Going to Lake Hamilton in November, right after I vote! Never been there but will be bassfishing for 3 days. Any tips or info would be much appreciated.
Going to Lake Hamilton in November, right after I vote! Never been there but will be bassfishing for 3 days. Any tips or info would be much appreciated.
We have a house on Hamilton. They usually take the lake down to Winter pool the first or second week of November. Since they alternate between 3 foot and 5 foot drawdowns each year the lake should be dropped 5 feet this year. Might check on what ramps will be available. I know the public ramp at Wheatley should be open.
I’ll try to find out precisely what the drawdown plan is this year and pass it on. Arkyarcher and a couple other BBC members live in Hot Springs. They may also have some inside scoop.
https://www.entergy.com/operations_information/hydro/
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
I believe the lake was drawn down 5ft last year. Top Water should be working along with crank baits. Drop shot around deeper docks and water should produce some nice spots as well.
2021 Skeeter ZX225
2021 Yamaha SHO 225 VF225LA
Entergy has standardized on starting the draw down on Nov 1st each year and they will draw 6 inches per day so you will be here on the third or fourth day of the draw down. We had a 3 ft draw down last year but based on the grass growth I have seen this year, I would bet on a 5 foot this year.
One precaution, you need a good map, you can ding a prop quickly especially with the draw down. Hamilton does not have contour lines on the Lowrance built in maps, you will need a Navonics card.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
No sir. That was the initial plan, and what we had expected as we were prepared to extend our neighborhood ramp out, and do some shoreline cleanup.Originally Posted by woppercatcher
But, they only dropped 3 feet. Just spoke with a friend in HS that knows and hunts with an Engineer at Entergy. He stated they plan on dropping 5 foot this year due to quite few dock and shoreline project permits being requested. Here’s hoping.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
Find rocks and red clay and throw crawdad imitators, bass know when the water drops on Hamilton and they feed on the crawdads finding new homes. The other advice is money too.
Gene Wilson
2000 Xpress X19 Mercury 200
Team PoorMansCustomLures
Two wrongs don't make a right , but three lefts do.
This. I never could remember how the humps lay out that will mess you up in a hurry but might start fishing it semi-regular this Fall now that I have good mapping in the Garmin. Also been told Hamilton is extremely wind sensitive when it comes to where you fish on any given day. Have you noticed this much? I do like fishing wind blown banks other places in cooler months because it seems to bunch them up good from time to time especially on the Kentucky bite.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO and Powertech NRS4 21p
8" Bob's Action Jack
Garmin Echomap 12, 10, 9, and LVS34 networked with Netgear Switch
Ultrex
Trick Steps and Ramp N Clamp
Pulled by a 2016 single cab HEMI Ram
Treat others like you want to be treated when on the water EVEN WHEN IN A TOURNAMENT! No fish is worth having a confrontation because you cut someone off or came in on top of someone.
Hamilton has fished increasingly poor for the last 3 years. I attribute part of it to high water events during the spawn But even the white bass and Striper fishing has been off. I have a friend in Pine Bluff that for years has parked his motor home near the lake And fished Hamilton 3-4 days a week for the entire length of the draw down. Fishing was so poor last year that he is not coming back.
Jerk baits on windy points near the river channel, rattle traps on the shallow flats and Jigs in the deeper brush piles have been main stays over the years but lately nothing has been consistent.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Thanks for the info guys. Never been on Lake Hamilton, but wife wants to spend time there and Hotsprings.Should be good tree color by that time also, which she loves. Hamilton will be my third stop of a 3 lake tour. Going to Tablerock the 2nd week of October, then heading to Toledo Bend the 3rd week and then Lake Hamilton. My fall fishing tour before hunting season. Recently retired football coach and never got to fish much in fall. Look forward to it.
Lake Degray and Ouachita are only 30-45 minutes from Hamilton if you want the trifecta.
Gene Wilson
2000 Xpress X19 Mercury 200
Team PoorMansCustomLures
Two wrongs don't make a right , but three lefts do.
Find you a brush pile and a crappie jig....Thank me later.
And give the Berkley Gulp Alive minnows a try with a 1/16oz colored jighead with a hook big enough to stick the fish good.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO and Powertech NRS4 21p
8" Bob's Action Jack
Garmin Echomap 12, 10, 9, and LVS34 networked with Netgear Switch
Ultrex
Trick Steps and Ramp N Clamp
Pulled by a 2016 single cab HEMI Ram
Treat others like you want to be treated when on the water EVEN WHEN IN A TOURNAMENT! No fish is worth having a confrontation because you cut someone off or came in on top of someone.
jerk baits when the water temp gets in the 50's, but doubt it will be that low by then, I've had good trips there in the past when the water is 48 to 50 degrees with a jerk bait working it SLOW, and in the 10' to 12' range on steep banks, topwater should be good in Novermber
Reply With Quote