Reported: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 at 08:11:28 (CDT)

NOW is the time, anglers. Water temp is 61 degrees and the biggest bass in the lake are cruising the shallow waters searching for the prime bedding spots.
The lake is down 7 feet from last year at this same time, so those beds from last year are high and dry, BUT find the same kind of spot and you will find the bass.
Best lures for the big bass are spinner baits, buzz baits, and Ratl-R for the males. For the big females, try a jig-N-pig or a MADMAN Tube Craw. To catch either, a 3 inch green/pepper tube --worked real slow can get your line stretched. Remember that last year during the BIG BASS BONANZA, Jarrel Long caught a new lake record bass at 11.61 and Rodney Sweet won the second day with a huge 9 pounder.
Now is the best time of the year to catch those big bass, so get off this computer and get ON the lake. best water should be less than 5 ft. Work your baits s l o w , and hang on

Reported: Saturday, November 13, 1999 at 21:12:00 (CST)
If this is November, where is the cold weather???
Mother Nature continues to bless High Plains and the bountiful rains of spring and summer have increased the water level at Lake Meredith to 96 feet, the second highest level in the thirty-seven year history of this 16,000 acre reservoir.
As a result of nearly six years of increasing lake levels, Lake Meredith is finally turning out good numbers of largemouth bass in the five to ten pound range. Local bass tournaments are seeing heavier weights than at any time in the history of the lake. Meredith has always been a very good smallmouth bass and walleye lake, but finally the waters of the Canadian River are holding substantial schools of the fish that most anglers love to catch--the largemouth bass.
Seven years ago moss gained a toe hold in a single canyon, Blue West. In the intervening years of unusually stable water conditions (for West Texas), the beautiful green stuff has spread to every cove and canyon at the lake. In Blue West Canyon I have found several coves with expansive moss beds with outside edge walls down to fifteen feet. On the backside of the moss wall is a flooded tree line in ten feet of water. Behind these flooded trees is an open space and a second moss bed that extends to the shore. This is a new lake condition at Meredith, and forms a perfect sanctuary for largemouth bass. In the previous years before the emergence of the moss, largemouth bass were forced to survive on the rocky points and humps where mature walleye simply used the black bass as a food source. Things have changed at Lake Meredith, and local bass anglers could not be more pleased. The best areas for catching largemouth bass include Blue West, Martin Canyon, south Turkey Canyon, and Evans Canyon.
For the adventurous anglers, a trip up the Canadian River reveals nearly 2,000 acres of flooded trees, bushes and submerged cattails. Every tree and clump of cattails look like bass heaven, but while Mother Nature is working overtime to provide enough bass, she hasn't had time to put a keeper in each "perfect spot."
Smallmouth bass continue to hold on the main lake points, and a Pop-R or a suspending Rogue are still the best lures to entice a vicious strike by a five pound trophy bronzeback. The trophy bites are few and far between, but if a five pound smallmouth is your goal then a night fishing trip to Meredith should give you a good chance of success.
WALLEYE anglers should concentrate their efforts over the river channel near Arrowhead Island. Many five-walleye limits of these toothy monsters are caught in November with a 1 oz. lead slab tipped with a piece of night crawler in the 50-55 feet range. On cloudy days and at twilight, walleye can be caught off main lake points with a chartreuse Luhr-Jensen Brush baby. A small piece of a night crawler dramatically increases the effectiveness of every walleye lure.
November is crank bait time at this lake and fishing guide KIRK BALKE concentrates his search for the greenest remaining moss beds and recommends a silver/blue Fat FreeShad (for aggressive bass) followed by slow cranking a Wiggle Wart Express to trigger the less aggressive bass.
According to Balke, one added benefit of using crankbaits at Greenbelt is the occasional walleye that insists on eating bass lures. The walleye stay much shallower here than over at Meredith and good catches can be made by trolling the 15 feet break line.
If lots of action is your goal, head for the aerator located at the south end of the dam. This aerator attracts baitfish, which are just what the sandies are feeding on. Sand bass are suckers any lure that resembles an injured minnow, and this is a perfect opportunity to rig up a Zebco 33 with a chrome or white 1/4 oz. Rat-L-Trap. Grab a neighborhood youngster or the grand kids and let them go "catchin' while you sit back and capture the action with a video camera. You might forget about a sand bass trip, but the kids will remember it forever. Do NOT be surprised in they start catching largemouth's and walleye, because the schools of baitfish are popular food for all the predators that prowl the emerald green waters of Lake Greenbelt.
TIP OF THE MONTH The sand bass are biting at Lake Meredith. For some fast action that is a perfect way to introduce a kid to fun of fishing, tie on a small chrome Rat-L- Trap or an in-line spinner bait, and follow the seagulls as they work the major coves like Blue West. For some good action at Greenbelt, try the aerator in front of the dam.
NEW FOR THE 1999-2000 FISHING SEASON IN TEXAS is a change in the State length limit on Walleye. Anglers can still catch and keep five walleye per day, but effective September 1st two of the five may be below the 16-inch minimum length limit. This will be very welcome news for anglers who have been turning back dozens of 15 3/4 inch walleye. The authorities with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department do NOT think this new lower length limit will have a detrimental effect on the walleye population.

Reported: Saturday, September 04, 1999 at 20:22:54 (CDT)
The REDNECK Version of Lake Meredith
As our neighbor's t'th' east of us continue to release water fum Ute Lake into th' Kinadian Rivah whar some of it finally arrives at Lake Meredif, th' noos corncernin' fishin' at th' Panhan'les largess lake is almost unbelievable. Th' current lake level is approachin' 96 feet, an' holdin' steady instead of th' no'mal summer declinin' as it usually does durin' th' summer.
Th' autho'ities at th' lake haf issued a series of warnin's t' campers an' boaters corncernin' all th' flooded camp groun's an' noo log jams. Long time residents of this hyar region will hafta reckon long an' hard t'recall similar warnin's of flooded trees an' log jams at Lake Meredif.
These nooly flooded obstacles might be a problem fo' pleasure boaters, BUT fo' anglers th' noos c'dn't be better. Finally Lake Meredif looks like a bass lake an' it is fishin' like a bass lake. Local anglers haf repo'ted seein' noomrous skoos of tiny bass prowlin' th' trees an' emergin' most beds. These yearlin' bass is still quite small (less than four inches) but they is a great indicashun of some terrific fishin' thet awaits us in th' years t'come.

This hyar is NOT t'say thet th' fishin' is sufferin' right now, but frankly thar is so menny flooded trees an' emergin' most beds thet th' fishermen is "sufferin'" fum too much covah. An angler kin spend a day flippin' th' trees an' nevah leave a majo' cove like Blue West. It was jest a few years ago thet a dedicated angler c'd spend a day an' flip EVERY visible tree in th' entire lake.
SOLUTION--Anglers might try corncentratin' on th' mos' trimenjus trees an' th' laydown trees. Th' mo' trimenjus wood thet provides a shady area seems t'be th' covah thet th' mo' trimenjus bass haf staked out. Bess lures fo' wawkin' th' wood seems t' change daily, but a white/chartreuse spinnerbait, a salt/pepper green Gitzit, an' a tiny jig-N-pig is ketchin' keeper bass fum th' flooded trees. Thar is still a fine bite on th' sho'eline whar th' favo'ed lures include a 1/4 oz. Buzzbait o' a Pop-R chugger.
One of th' mo'e unusual lookin' baits thet ketches trimenjus bass is th' Brushhog by June Larew. BRENT BREZNIK of Bo'ger, who has fished th' Fun Tournament Trail fo' nearly ten years an' recently started interin' some Okie Divishun events on th' Redman Tournament Trail, has discovahed thet a pumpkin Brushhog wif han'-dyed chartreuse tips is a favo'ite trimenjus bass lure. "ah didn't particularly like th' way th' Brushhog looked outta water, but in th' water this hyar bait comes alive, an' trimenjus bass like t'bite it," said Breznik when axed about th' secret bait thet was responsible fo' his outstan'in' perfo'mance at Lake Meredif. "ah like light line fishin', but th' trimenjus bass haf fo'ced me t'start usin' some 14 lb. Well bust mah britches an' call me streaker. Trilene when ah's wawkin' th' flooded trees."
Lake corndishuns at Lake Meredif haf nevah been better, an' even them anglers who had previously given up on th' lake owe it t'themselves t'take t'other look at th' largess lake in th' Texas Panhan'le. Watch out fo' th' flooded trees, flooded ramps, an' please promise t'release th' trimenjus bass thet prowl th' noo Lake Meredif.
- A conversion perfomed by The Dialectizer program at http://www.rinkworks.com/ Give it a try on any text document.....enjoy

Reported: Saturday, September 04, 1999 at 20:22:54 (CDT)
MORE GOOD NEWS AT LAKE MEREDITH
As our neighbors to the east of us continue to release water from Ute Lake into the Canadian River where some of it finally arrives at Lake Meredith, the news concerning fishing at the Panhandles largest lake is almost unbelievable. The current lake level is approaching 96 feet, and holding steady instead of the normal summer declining as it usually does during the summer.
The authorities at the lake have issued a series of warnings to campers and boaters concerning all the flooded camp grounds and new log jams. Long time residents of this region will have to think long and hard to recall similar warnings of flooded trees and log jams at Lake Meredith.
These newly flooded obstacles might be a problem for pleasure boaters, BUT for anglers the news couldn't be better. Finally Lake Meredith looks like a bass lake and it is fishing like a bass lake. Local anglers have reported seeing numerous schools of tiny bass prowling the trees and emerging moss beds. These yearling bass are still quite small (less than four inches) but they are a great indication of some terrific fishing that awaits us in the years to come.
This is NOT to say that the fishing is suffering right now, but frankly there are so many flooded trees and emerging moss beds that the fishermen are "suffering" from too much cover. An angler can spend a day flipping the trees and never leave a major cove like Blue West. It was just a few years ago that a dedicated angler could spend a day and flip EVERY visible tree in the entire lake.
SOLUTION--Anglers might try concentrating on the biggest trees and the lay down trees. The bigger wood that provides a shady area seems to be the cover that the bigger bass have staked out. Best lures for working the wood seems to change daily, but a white/chartreuse spinner bait, a salt/pepper green Gitzit, and a tiny jig-N-pig are catching keeper bass from the flooded trees. There is still a good bite on the shoreline where the favored lures include a 1/4 oz. Buzz bait or a Pop-R chugger.
One of the more unusual looking baits that catches big bass is the Brush hog by Gene Larew. BRENT BREZNIK of Borger, who has fished the Fun Tournament Trail for nearly ten years and recently started entering some Okie Division events on the Redman Tournament Trail, has discovered that a pumpkin Brushhog with hand-dyed chartreuse tips is a favorite big bass lure. "I didn't particularly like the way the Brush hog looked out of water, but in the water this bait comes alive, and big bass like to bite it," said Breznik when asked about the secret bait that was responsible for his outstanding performance at Lake Meredith. "I like light line fishing, but the big bass have forced me to start using some 14 lb. Trilene when I am working the flooded trees."
Lake conditions at Lake Meredith have never been better, and even those anglers who had previously given up on the lake owe it to themselves to take another look at the largest lake in the Texas Panhandle. Watch out for the flooded trees, flooded ramps, and please promise to release the big bass that prowl the new Lake Meredith.
Thursday evening Bass Tournament at Lake Meredith