Steve Pope's Typical Report

EDITOR'S NOTE: I now know why anglers consider Weiss Lake near Centre, Alabama, on the Georgia/Alabama border, the Crappie Capital of the World and why Steve Pope of Centre, Alabama, ranks as one of the best guides anywhere. Pope has guided on Weiss Lake for 13 years and knows the water and the fish there like the back of his hand. His crappie-fishing techniques radically will change your ideas if you fish structure.

You can receive a weekly fishing report from Pope and the other guides at Weiss Lake Guide Service by e-mailing and requesting one to be sent to your e-mail address. Here's a sample of Pope's weekly fishing report:

LAKE LEVEL: 560.3
FULL POOL LEVEL: 564.0
SURFACE TEMP: 57.4 degrees F
WATER CLARITY: Good in the coves and creeks. The water color in the river channel is dingy.
CRAPPIE: I guided three men today who caught 90 keepers by 3:30 pm. The average fish weighed a pound. We caught several that weighed 2 to 2-1/4-pounds and two crappie that weighed more than 3 pounds. Today, the crappie were 5- to 6-feet deep in 12 to 15 feet of water. The fish were non-structure oriented. We caught 45 fish by 11:30 a.m. but as I've said before, when the fish quit biting, 99.9% of the time they've moved toward the surface of the water. And, because I'm as dumb as a board, I kept fishing the same depth before I figured out that the crappie had moved to more shallow water 10 to 12 inches deep. You'll not see these fish on the depth finder because they are too shallow to mark. I changed from a 1/16-ounce jig to a 1/32-ounce jig. The hot color is bubble gum. The approaching cold front will change everything in the next few days. I'll try to keep you posted as to how the front affects the fish. Hope to see you at Bay Springs Restaurant around 7:00 a.m. every morning. I'll have on a Weiss Lake Guide Service hat. Every body knows me; just ask someone to point me out. Come talk to me, and I will try to help you!
BASS: The bass fishing is super right now. The best place seems to be the back ends of coves in shallow water or around riprap. The best location may also change with the front. Gold and chartreuse spinner baits are still the most productive.
WHITE BASS: White bass and yellow bass are also strong in the back of the shallow coves when you troll with Mrs. Cheryl's 1/16-ounce jigs.
CATFISH: I do not fish for catfish, but the commercial men catch a ton. You can fish off my dock or any fish-cleaning station on the lake after someone has cleaned fish and catch 30- to 50-pound catfish. Use rib cages from your fish asbait.
BREAM: Still zero. Water too cold.
STRIPE: Follow the birds. When the birds dive on to the water, fish Mrs. Cheryl's 1/16-ounce jigs on a fast troll (Mrs. Cheryl's jigs are the ones on our website). We catch stripe in the 3- to 15-pound range. Fishermen have a hoot catching one of these big stripers on 6-pound-test line and an ultra light rig.

As always I will be glad to help anyone in any way I can. This fishing report is based on our guides' success. If you need help, don't be bashful. Call me, and I will try to help. Also, read the entire website for some very useful information. I also recommend that you purchase a lake map and a "belly board" when you get here because we have a 10-inch size limit on our crappie. I will try to keep you posted as to what happens with this front. Good fishing to all!

To learn more about how to catch big crappie on Weiss Lake, or, to check out fishing conditions at Weiss, contact Steve Pope at (256) 927-6617, or go to his website www.weisslakeguideservice.com.

For other proven tactics on how to catch crappie, return to Night Hawk's Homepage, and click on books. To receive a brochure or to order John E. Phillips' book, "The Masters' Secrets of Crappie Fishing," which contains more than 50 experts' tips for catching more crappie, call (800) 627-4295.