CWSMACKDOWN
12-23-2003, 08:53 AM
MONONGAHELA RIVER: A recent fish survey revealed sauger located along both shorelines from the Morgantown dam to the Westover bridge. The mouth of Deckers Creek produced the most fish. During normal flow conditions, start fishing for sauger and walleye about an hour befor e sunset because they will begin feeding at dusk. Jigs with minnows are particularly good baits but 3-inch plastic grubs will also be productive. The shoreline on the Westover side of the river immediately below the lock gates is also a good area for sauger and walleye, particularly during high water. During these conditions, fish will move in against the shore or into the mouths of tributaries. Shoreline anglers have several good areas to fish on the river: the mouths of Buffalo and Paw Paw creeks in Marion County; and the mouths of Whiteday and Deckers creeks in Monongalia County. Warm water discharges at the Rivesville and Morgantown power plants attract fish all winter.
CHEAT LAKE: The lake is in the winter fluctuation schedule and the level can be dropped several feet during a day. Boats can usually be launched at the Sunset Beach ramp at an elevation of 865 feet or higher. Yellow perch and white bass can be caught trolling at de pths of 15 feet while using minnows or worms on plain hooks with split shot. Keep the bait near the bottom. The embayments at the Cheat Lake Park and Trail area are good for bank anglers. Look for walleye in the main lake.
TYGART: Lake is about 60 feet below summer recreation level. Boats can be launched at the Doe Run boat ramp above an elevation of 1,030 feet which is 64 feet below the summer level. Walleye are scattered throughout the lake and this is a good time of year to fi sh for them. A jig tipped with a minnow and fished in about 20 feet of water is the best winter pattern. White bass are very abundant and average 12 inches. Spinners, crankbaits and casting spoons are good baits for white bass. The lake also has a good population of large channel catfish. The tailwater temperature is 38 degrees. Walleye fishing is best during higher flows and trout fishing is best at low flows.
STONEWALL JACKSON: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are cloudy. Some bass are being caught on soft plastic worms and lizards. Tube jigs fished around deep structure have also produced a few larger bass. Crappie are in about 11 feet of water. Live min nows are working best for crappie. Saugeye and walleye fishing is fair to good with fish being caught on nightcrawlers.
SUMMERSVILLE: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are cloudy. Smallmouth are in 25 feet of water. Carolina rigs and tube jigs seem to be the most productive on bass. Crappie and bluegill are still being caught and have moved up to 15 feet of water. Trout fishing remains excellent in the tailwaters and better yet down in the canyon for anglers willing to hike down in.
SUTTON: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are murky. Boat launching is open at Bee Run and behind the dam only. Bass fishing is fair with most of the fish in about 11 feet of water. Soft plastics fished very slowly and live bait are catchin g some spotted bass and a few largemouth. Crappie fishing is fair with a few fish coming from fish attractors on live minnows.
BEECH FORK: Lake is 1 foot above winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are muddy. Open water fishing with minnows will catch hybrid striped bass while deepwater fishing with minnow and grub tipped jigs works well for saugeye and walleye. The use of a slow ret rieval with crankbaits and spinners will allow anglers to take some nice largemouth and spotted bass.
BURNSVILLE: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are muddy. Some bass are starting to suspend in deeper water. Soft plastic worms fished Carolina rigged are working best right now. Anglers report panfishing has been poor. Live minnows are an angle rs best bet on crappie. Saugeye and walleye are being picked up on jigs tipped with live minnows and nightcrawlers.
EAST LYNN: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are clear. Shoreline fishing with crankbaits will work for largemouth and spotted bass while open water fishing with minnows is good for hybrid striped bass. Minnow and grub tipped jigs are working for saugeye and walleye.
R.D. BAILEY: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake is muddy and tailwater is milky. The winter launch ramp is closed. The tailwaters are still producing some trout from the fall stocking. Anglers should try small jigs or bait such as corn or cheese. Spotted bass are hitting small crankbaits fished along points and drop-offs
CHEAT LAKE: The lake is in the winter fluctuation schedule and the level can be dropped several feet during a day. Boats can usually be launched at the Sunset Beach ramp at an elevation of 865 feet or higher. Yellow perch and white bass can be caught trolling at de pths of 15 feet while using minnows or worms on plain hooks with split shot. Keep the bait near the bottom. The embayments at the Cheat Lake Park and Trail area are good for bank anglers. Look for walleye in the main lake.
TYGART: Lake is about 60 feet below summer recreation level. Boats can be launched at the Doe Run boat ramp above an elevation of 1,030 feet which is 64 feet below the summer level. Walleye are scattered throughout the lake and this is a good time of year to fi sh for them. A jig tipped with a minnow and fished in about 20 feet of water is the best winter pattern. White bass are very abundant and average 12 inches. Spinners, crankbaits and casting spoons are good baits for white bass. The lake also has a good population of large channel catfish. The tailwater temperature is 38 degrees. Walleye fishing is best during higher flows and trout fishing is best at low flows.
STONEWALL JACKSON: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are cloudy. Some bass are being caught on soft plastic worms and lizards. Tube jigs fished around deep structure have also produced a few larger bass. Crappie are in about 11 feet of water. Live min nows are working best for crappie. Saugeye and walleye fishing is fair to good with fish being caught on nightcrawlers.
SUMMERSVILLE: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are cloudy. Smallmouth are in 25 feet of water. Carolina rigs and tube jigs seem to be the most productive on bass. Crappie and bluegill are still being caught and have moved up to 15 feet of water. Trout fishing remains excellent in the tailwaters and better yet down in the canyon for anglers willing to hike down in.
SUTTON: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are murky. Boat launching is open at Bee Run and behind the dam only. Bass fishing is fair with most of the fish in about 11 feet of water. Soft plastics fished very slowly and live bait are catchin g some spotted bass and a few largemouth. Crappie fishing is fair with a few fish coming from fish attractors on live minnows.
BEECH FORK: Lake is 1 foot above winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are muddy. Open water fishing with minnows will catch hybrid striped bass while deepwater fishing with minnow and grub tipped jigs works well for saugeye and walleye. The use of a slow ret rieval with crankbaits and spinners will allow anglers to take some nice largemouth and spotted bass.
BURNSVILLE: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are muddy. Some bass are starting to suspend in deeper water. Soft plastic worms fished Carolina rigged are working best right now. Anglers report panfishing has been poor. Live minnows are an angle rs best bet on crappie. Saugeye and walleye are being picked up on jigs tipped with live minnows and nightcrawlers.
EAST LYNN: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake and tailwater are clear. Shoreline fishing with crankbaits will work for largemouth and spotted bass while open water fishing with minnows is good for hybrid striped bass. Minnow and grub tipped jigs are working for saugeye and walleye.
R.D. BAILEY: Lake is at winter recreation level. Lake is muddy and tailwater is milky. The winter launch ramp is closed. The tailwaters are still producing some trout from the fall stocking. Anglers should try small jigs or bait such as corn or cheese. Spotted bass are hitting small crankbaits fished along points and drop-offs