H2O Medium diving crankbait (5-8ft) in the color "SLICK"....The winds were getting up so we headed back south and up the river. At noontime, the air temp was pushing 103. We found some protect water and continued to fish with flukes. I had some 7" Watermelon Pumpkin Flukes with weighted hooks. James took his braided with fluorocarbon leader, 7" Fluke and casted towards a deep water point. He said that point looks like a 10lb bass point. He let the lure sink...then proceeded to reel it in, when WHAM...Fish ON...Big Big bass he yelled....about that time his real was singing, rod bent over...and about 5 seconds later, the line broke...the heart-ache began from James....

Had to move RV out of park at 2pm, so we headed back home....Great times with James Roberts. Looking forward to another trip with him again. Not any big fish, but the opportunity was there...just have to have patience...One of his friends caught a 8lb bass on drop-shot in deep water and lost one over 10lbs, also in deep water (25feet+)....I know I will be returning soon...

Thanks again, James for showing me Choke Canyon...both the calm and ROUGH side of the lake!

[highlight]Overview:[/highlight]

Skies: CLEAR and HOT!

Water Temp: 85.4 degree

Water clarity: Stained to murky in windy conditions on North Side

Air Temp: 75 AM to 103 PM with heat index to 115 degrees

Water depth fished: From less than a foot to 20 feet.

Lure selection: Super Fluke in Watermelon Seed dipped with SPIKE IT Chart. and 1/8oz flutter weighted hook. Also H20 medium diving cranks in white and Shad pattern. Also a few on weightless senkos, one or two on white buzzbait.

Locations: Any place where there was hydrilla near bank, fish the edges. Or out in deep water points or river channel drop-offs.

We did see several alligators, no snakes....

Most of the trip was video taped by Glen...Still making DvD's and you-tube clips...more to come.



Robert

 

[Ranger_R77]

H20 Slick Cranksbaits. The color is on the left side of pic..

 

[Hookem]

A trip to Choke is always a good trip regardless of the catch.

I love that lake.

 

[Ben_S]

Hey Robert, good to see you, Glen, and to meet James, enjoyed hanging out with yall and enjoyed the hospitality of sleeping in the "meat locker" that's the new name for the motorhome. I've been down there 3 different days and caught better fish than I've ever caught in that span of time. That 8' 3" may well be the best bass I've ever caught. I've caught some good ones but never had a digital with me at the time. I'ts a lot of fun to fish a lake when the next "tap" on the line could be the fish of a lifetime. I just like the whole feel of that lake, no wake boarders, no jetskis, just lots of bass boats chasing the same little green fish we all love. The last 3 short trips I have made have produced good fish but I'm searching for the double digit big girl. I'm afraid that the patterns we are fishing may not produce those big girls. I'm going to do a lot of research before we go back and am going to drink plenty of water and fish all dam day even if it kills me. One day we are gonna figure it out! James loan me about 30k so I can by that beast of a boat from you!

 

[RO]

Thanks for the excellent report, as is expected from you Robert. Only problem is that if you keep doing such an excellent job of reporting, some day it may become difficult to meet your own par. But I guess if you've maintained it for 4000+ posts, you've got a pattern working! Keep it up man! Looking forward to videos!

 

[1bassman]

post the video

 

[Eric]

As Robert mentioned, I was down there too. Fishing was a little slow for me, but caught one nice one.

Bite was good in the morning and in the evening. Not much point being on the lake much after 10:30am.

I was rolling tape on one fish I caught.

http://www.youtube.com/user/austineric

Eric

 

[Limey]

Awesome shoot and fish Eric!!

 

[Eric]

Thanks Limey,

Was by myself so could not really get any better angles.

I gotta thank Charles Whited for showing me that spot. Andy and I filmed him and Lee whack about 22 lbs there in just over an hour a week earlier.

It is a good spot, Charles and Lee won Bass Champs there with a record setting bag of 44+ lbs and then Lee followed that up this year with a 38 lbs bag by himself!

I did lose about 8 DD 22's there in trees, also made for an interesting battle keeping the fish from going into the trees with 12 lbs mono

Eric

 

[J.R.]

Looks like fun E.

Man, thinking back a couple of month's ago, some of the sacks on Austin, the average fish was that size is just nuts.  

I have yet to hit choke, Kernan wasn't kidding about it being a guaranteed fish factory after all the pictures and video's everyone posts from there.

 

[Eric]

Justin,

I am very confident that Austin will turn around this summer and we will start seeing some big sacks.

The good thing out there now is that one good fish and a couple of keeps is taking home a big wad of cash.

Choke is a killer lake, get down there if you can.

Eric

 

[J.R.]

It already looks to be on the rise after last week with those two 7+ fish brought in, gotta love LA.

Now if we could only ask for rain every week and on weekends to keep those pleasure boats off that would be fantastic ;D