# How to fish a big lake? (Livingston)



## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

Went to LLD today early in the morning, got nearly skunked (one blue cat on crappie rod). Was pretty sure whites aren't there. Decided to try big lake -- launched at park, moved around a bit (yak + trolling motor + map of the bottom + gps on cellphone). This place is so big and deep (>60' in river channel) -- it is overwhelming.

I have no idea how to fish water like this... I saw on my pretty basic fishfinder a lot of schools of something at 20-28'. But I can't stay on them -- wind pushes me away and I can't keep my jigs vertical at such depths.

I can't zip around lake looking for especially big schools or fish busting on the surface. Can someone suggest me an approach that would allow me to catch something (anything!) in this lake?

Thank you.

Notes:
- I've heard about acrobat slabs (where do you get them?), but problem is -- I can't stay put and drift messes up line -- it no longer goes straight down.
- tried coves with timber and depth up to 18' -- nothing


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

Big lake is transitioning from winter to spring pattern right now.If I remember propably the hardest months to find fish in the big lake.At least for whites.Most are about or propably already up the river to spawn.They wont be back untill they finish spawning up in the river and creeks.Then finding them is a lot more easier.You wont have to paddle too far from land to find a bunch of schooling whites.I useually find them near shore where the shallow 10-15 fow drop off on to the deep 20 - 25 fow.That includes humps too.Give it till april or mid april before huge numbers start to migrate back to the big lake.In the mean time cat fishing on the main lake and below the dam is your best bet.When they are back and bitting on the big lake,anything you sent down will be torn up.Does not has to be acrobat slabs.We were using big long 4 - 5 inch stripers slabs and still catching them like crazy.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

Get ready for the bulkhead bite that's what I'm waiting for.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

We are just about 1 month away from the big migration back to the lake crusader.Here's a pics when them withes start's too school back on the lack in big numbers.



even see some schooling and birds activity too.


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## Watersoul (Feb 15, 2013)

Give Michael a call at Lake Livingston Adventures. He can teach you how to fish that south end and is well worth the money. Great guy to fish with.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

brucevannguyen said:


> Big lake is transitioning from winter to spring pattern right now.If I remember propably the hardest months to find fish in the big lake.At least for whites.Most are about or propably already up the river to spawn.They wont be back untill they finish spawning up in the river and creeks.Then finding them is a lot more easier.You wont have to paddle too far from land to find a bunch of schooling whites.I useually find them near shore where the shallow 10-15 fow drop off on to the deep 20 - 25 fow.That includes humps too.Give it till april or mid april before huge numbers start to migrate back to the big lake.In the mean time cat fishing on the main lake and below the dam is your best bet.When they are back and bitting on the big lake,anything you sent down will be torn up.Does not has to be acrobat slabs.We were using big long 4 - 5 inch stripers slabs and still catching them like crazy.


I figured bass migration don't improve my chances... But I saw a lot of activity down there. My problem was that I could not get my lure down there before wind blew me away and my lures weren't heavy enough to jig vertically in 30-40' when drifting ~at 1mph spped.

I mean it was technical problem -- when I go offshore fishing I use 7-10oz jigs to alleviate that. What do you use in fresh water? Do you jig at all?
I tried "dead sticking" -- but again, drift made my line go into water under 45 degrees (and no bites). What lure do you use in such situations?
Trolling crankbait and rattletrap did not produce, I assume because fish is considerably deeper.
Also, when rain came -- some fish was sporadically hitting surface nearby. I tried throwing plastic at them and I am pretty sure hit few of them right on a head -- nada... What do you use on LL when you look for a topwater bite?



Ducktracker said:


> Get ready for the bulkhead bite that's what I'm waiting for.


Yep, I witnessed this last year -- was at Wolf Creek park (from the bank), got yellow bass every second cast with occasional white.

By the way -- can you catch yellow bass in open water? How?



Watersoul said:


> Give Michael a call at Lake Livingston Adventures. He can teach you how to fish that south end and is well worth the money. Great guy to fish with.


I know about Michael (anyone who reads freshwater section of this forums does) and do plan to get his services -- my problem is a bit different... I do not have good electronics or means to stay on the same spot (hard to fight wind in kayak). I am not even looking for spots -- I have Navionics maps and understand how fish relates to structure. All I need is to have a chance catching something 

P.S. Does this lake have thermocline? When does it get established and usually how deep? (I've heard in lakes where water is moving it may not exist at all)


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Drift*

I would carry a five gallon bucket and 3' of rope. Put out the bucket, tied mid-ships, it will slow you down. Then you can stow extra stuff in it when you move place to place. I have about 40' of anchor rope on my yak, and can anchor in fairly deep water. I use nylon mule tape, 50 ft of it you can put in a 2 lb coffee can. You may want to go for crappie, since you can find sub-surface brush with your finder. They will be moving up shallow in the next month to spawn. I think you can catch whites pretty much all winter, either because the spawn is spread out, or some don't leave, not sure which. 
Good luck to you.
BB


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## akkording (Jan 6, 2013)

Crusader,

Have you tried to using a drift chute on the yak, I have one you can have, contact me.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

I'd watch the wind forecast as well. 4-5 foot white caps sometimes. It doesn't take long to get the water into a frenzy.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

akkording said:


> Have you tried to using a drift chute on the yak, I have one you can have, contact me.


Yes, I have drift sock and use it as required. Apparently I needed 1oz and heavier slabs to keep my lure down. Well, it was a scouting expedition anyway -- I don't expect to catch a lot of fish on these 



BigBuck said:


> I have about 40' of anchor rope on my yak, and can anchor in fairly deep water. I use nylon mule tape, 50 ft of it you can put in a 2 lb coffee can. You may want to go for crappie, since you can find sub-surface brush with your finder. They will be moving up shallow in the next month to spawn. I think you can catch whites pretty much all winter, either because the spawn is spread out, or some don't leave, not sure which.


Uhm... I am not sure about anchoring in 40 fow -- even slight change in wind direction will move me 10-20 feet off my original position. That crappie school need to be quite big for me to still stay on them. I checked coves next to LL park -- from 3 to 18 fow next to standing timber. Not a single bite. :-(



Bankin' On It said:


> I'd watch the wind forecast as well. 4-5 foot white caps sometimes. It doesn't take long to get the water into a frenzy.


Yep, yesterday in afternoon north wind started blowing -- I was out of water asap. I got caught once in ~3-4' waves -- this is when wave literally rolls over your lap from time to time. Don't wanna repeat it


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