Karick Lake

Karick Lake should produce plenty of good-sized Largemouth Bass this summer. Anglers should target these fish in deeper water near the dam and around stumps in some of the coves. As water temperatures move into the 80’s, anglers will be more successful during the early morning and the early evening hours by using noisy topwater or Rat-L-Trap style crankbaits. While throwing the bait out and rapidly retrieving it may produce an occasional bite, anglers should find better success with an erratic action. As water temperature rises throughout the day, fishers may want to switch to soft plastics and try a slow retrieval to entice the lethargic bass. Avoid fishing in the shallow, densely vegetated patches around the lake and instead aim for the open water edges near the shoreline vegetation, where bass often cruise.

Like Largemouth Bass, the most productive bream fishing seems to be early morning and evening. Larger Bluegill and Redear Sunfish may continue to bed, look for lighter colored areas on the bottom which indicate spawning activity. Anglers should use live baits such as red worms, wigglers, and crickets on light tackle in three to six feet of water. Another method for catching hungry bream is using artificial baits such as beetle spins, rooster tails, or curly-tailed grubs. When not targeting spawning aggregates, fishers should target deeper holes or the old creek channels.

Channel Catfish will be hard-pressed to resist a beef or chicken liver, and earthworms. Fishing these baits on the bottom, in deep water off the fishing pier or near the dam, or with a float, suspending the bait over any available timber pile, should produce results. Anglers having trouble keeping messy livers on the hook should try wrapping it in surgical gauze or pantyhose. Additionally, using longer rods will add casting distance and, concurrently, increase the amount of water available for fishing.