Bistineau 15 May 2022

[Mike Cork]

Launched at Plum Orchard and fished north. I've always done great in the mid lake area in the early summer and was highly looking forward to poking around. However at 1 pm and only two small keepers was a disappointing end to the day. I blame it on the lunar eclipse 

Water temp 82
Water Clarity 2ft
Wind Light and Variable maybe 5 out of the west occasionally
Clear skies

Hoped for a frog bite in the salvinia, but only one fish. Did miss one though, does that count when prefishing? Then caught another one on a jig in 8 foot of water. Thinking I might be on to something I flipped against 300 more trees without a bite.

Drove around for a while looking. Salvinia is everywhere. Most is navigable and partially dead, but that means parts of it are alive    There are places in the Hay Meadow that are not passable. Tulans is fish able.

I think what's going to be the worst part of it this year is the dollar lilly, it is getting thick and will prevent the salvinia from draining later this summer.

[J.W.]

How far up the lake did you go, Mike?
I haven't fished north of Spring Branch yet this year, I'm wondering what's navigable/fish-able up that way. If Hay Meadow is clogged up, I figure Clarke's probably is too?

[Mike Cork]

I didn't go any further north than Tulans. I could see up the lake at that point and it was clear all the way to Tydus. I fished through to Mud Slough and when you angle off towards Hay Meadow from the end of Mud Slough the Salvinia gets thick. I talked to a guy that was out there today and he said that compared to two weeks ago a lot of it was gone. He couldn't launch at Plum Orchard then and now it's clear, he swears it just disappeared. Anyway I'd think you were good at Clarks except for where the islands are thick around the Hay Meadow. But that is a guess.

[J.W.]

I didn't go any further north than Tulans. I could see up the lake at that point and it was clear all the way to Tydus. I fished through to Mud Slough and when you angle off towards Hay Meadow from the end of Mud Slough the Salvinia gets thick. I talked to a guy that was out there today and he said that compared to two weeks ago a lot of it was gone. He couldn't launch at Plum Orchard then and now it's clear, he swears it just disappeared. Anyway I'd think you were good at Clarks except for where the islands are thick around the Hay Meadow. But that is a guess.

Thanks, I appreciate it!