By now, most of the “rainbeaux trout” that were stocked in ponds across the state have been harvested. But there’s still plenty left to make for some exciting action.
They’ve acclimated to a diet of bugs, and will be feeding along the edges of ponds late on hatches of craneflies and midges. Any dry fly matching the size and color will work.
Mop Flies closely resemble cranefly larvae. The trout will also be feeding on the larvae during the hatch, so keep a few Mops on hand.
Crappie will be spawning this month. Work the edges of shorelines where the depth drops off a bit, and where there’s grass or structure. Minnow imitations like the Fluff Butt, Silli Butt, Squirmy Butt, and Crappie Candy will work either suspended under a tiny float or by slow-strip retrieve.
Hybrid striper action kicks off this month on False River, Lake St. John, Concordia, Indian Creek, and Claiborne. Look for surface activity as they bust schools of shad. While a variety of shad patterns like the Puglisi Shad work best, a white Clouser Minnow never fails. Cast, strip fast, and hold on!
Pre-spawn bass action picks up later this month. Work potential spawning areas with large, action flies. Articulated streamers are best, but Seaducers, Fleeing Crawfish, or Magnum Woolybuggers can be dynamite.
On the coast, algae and grass are setting up in ponds — and that means clear water. Look for reds to work flats adjacent to deeper water. Darker flies still prevail, such as purple Toads, black Charlies and copper Spoonflies.
