Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991 TAG: 9103140070
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This time of year, it is the most important tool of the bass-angling trade, because you are dealing with fish that rise and fall with the slightest temperature change.
As little as a 2-degree upward movement can be like putting jumper cables on a winter-locked bass.
"They realize they are hungry, and they are going on a feeding spree," said Bobby Colston.
Already this season, Colston has weighed two 9-pounders at his shop, The Tackle Box, located on the lower end of the 20,000-acre lake.
Weaving a watery boundary along Southside Virginia and North Carolina, Gaston has a history of producing some of Virginia's biggest bass.
It no longer is as potent as it was in the 70s, when its bass broke the state largemouth record four times and accounted for 66 citations in a single season. Even so, last year it churned out 28 citation largemouth, the largest number of any major impoundment in the state. Included was a 11-pound, 14-ounce bass.
From his tackle shop, Colston is in an excellent position to monitor the up and downs of the lake's late winter-early spring bass fishing. This is what he recommends:
SUNNY DAYS: Forget what you've heard about bluebird days being poor for fishing. Choose a sunny one, and all the better if it's windless. The sun on still water can send water temperatures zooming from the high 40s well into the 50s in just a couple of hours. That can be a real turn-on for bass.
NORTH SIDE: Bass at Gaston come alive first in the major tributaries that flow into the north side of the lake. Pea Hill Creek is the biggest and best, but also worthy of attention is Lizard Creek, Holy Grove Creek and Poplar Creek.
BEST TIME: No need to get up early or stay late. From about 11 a.m. into the mid-afternoon will be best, because that is when the water temperature reaches its peak.
STRUCTURE: Fishing cover isn't as important as finding pockets of warm water. The bass are holding on the edge of deep water and when a temperature rise occurs they are going to move shallow. They will be alert to the fact that one spot can be a few degrees warmer than another, and they are going to seek the warmer one.
PROPER DEPTH: Fish about 4-to 6-feet deep.
KEEP ON PLUGGING: Try to launch a lure every few seconds. You never know exactly when or where the bass are going to come up. The best way to win this game of roulette is to cover everything with casts.
STICK AROUND: When you catch a fish, don't be too quick to move from that area to look for another. The bass you caught was there for a reason. It likely had company.
LURES: Use baitfish-shaped crankbaits like the Speed Shad, the Bagley Small Fry and Shad Rap.
MUD: Gaston has an excellent filtering system in the form of upstream Kerr lake. It doesn't get muddy often, but when it does you usually can locate fishable water in Pea Hill Creek where huge springs quickly chase away discolored water.
MOVING ON: The creeks are going to be the best bass producers until the main channel warms up to 55 or 60 degrees. When that happens, turn your back on the tributaries and fish the rocky points of the main lake. The bass will begin pulling up on such points when the sun warms the rocks.
MIDWEEK: Weekends are for bass tournaments at Gaston, often several going at the same time. Avoid the pressure by fishing midweek, when you pretty well can have the lake to yourself.
by CNB