Hey guys,

This upcoming Sunday (8/30) I'll be fishing in my first Tournament at the Rez. I've never fished there and was hoping someone would be willing to give me a little insight. I was hoping to make it out this week to scout it out but can't. 

 

From what I hear the visibility is usually on the lower side, is that correct? Lots of ledges from what I can see on Navionics. Is there a lot of grass, chunk rock, silt flats, all of the above? 

 

I'll be launching from the Fountainhead ramp. Any info you have would be helpful so I can start putting together a plan. Thanks all! 

I fish there occasionally.  I usually put in at the Bull Run Marina.  I kayak so I can't cover as much ground as I'd like.  Heading south towards Fountain Head there are several coves on the east side just above where Broad Run joins the res.  I usually have decent luck fishing the points at those coves this time of year.  The channel runs about 15 - 20 feet in that section.  You'll see on the maps that the east side is where the drop offs are.  Be warned, it can be slow....

 

Good luck and let us know how you do.

@BeardedBassCaster, set aside a little reading time....

 

The only real grass is narrow patches and stretches adjacent to shore, mostly above ledges and drops, with some appearing inside flats and points.  There is wood almost everywhere.....hope you're good with your sonar.  Temps have come down in last ten days and fish are responding.....they may not be stacked up, but you can find them in a variety of environments right now.....some still on deep points.....some on ledges, some in submerged timber at varying depths.  

It can take many years to get comfortable fishing the rez.  Good luck

Structure-wise look for those ledges and long points, and larger tributaries.  Generally not more than about 15 feet down to catch.  Crankbaits and jigs (pork trailers?).  Ryan's dam is a popular location and if right time will produce.  Cover all along shoreline and in coves.  Standing timber on left side cove going out of Fountainhead.  If you spend time running down lake (lots of gas; 10 hp restriction) there are more ledges and larger points as you can see on the map.  Been raining recently as probably was in Winchester so water should be full or close.  That will give a little more weed cover near shoreline.

 

What time is the weigh-in or check-in?

 

52 minutes ago, Linewinder said:

Structure-wise look for those ledges and long points, and larger tributaries.  Generally not more than about 15 feet down to catch.  Crankbaits and jigs (pork trailers?).  Ryan's dam is a popular location and if right time will produce.  Cover all along shoreline and in coves.  Standing timber on left side cove going out of Fountainhead.  If you spend time running down lake (lots of gas; 10 hp restriction) there are more ledges and larger points as you can see on the map.  Been raining recently as probably was in Winchester so water should be full or close.  That will give a little more weed cover near shoreline.

 

What time is the weigh-in or check-in?

 

First launch, 3:30pm weight in. This particular Tournament series is a jonboat/kayak/canoe series so I'm TM only... I've mapped spots I want to check out all the way from Fountainhead to Red House Point. Some more up lake where it splits but not sure I'll have enough juice/time to make it there and back. 

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

@BeardedBassCaster, set aside a little reading time....

 

The only real grass is narrow patches and stretches adjacent to shore, mostly above ledges and drops, with some appearing inside flats and points.  There is wood almost everywhere.....hope you're good with your sonar.  Temps have come down in last ten days and fish are responding.....they may not be stacked up, but you can find them in a variety of environments right now.....some still on deep points.....some on ledges, some in submerged timber at varying depths.  

It can take many years to get comfortable fishing the rez.  Good luck

Thanks for the help, yeah I've heard that about the Rez. I've actually been through that thread but noticed it was a few years old. Know a body of water can change drastically in that time. 

If Laura makes a good presence with rainfall Saturday (?) I was thinking maybe the backs of creeks might be good.  The bass in the Reservoir do respond to current, and shallow too -- wind and increased creek flow.  Jigs, jerkbaits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits...

 

 

"TM only" --  what's that?

 

19 hours ago, Linewinder said:

If Laura makes a good presence with rainfall Saturday (?) I was thinking maybe the backs of creeks might be good.  The bass in the Reservoir do respond to current, and shallow too -- wind and increased creek flow.  Jigs, jerkbaits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits...

 

 

"TM only" --  what's that?

 

Good call. Thanks

Anyone have a good source for monitoring the water temp at the Rez?  I can only find water levels.  

Back up to 88 yesterday afternoon.  Today's rain will probably make it 85 degree Yoohoo tomorrow.....going to be pure mud, I think

Sort of wanted to know how things went @BeardedBassCaster  ?    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

On 9/11/2020 at 10:30 PM, Linewinder said:

Sort of wanted to know how things went @BeardedBassCaster  ?    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It was a ROUGH day haha. The rains brought the water level up considerably and turned everything chocolate milk, but by the time I got there they were already receding, so the action on the back wasn't there... Most of the fish backed out to structure on 15' but getting them in the boat was another story. Winner caught 2 fish in 8 hours ... 

I made a mistake I think by going up lake, and should have adjusted.  Winner went down lake. 

On 8/27/2020 at 9:48 PM, Linewinder said:

If Laura makes a good presence with rainfall Saturday (?) I was thinking maybe the backs of creeks might be good.  The bass in the Reservoir do respond to current, and shallow too -- wind and increased creek flow.  Jigs, jerkbaits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits...

 

 

"TM only" --  what's that?

 

TM = Trolling Motor only

Well, you learned some while you were there and it sounds as though you had some fun in there too.  To me, when local waters get muddy like that it's basically an automatic to go with firetiger cranks.  I suppose chatterbaits and such too.  It's tough.  I think the rain came in a little earlier than predicted and was extremely heavy, but if you found fish (maybe not cooperative) you are further in the game.