I hit Hoover last night from around 6 to 11. I went to my normal spring pattern spot which it way up North around where the creek enters the lake. Once I put in I had my doubts the water was Chocolate milk, but I already told a friend where to meet me so there was no moving to another ramp.
After trolling over to the are we planned to fish without one take (odd for hoover) we fished a couple of fallen trees. We each got one small crappie (around 8-9 inches), you had to pretty much be right in the mess of branches to get them to bite.
Then just to see if it was any better went up the creek a little, it as even more stained up there, all though there were fish jumping and surfacing everywhere. Some where carp, some where bass and judging by the way they hit the top I assume some where white bass. We threw everything in the book at them and didn't get any takers. I think I managed 1 or 2 8-9 inch crappie with a minnow but it was pretty slow.
We headed back out into the main lake and started fishing for crappie, carp and catfish as the sun went down. The crapie bite was weird, you would hit a new spot, get a fish almost instantly and then nothing at that spot. So if I didn't get a any takers in 5 minutes or so I would recast to another area. This worked alright, I managed one slab at around 14 inches and we managed a few others in that 7-12 inch range. I had one carp on for long enough to take out some drag but he/she spit the hook. My friend got into some decent catfishing, most where caught on a minnow, but some where taken on liver. Most where in the 16 inch range, but two where in the 5 Lb range.
All in all it seems the bite was picking back up all though the water is dark. If it clears up at all in the next day or two you should be in good shape, it almost appeared to be clearing up a little last night but that may of been my imagination. One word of warning, the water is a little high, the ramp at Oxbow is very shallow in these cnditions, be carefull loading your boat up there, I hit bottom with my prop getting it on the trailor last night.
Sorry for the novel, hope this helps someone get on some fish up there, it wasn't the greatest day I have had up there but it was better then expected with the prevailing conditions. Also I have heard from friends last weekend, that they were getting decent Saugeye out from the red bank ramp, they where simply trolling crank baits like Hot N Tots and Husky Jerks. They didn't give any more info then that.
