Miguel C.

Hit the water early and managed to land 1 rainbow trout around 7:00 AM using a grasshopper-colored jig. Conditions were slightly windy, which made presentation a bit tricky, and overall it turned out to be a tough day on the water.

After that early catch, there were no more bites, despite spotting schools of trout cruising. Talked with a few nearby anglers and noticed no one else was having much luck either. The fish just weren’t committing.

Landed this trout using the Berkley Atomic Tube in the Grasshopper colorway. The fish were schooling and biting all day! I also caught these two bass off the dock—both were on a bed preparing to spawn. I used a jig with a crawfish trailer, but at first, they were just nipping at the claws. After shortening the trailer, I was able to hook both. The water was crystal clear, making for some great sight fishing. The first bass weighed in at 2.2 lbs, and the second was 1.5 lbs.

Caught 2 largemouth bass at Santee Lakes (Lake 4) using a bluegill-colored squarebill crankbait. The first fish, around 2 lbs, hit at 9:19 AM, and the second, estimated between 3-4 lbs, struck at 9:30 AM. Both bites were aggressive as I worked the lure with a stop-and-go retrieve through vegetation in 2-5 feet of water. The water was slightly stained with no wind, and both fish were caught near submerged grass.