The recent reports at the lake describe the deep-water bite as hit or miss right now. Despite the colder days this week, the fish are still holding in that 40–60-foot range most consistently, and the best way to get into them will be using heavy jigs and a fish finder. Find the bait, and you’ll find the trout. The fish also appear to be a bit more line shy this year with better numbers being found on 10–12-pound test instead of the standard 15-20 for this time of year. 

 

Obviously, this has its added challenges when hooking fish of this caliber, so set those drags loose, but be aware of potential for overplaying of the fish. For the preservation of this fishery we love so much, please take some time to research the best way to revive fish and successfully release them when coming up from deep water. Minimize time playing the fish as well as handling/picture time and consider bringing a descending device with you. let’s do our part to see this fishery continue to flourish!