|
ColumbusFishing Reports Tournament Results COLUMBUS LAKE Columbus Lake is the largest of the ten impoundments making up the Tenn-Tom, some 23 miles long and over 8900 acres in size. Heavily fished by recreational anglers, pressure on Columbus Lake is heightened by the many bass tournaments staged on the 23-mile long navigation pool. Backed up by the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam, the 8,900-acre reservoir nonetheless boasts a noteworthy bass fishery. However, some anglers fear the fishery is degrading because of the heavy mats of hyacinths that plague the lake and its backwaters. Tippee Creek opens into the main pool adjacent to the Waterway Management Center. Its current is usually strong enough to push back the hyacinths toward the main pool, leaving the upper reaches of the creek bottom open. Though much has changed since this fertile labyrinth became the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in the mid-1980s, its waters still give up lots of largemouth, spotted and, occasionally, smallmouth bass. Columbus Lake features a single marina, located at the Stennis Eastbank and Columbus Recreation Area, just east of the John C. Stennis Lock and Dam. Eight concrete boat ramps with paved parking areas are also situated around the impoundment. Fishing Reports4/29/2008 Not much change to report from last week. The bass and crappie bite continue to be both pretty good right now. Crappie are still being caught out of the gravel pits; target shallow water with jigs or minnows for good success. A few more reports this past week from the old river runs. Crappie in these areas are also shallow and holding near any wood or brush. The bass bite for numbers is good; the quality bites are tough to come by. Most bass are coming on spinner baits, flukes, and Senko-type baits. The catfish anglers are hitting the navigation channel near the old river runs; both trotlines and rod-n-reels are catching some nice cats. 4/16/2008 The bass and crappie bite continue to be fair right now. Both bass and crappie are coming out of very shallow water. Crappie are still being caught out of the gravel pits; target shallow water with jigs or minnows for good success. A few more reports this past week from the old river runs. Crappie in these areas are also shallow and holding near any wood or brush. The bass bite for numbers is good; the quality bites are tough to come by. Kellogg’s and Spring Creek are paying off right now; some of the other sloughs off Tibbee have also been popular. Most bass are coming on spinner baits, flukes, and Senko-type baits. The catfish anglers were also hitting the navigation channel and having success with increased current. Several groups reported good catches using trotlines along the navigation channel near the old river runs. Best catfish baits were night crawlers and cut bait. 8/7/2007 A good bass bite was reported over the weekend. Quite a few patterns were popular. Several reports of bass being caught off shoreline structure on the channel and the gravel pits near the east bank ramp were also popular. Most reports indicated Texas-rigged plastics were the most popular baits, with spinner baits catching a few active fish out of the grass in the pits. The catfish reports were fair this week; catfish are biting along the channel and also below the dam. Both jugs and rod-n-reels are catching some nice catfish. Crappie have been holding in 8 to 12 ft of water over 10 to 20 ft of water; minnows or crappie jigs are working equally well. The gravel pits and the mouths of the old river runs have been popular areas for the crappie anglers. 7/7/2007 The bass reports this week were from the gravel pits and the deeper grass beds near the boat ramp and the marina. T-rigged plastics are best baits, with spinner baits and buzz baits catching some early and late bites. Other fair bass reports are coming along the navigation channel; target any wood with t-rigged plastics and shallow running crank baits. The catfish reports are good; catfish are biting along the channel and also below the dam. The mouths of the river runs and creeks are popular areas. Both jugs and rod-n-reels are catching some nice catfish. The crappie anglers have been able to pick up a few fish on the channel and in the gravel pits. Crappie have been holding in 8 to 12 ft of water over 10 to 20 ft of water; minnows or crappie jigs are working equally well. 7/3/2007 The bass reports have been fair this past week. Most of the anglers from the BFL tourney targeted the gravel pits and the deeper grass beds near the boat ramp and the marina. T-rigged plastics have been best baits, with spinner baits and buzz baits catching some early and late bites. Other fair bass reports are coming along the navigation channel; target any wood with t-rigged plastics and shallow running crank baits. The catfish reports are good; catfish are biting along the channel and also below the dam. Both jugs and rod-n-reels are catching some nice catfish. The crappie anglers are having luck by targeting suspended fish on the channel and in the gravel pits. Crappie have been holding in 8 to 12 ft of water over 10 to 20 ft of water. 6/26/2007 Bass reports this week are from the gravel pits and the deeper grass beds near the East bank boat ramp and the marina. T-rigged plastics are best baits, with spinner baits and buzz baits catching some fish early and late. There are several reports of some good bass coming off points and ledges on the navigation channel; Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged plastics have been best baits. The catfish reports are fair to good; catfish are biting along the channel and also below the dam. Both jugs and rod-n-reels are catching some nice catfish; night crawlers and liver have been best baits. The crappie anglers are having luck by targeting suspended fish on the channel and in the gravel pits. Crappie have been holding in 5 to 8 ft of water over 10 to 16 ft of water. Tournament Results6/30/2007Congratulations Grant Galloway! Saturday morning 120 boats blasted off from East Port Marina competing in the Mississippi Division Columbus Tournament. Houston Hawg Caller, Grant Galloway, was among those fishing as a co-angler. Grant was paired with Charles Jones, a boater from Jackson, TN. “Mr. Jones told me the night before, that he was on some fish. He didn’t know what quality of fish they were going to be.” The two were fishing ledges that dropped off into an old “river run”. Grant was fishing a 4” watermelon finesse worm rigged on a shaky head. Charles, who has almost $10,000 in career FLW tournament earnings, completed the day with a 17th place finish with 5-11 Lbs. Grant scored his 1st win in a BFL tournament competition with 9-07 Lbs. “I kind of figured I was going to place “in the money”, said Galloway. I had no idea that it was going to be enough to win.” The 1st place finish was enough to move Galloway from 39th in the points to 23rd. “I’ve been fortunate enough to fish with some really great guys, (boaters) knock on wood.” A firm finish at the upcoming BFL event at Lake Ferguson will give Grant a solid position at the Mississippi Regional Tournament, held at Kentucky Lake October 18th – 20th.
5/20/2007
Rick and T-Bird fishing cover and structure on the "Main River Channel" and in Tibbee. Catching their fish on crank baits, soft plastics and everything in-between, the duo reported having several limits throughout the day. Fishing Tibbee, the mouth of Tibbee and out into the "river" seems to have been the place to be. Rick and T-Bird filled their limit using the same tactics but was not able to cull one of their small fish which might have cost the team the victory. There was a much different story to be told fishing in the gravel pits. There was a lot of action first thing in the morning but came to a sudden stop by 9:00. After 9:00 the bites came few and far between for all of the anglers we talked to. By 11:00 I only counted 2 boats in the gravel pits. (Including us) After moving out to the river, we were able to catch one more keeper to fill our limit. After getting our limit we went back to the gravel pits and didn’t catch another keeper fish for the rest of the day.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|