Reel um N Guide Service
Lynn Atkinson, Licensed Professional Guide

Lynn Atkinson

www.rayburncountry.com • srayburn@rayburncountry.com
Home 936-897-3400 • Cell 979-220-0251

May has arrived and "Big Sam" should be in good shape to start the summer.

Let's take a look at "Big Sam" for a minute. "Big Sam" is the largest lake in the state of Texas with 114,500 acres. It is well known as one of the premier largemouth bass lakes in Texas. The first time visitor will find Big Sam so inviting at every turn, with water that just reeks with habitat that will hold bass. With the water level at full pool you'll find Cypress and Willow trees along with the buck brush, lily pad fields, pepper grass and hydrilla. All of these give the bass ample places to ambush their prey and helps draw the fishermen in. Water depth that can run from a 1 to 3 feet deep along the banks with buck brush and trees make for some of the greatest fishing as you drift down the banks flipping baits looking for a trophy. There are not a lot of boat docks or piers on this lake so there is lots of room for you to spend the day fishing without looking at them.

If we take care of "Big Sam" she'll take care of us with years of great fishing. Remember to put your old fishing line in the trash can and not in the lake. It can get tangled around fish and birds and kill them. It also gets around the prop on your boat motor and cause manger damage that can run into thousands of dollars. When you take an old plastic bait off, throw it in the bottom of the boat - not in the lake. Fish eat them then swell up and die. Besides then no one knows what you've been fishing with. Let's keep the trash and put it where it belongs.

The water level normally has been on the rise from the spring rains and the lake temperatures should range in the mid 70s to 80 this time of year, which will kick off the shallow top water bite. The vegetation like pepper grass, hydrilla and lily pads will start showing up throughout the lake making for some great fishing. The top water bite

can really get your heart pumping as a fish blowups on the bait. There's nothing more exciting than pulling a frog across the grass, waiting and watching it come over patches of grass and small open spots in anticipation of that bass of a lifetime. Then getting to see it snatch the bait and head for the deep. Having good line and lots of backbone in your rods can really help turn these big 'ol girls.

The bream should be up in the shallows spawning and that makes it prefect time for some of the bass to have there revenge on them. Throwing a few baits that have some Bluegill colors can turn a day around. Lets not forget the miles of shoreline that holds the Cypress and Willows to do some flipping around.

The crappie should be in the grass flats this time of year along with some hanging around the brush piles. Get the coolers and get ready for some great fishing time with the kids. Remember getting the kids hooked on fishing can be a good thing.

Thanks to my sponsors and everyone that helps me on the lake. Stanley Jigs, E2 Bait Company, Coolwater Boats, Jackson Hill Marina, Bass Strike Tackle, Knupp's Korner Store, and American Angler