FISH ONN— Sam Onn with a 58.4-pound blue cat that stood as the fish of the month at Lake Wohlford
BY BRADY GARRETT
WON Staff Writer
ESCONDIDO — Depending on the week, anglers will find quality trout fishing or quality catfish opportunities, and the formula is simple: anglers that want trout should head to the East End. Those that want catfish should go to the West End.
Obviously, if the trout truck brought the bi-weekly 1,500-pound batch of rainbows that this lake receives, as they did most recently on January 9, then it was the trout that were leading the reports. The bite however, was tricky for some anglers, and there’s a reason for that. Frequently, the bites came in flurries, with anglers striking out for most of the day. Then suddenly, and oftentimes this has happened in the last hour of the day, the fish go on the chew, and stringers are filled. The one consistency for this year’s trout fishing has been the location. It has taken very little time, less than a few hours, for the trout to head to the East End of the lake, particularly the southeast corner. Minijigs, Mice Tails, Trout Worms, and PowerBait are getting the job done for the bait guys. A Thomas Buoyant might get a few bumps, too.
The catfish have remained very consistent throughout the fall and winter, and anglers that are fishing the deep water near the West Buoys, from either a boat or from shore with a long cast, are getting excellent stringers of whiskerfish. Mackerel and shrimp are 1a and 1b in terms of successful baits. Most stringers have fish to 4 pounds on them, and there have been some mammoth fish to over 40 pounds weighed in this winter, with a 43-pound fish brought in at the end of December. Most recently, Robert Jenkins weighing a 19-pound cat. Generally, the celebrations are loud enough to notify the entire lake when one of these behemoths is boated. Thankfully, most of these monsters have been released as well. The smaller fish make for better table fare anyway.
Wohlford bass are general quiet during winter, but warmer days will bring some fish shallow, particularly down toward the east end. Ikas, Senkos, and Roboworms worked slowly may get a few tics on the days where the sun beats down on shallow rocks. Warm rocks will warm the water, and the bass will gravitate to this area after cold nights, and some of the nights have been down into the 30s.
The lake is back to being open 7 days a week, and hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and all boats have to be off the water by 430 p.m.