I look outside at the leaves just starting to change into their bright fall colors as a nice cool north wind blows and I can feel it, fall has arrived, my favorite time of the year. I love that things wind down a bit, we get to sink deeper into doing what we love, and it's one of the best times of the year to fish!
As I write this, I am certain that thousands of seagulls rode this cold front in and are making a stop at Lake Texoma. I have already been watching big groups of them raft up on the lake and we have already started seeing them working over schools of fish, pointing us in the right direction. There is no substitute for nature's fish finders, the seagulls remain the most advanced and sophisticated technology we have and are the fastest and easiest way to locate feeding fish.
With this cooler weather, the fish will feed more frequently, getting worked up into giant schools forming feeding frenzies all over the lake. These birds can easily locate these schools from the air and won't hesitate to jump right in, becoming a part of the frenzy themselves and adding to the madness and excitement of it all. Big schools of feeding fish that are easy to find, makes this one of the most productive times of the year to catch fish.
Current conditions: Lake Texoma elevation is normal at 617, water temperature is normal for the first week in November at around 65º F. Sunrise 6:47 Sunset 5:31 Zenith 12:09PM. Moon is at 30% illumination waning to a new moon on Nov. 9th. Moonrise 1:10AM Moonset 2:28 PM Zenith 7:53AM.
The current fishing has been fantastic, at least when they are biting lol. The last few days we have been chasing a shallow water bite on swimbaits early around 7:00-9:00ish, for that time it is about as good as it gets, putting fish in the boat 3 and 4 at a time with no time to get them counted and put in the box. Then it dies down and fishing has been slow for the remainder of the morning, having to grind out the rest of our fish if we didn't get them all in the early bite. For the later bite, I'm finding fish on a shallow structure swimbait bite as well as a deeper bite in 30-60 Ft. along ledges with slabs. There are lots of fish in that deeper water which have been biting well for those using live bait. They pile up in big schools under my boat when I turn on the splasher but they are harder to get going using slabs, we can catch them but it is a slow grind over a massive school of fish that we should be catching left and right. It’s about to shift though, it may be happening right now with this cooler weather, these fish in the deeper water are going to start moving and feeding, and the fall feeding frenzy under the birds will begin, don't miss your opportunity to get in on the action.
We have really been having a lot of fun on my open boat trips. I started doing them a couple of years ago and have really been enjoying them. A lot of folks don't have anyone else to go with to book a private charter so I try to organize an open boat trip at least once a week where anyone can join in for $150/person. This gets folks on the water where they otherwise wouldn’t have an option. I have a lot of regulars that come out with me once a month or so and it has turned into a community of friends. It has really been a great experience for me and everyone involved. I have a Facebook group and a group text that I'll send out when the next open boat trip is happening, just click here to join the group or shoot me a text that you want to join the chat (903)815-1609.
What kind of experience are you looking for on the water? Let me know your aspirations and I'll do my best to make them happen, I’m adaptable. I can focus on education and teach you all that I can about how to find and catch these fish while out on the water. We can focus on fly fishing and make it all about catching these fish on the fly. I do love my fly fishing trips, we can catch them all year long on the fly too using sinking line in the colder months under birds and on structure. Or maybe you just want to relax and catch fish while enjoying the scenery, just make sure to communicate what you are wanting out of your trip and I'll do my best to make it happen.
Gift certificates! It's that time again to start thinking about the holiday season so I wanted to remind you that there is no better gift for the avid angler in your life than going fishing. I can adjust the gift certificate however you prefer, a private charter for $450 for 1-3 people or $150/person to be used on an open boat trip or discounted from a private charter trip. Just give me a call or shoot me a text and I'll get you set up. You can book your trips online at www.stripersinc.com or give me a call at (903)815-1609. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be looking forward to fishing with you.
Your Lake Texoma Fishing Guide,
Brian Prichard
Stripers Inc.
www.stripersinc.com
(903)815-1609
