A very unexpected catch - Orange Reservoir

[logs22]

Originally Posted by dakota560

You'd be surprised at the fish in that reservoir. The end you were fishing near McLoones is extremely shallow, just a few feet deep at best with a channel that runs along the zoo side. The picture of the rock you posted I believe is on the zoo side just into where the trees and overhang start on the path. Again it's relatively shallow there as well. In the spring when the water is high and cold, that end of the reservoir fishes well since it warms sooner then the dam end. This time of year, every fish in that reservoir is on the dam end in deeper water. A few weeks ago before we had some rain the area I believe you were fishing was bone dry. You'd be surprised what's in that reservoir both quantity and quality. Bluegills, yellow perch, white bass, large mouths, channels, crappie, HUGE snapping turtles and tons of carp. Because of the varying depths of the reservoir, temperatures changes occur rapidly and very much impact how and where to fish it.

The water was definitely super low and also pretty clear so when the sun was still high enough I was able to tell pretty well the bottom contour 5-10 yds out. I didn't even bother to take a cast until I got to that rock and then it was from on top of it. The bat was snagged about 20 yds from the dam where I did most of my fishing.