Arizona Crappie Association
Lake Reports => Bartlett => Topic started by: PhishingPhreek on April 24, 2018, 11:54 AM
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Had 1 last vacation day to burn before I lost it, so I took the day off and headed to Bartlett with my brother and sister. After hearing some rather disappointing reports over the last week or two and hearing about the low water levels, I had very little expectation for this trip.
After staying up until 2 AM the night before restringing several reels, I got a much later start than planned. We got to the lake around 11, picked up a few dozen minnows from the marina store, and took off from the ramp around 11:30.
I fished the same set-up all day: casting a road runner with a grub. Because of how low the water levels were, we focused on fishing rocky points or any submerged rock piles we could find on the main channel coves and up the river. The only pattern I noticed was the standard "light colors in clear water, dark colors in murky water" on the grub. My sister had luck throwing a jig tipped with a minnow and my brother changed his gear constantly but kept catching, so really it was all dependent on where we were fishing. My advice, use what you're comfortable with.
At the end of the day we ended up with the following:
- 1 Channel Cat
- 1 big carp
- 12-15 large mouth bass (all released)
- 27 crappie
- Released 11, with only 5 of them being "dinks"
- Kept a reasonable 16 (See picture below)
I'm lost on the current spawn status because 6 of the ones we kept were full of eggs. I felt like they were post spawn because of the water temps, but the eggs in the females would indicate otherwise. It's possible some have spawned and some haven't... I don't know. :dontknow:
I was second guessing going to Bartlett, but definitely glad I did!
(http://www.azcrappie.com/images/Uploads/20180423Bartlett/BartletLake_20180423_02.jpg)
(http://www.azcrappie.com/images/Uploads/20180423Bartlett/BartletLake_20180423_03.jpg)
(http://www.azcrappie.com/images/Uploads/20180423Bartlett/BartletLake_20180423_05.jpg)
(http://www.azcrappie.com/images/Uploads/20180423Bartlett/BartletLake_20180423_01.jpg)
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Wow, great job!
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Thanks! The credit should go to Bruce since he told me about his last outing at Bartlett and only catching 1. I decided to not do whatever he did. :lol_hitting:
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Solid work Louis! Nice report
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Nice report. how is launching with the low water level? Was thinking of taking the grandsons on Friday since school teachers are closing the schools.
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Launching at the marina ramp was easy. Plenty of parking and a good dock. That was the only available ramp. I believe you can go to SB Cove or Bartlett Flats if you feel comfortable launching from the shore.
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Launching at the marina ramp was easy. Plenty of parking and a good dock. That was the only available ramp. I believe you can go to SB Cove or Bartlett Flats if you feel comfortable launching from the shore.
Lot of people with 2 wheel drive trucks etc are slipping and sliding going up the hill from the ramp with just the trailer sounded like people driving on ice this morning with the ramp wet
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Thanks! The credit should go to Bruce since he told me about his last outing at Bartlett and only catching 1. I decided to not do whatever he did. :lol_hitting:
:bootyshake: :bootyshake: :c029: :97: :sign0099: :sign0099:
Glad you had a fun day Louis
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any suggestions on where to get my grandsons on some crappie. taking them Sunday they are 5 and 3 years old so hoping they have a decent catch rate because I want them to get the fishing bug early so I have fishing buddies as they get older. Going to take worms for gills and some crappie jigs any help would be greatly appreciated.
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any suggestions on where to get my grandsons on some crappie. taking them Sunday they are 5 and 3 years old so hoping they have a decent catch rate because I want them to get the fishing bug early so I have fishing buddies as they get older. Going to take worms for gills and some crappie jigs any help would be greatly appreciated.
I'm not sure how the bit will be after this front just rolled in, but your best bet is to find submerged structure and fish it. I fished all around the lake this day catching wherever I went. I just used my graph to find trees or rock piles and fished there. If I didn't get anything after a little bit, I moved on. But when I pulled a crappie out I would stay and fish that structure because where you find one, you're sure to find more. I went out last weekend and drove around shore lines with my polarized glasses looking for trees underwater. I caught quite a few out of trees doing that.
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Thanks. hoping the bite is good enough to keep the 3 year old interested, the 5 year old likes fishing and is learning to work lures pretty good so not too worried about him.
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With the heat go early and stand by for "lake lice" on a Sunday the wake board boats and jet skis will be out in force I am sure, take some minnows or worms and a bobber/hook combo you can find small sun fish all over the lake around rock piles and brush and might even hook a small bass will keep a 3yr old intertained
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I am prepping for the lake lice so was planning on heading up river to the no wake area hoping the lake level is not too low up there. Got the worms and plenty of snacks . hahah. I'm in a red Triton with my Son and his 2 boys so if ya'll are out there, say howdy.