Hagg Lake question

[motojones956]

I am taking my Dad and two little brothers out to Hagg ( 5 and 3 ) on Saturday we will be fishing from my boat. I need some good tips to get the little guys on some fish. I have tons of ford fenders and wedding rings so I am feeling pretty good about our odds, but I have really strayed from lake fishing in the past few years and I know this is a good place to look for advice. Weight, depth, speed, color? Any advice greatfully appreciated.

[mkwerx]

You want mainly trout, or any fish that bites?

If the former - trolling works well. Lot of folks like trolling near the dam, and at creek mouths. If you have a depth finder/fish finder - still fishing works well too - worms or power bait on a tight line or slip bobber works great.

When I troll that lake, it's usually flat line trolling pulling a small flatfish or more often a rooster tail spinner. Go slow - just fast enough to make the action on the lure work. I usually let about a hundred or so feet of line out to keep the lure away from the boat and then adjust in or out from there. The flatline with a small lure really lets the fish fight better in my opinion. Ford fenders and dodgers do produce quite well though. It's personal preference.

If any fish will do - worms fished on the bottom in any of the creek arms - start at the mouth and slowly work up the arms until you're into fish. LOTS of yellow perch in the lake with 5-6 inch average size. 300 fish a day for a boat is a possibility if you find a school of perch. You will also run into the odd bullhead or channel cats, bass, bluegill, crappie and of course, trout.

If putting in at ramp C - try the Sain Creek arm first, it's just around the corner to the right as you face the dam. Fish the far side of the creek arm first.

Good luck, hope you get in to some fish.

[streamcatcher]

The advice above is solid. That said, when fishing for trout, I have one go-to lure that works better than most-- a 1/16, 1/8, even 1/4 oz. bangtail (or simliar) in black with a silver spinner and a bit of scent on the hook. I have caught trout trolling and casting with that setup, and although I play around wiht other setups, when I want to catch fish, that's what I use.

I had some luck tossing this setup into the Scoggins creek area from shore last weekend. Good luck.

[motojones956]

Thanks for the tips guys, I will take the info and do my best to produce. I have wanted to target the yellow perch for a while.

[joebob]

all good advice:applause:

Not that i don't agree with what is said above but often times i have had trout at hagg follow my wedding ring in to literally right next to the boat before they decide to hit it hard, so don't stress to much about keeping it way back.:twocents:

[mkwerx]

all good advice:applause:

Not that i don't agree with what is said above but often times i have had trout at hagg follow my wedding ring in to literally right next to the boat before they decide to hit it hard, so don't stress to much about keeping it way back.:twocents:



I only run my rigs that far behind the boat to let 'em get a little deeper, since I usually tend to run lighter stuff vs heavier stuff.

[deeptrout]

just a alittle more advice- don't pass it up if it rains. I have always had my best luck on that lake when there was a little bit of weather. 20 years on that lake and i bet my best ten days from all of that have been raining on and off with a little wind.
Also, the birds will tell you where the schools of fish are- watch the osprey.

[mkwerx]

Deeptrout is right. My dad STILL kicks himself for a day like that - he took a bunch of my brothers out to the Hagg many years ago. He didn't have his license, so he wasn't fishing. It was downpouring, but the guys were catching fish like crazy. Pop had enough of the watching - so he jumped in the truck and ran down to Lake Stop to get his license. By the time he got it and got back to the lake, the rain stopped, the bite was off, and every one of the boys had a limit of trout.

[MarlinMark]

Trolling green/olive Rooster tails with a gob of power bait is killer.

I heard that you can find schools of perch on the bottom with your fish finder and drop a hook with 1/4 earthworm or meal worm down and get one. From there on out (what i've heard) you use the eyeball of the last perch you caught to get the next, and so on.

Good luck,

Mark

p.s. Frog flatfish in the small trout size is good too, if you can get them to run straight. :)