Fishing the lake @ the mouth

What tactics are productive for fishing the lake near the mouths from shore?

Not too difficult, no real tactics to speak of. Little Cleos in blue and silver. KO Wobblers the same.  Big white rooster tails have always been good too. Wade out and start casting.
 
Use a medium rod. If you can, use a noodle rod. Some prefer them for the ability to use a lighter line as the rod takes the shock. But a whole lot of us used good old Mitchell 300s and medium conolon rods for a long time and did quite well. Whatever you use make sure that your drag is adjusted.
 
If the water is calm put a small white or black  mini foo jig about two feet under a weighted slip bobber. Add some meat like a small minnow or maggots to the jig. And of course power bait on the jig works too--I have caught most of my jig fish on the mini foo power bait combo.
 
I like to hit the lake early, it seems to be the calmest then. Wade out and have a blast.

I agree with "The Beagle Duud"...cleos are where it's at. Careful wading out tho.....fish will stack right on the shoreline.

The Lorax knows of what he speaks.

deetz4352
No need to wade IMO they come within feet of the shoreline.

 
^

Don't have the bait store spool your line, and close your bail manually, not by turning the reel handle.

I use a med-fast steady retrieve.

Mr.Slickfish

I use a med-fast steady retrieve.

 
Get a Mo Town song like "I'll Be There" in your head and reel to the beat.
 

Pondbear,
 
First, do not spool your reel with floro. If you're concerned with visibility, tie a piece of floro leader to your main line. Second, if only tossing spoons, I prefer a SB such as Fireline. Those lake fish ( especially early season ) are not line shy. If you also want to toss a more still bait ( jigs, sacs, PB ), again tie on a floro leader. Speed can vary. Sometimes they want it ripping, sometimes they want it slow.  Part of the speed deal, is how high in the water your spoon rides. I like Crocs, as the profile allows for both long casts,  but also a slower retrieve without hanging up on the bottom. Here again the value of super braid. Most "hang ups" are rocks. With SB, you can crank down and either flip the rock, or bend the hook ( cheaper to replace than a spoon ). Braid also lets you "crank down" moe on a fish, and get control in tight quarters.
 
The other are right in they they can be right on the shoreline. As the sun comes out they'll move "deeper". That and your fellow angler almost always bust out balz deep right off the bat. Leaving you little option. Remember that the fish don't form a single file line out in the lake, and head directly into the creek. They mill about, and cruise the shoreline.  I like to go about 25yds past the furthest guy from the mouth. Then wade just far enough to cast almost parallel to the shore, without constantly dragging bottom. Actually, you can find fish ( early ) 150 yds or more away from the creek mouth.

Spoon chucker Why don't you like floro as a mainline?....and does braid seem to help you cast farther?...I was thinkn of trying invisibraid by spiderwire ....how big of a leader do you use and when you cast do you make sure your leader is outside your guides to keep your leader knot from hitting your last few guides of your rod?

Agreed. Braid...with a 24" leader.....or straight mono is what I use. I like straight mono.  Steelhead are the only fish I use mono for. I like having that little bit of stretch on spastic fish.....But I have no idea what im doing. Most of the time I steelhead fish,  I'm just Deetz's snack sherpa.

Spoon chucker are you saying that you catch early season chrome on spoons with no leader but instead tying the spoon directly on the super braid?....I like the idea of being able to retrieve snagged spoons with the extra strength of the braids....I lost 30$ worth of spoons the last day I was out..(mouth of walnut)..being able to eliminate the leader would surely help being able to pull that much harder....it does seem hard to believe that a fish following spoons would be line shy but a lot of people say that....I'm looking to hear someone say they catch em without a light line or leader....straight business no fine line

chromemullet

..I lost 30$ worth of spoons the last day I was out.

 
ouch
reel a little faster or don't toss such heavy spoons
 
i don't fish the lake, so take it  for what it's worth....
imo the advantages to braid (I use 10# Spider Wire braid on one of the bass rods) the advantage on long casts is  the lack of stretch.
50-100ft of mono has a TON of stretch to it...braids have none ..they're also ten times more sensitive ..you may never feel any fish bumping your lure with long casts and mono....and may not think there are any fish there
You can feel a minnow fart on the end of braid
 
BTW, I've caught steel in the creeks chucking jUnk at 'em with my bass rod and braid
This is a ONE OUNCE jig in that hen's mouth tied to 10# Spider Wire braid
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
..L.T.A.

You know that fish was snagged in the tail and the jig was removed and placed in that fishes mouth for the photo.Cmon man you ain't fooling me.

How about buzz baits? Anybody ever catch a steelbow on buzz bait?