[Millerd1]

Thanks for posting that Fairfield report. A buddy of mine, who I believe is a regualr here referred me to your report. I am not sure what ID he uses here. Three of us have been trading fishing and investment stories for almost five years now.

I fish Fairfield on a very regular basis, at least every other weekend for at least one day each. I have yet to be skunked by Fairfield in well over 48 trips to that lake. I have about 5 honey holes that used to produce Black Bass but with the stocking these past two years have transitioned to a Red Fish population, as have my fishing interests. I believe the Red Fish population has hit a damaging level for the Black Bass population. At the very least they are displacing the Black Bass in my old Honey Holes.

I am starting to get the feel for main lake red fishing but not yet producing anything like you have described. Best we have done so far is 15, 12 and 10 lbs. That 15 was caught Mid December in an east side cove between the camp ground ramp and the next major point. The longest was 34". I lost 8 big fish this spring and summer trying to force them to come to me using heavy duty bass tackle. Had my thumb burned several times trying to slow some runs down. I finally learned to set the drag looser and just wait them out. We have caught well over 100 Red fish in the last 18 months, and harvested just 9 so far.

I have favored the hotter end of the lake for the past few years, and have not run down the lake early in the morning for well over 3 years. May be we can trade some information. I have an artifical bottom bait combination that will guarantee Reds, Blacks and Catfish will hit it. I think it would work as a substitue for netting Talopia in this colder weather. We also believe we have a plug color and style that works very well at the hotter end of the lake, again it catches both specie.

I'm running a 20 ft Dark red flake, black hulled single console Charger boat, with a 200 EFI Merc. towed by a very dark red older model Yukon. The truck has a TP&W "I belong" sticker in the back lower left corner of the rear window. I'm usually there at first and last light. If you see my truck/trailer rig at the ramp or the boat on the water give me a holler. What are you running out of, and what direction are you running to get to the lake?

The lake has come up some from the early November low, but a lot of folks have had problems launching and retrieving. The lake level is still pretty close to too low. Tandem trailers usually have to drop one axle off the ramp edge to retrieve, even now. The single axle trailer are still at serious risk even at this lake level. Beware there is a large berm, layered with propeller and lower unit breaking, rocks only about 1.5 boat lengths out from the edge of the concrete ramp lip. I have a launch method, and a ramp approach route that makes it pretty safe and easy and avoids that rock pile. I have also seen a weld-on trailer modification that assures you can get out of any problem. If we loose 12" of water most trailers will need that modification.

What two days did you fish Fairfield recently? Are you fishing weekends or weekdays? You are the second to tell me about using 1oz-mag traps. What Color 1oz-mag trap do you favor, and where are you finding them?

Are you casting or trolling for those red fish? I find trolling a bit boring but for a 20 lb fight, I could find it interesting enough.

Have those Red fish been on the surface in that west side red hole for the last two trips, and if so at what time of the day?

How about at least some information trading, if not a back seat trip sharing?

That has to be enough questions for now.

Bill Fisher has already posted my Sunday report