There are plenty voices rising above North Louisiana suggesting that Lake Claiborne, a 6,400-acre impoundment 25 miles northwest of Ruston, has become an enigma — a mystery wrapped in a riddle.
In fact, there are claims that the best Lake Claiborne has to offer is behind us.
This is what typically happens when anglers come up empty-handed and are looking for a way to excuse their poor performance. You’ve seen those fishing excuses T-shirts? They are a hot seller around Lake Claiborne these days.
If the lake is such a poor performer, why does almost every tournament circuit in North Louisiana begin its season there?
In the words of North Louisiana MEDIA Bass Tournament Director Dale Taylor, “Tournament directors always want to start the season at a lake where anglers can catch a lot of fish. That’s why we start at Claiborne.”
Wow, what a contrast to District 1 Fisheries Biologist Manager James Seales who said, “Claiborne isn’t a lake that I’d recommend somebody make a long drive to fish… It is difficult to fish… It’s not a trophy bass fishery.”
Maybe this lake is an enigma. And since many bass anglers were puzzle fanatics when they were young, I’m sure there isn’t one in the state who would mind making the drive to put together the pieces of Lake Claiborne.
It would be hard to convince Taylor that Claiborne has seen its best days.
“We started up there last February, and 38 out of 44 teams caught a limit,” he said. “Monk Anderson and Scott Smith won with 21 pounds — just like the good old days.”
Hmm, for there to be reminiscing about the good old days, there must have been a time recently where the fishing wasn’t too good.
In fact, with the exception of 2005, Claiborne HAS fished a little tough the past few years. But has it fished tough because there aren’t any fish in it anymore, or has it fished tough because hard-headed anglers fish the same old thing every time they go out, whether the bass are there or not?
Taylor believes that the later is true.
“People are complaining about the lake because they say they can’t catch fish,” he said. “What they fail to realize is that this isn’t your typical Louisiana lake. And on top of that, the fishing is changing.
“There are fish in this lake that have never seen a bait. Understand that this lake is unlike any you’re going to fish in Louisiana, quit fishing in the past, and learn some new techniques, and you’re going to discover that this lake isn’t so tough after all.”
Click here to read the rest of this article, which first appeared in the February 2006 issue of Louisiana Sportsman.