RICHARD BEILUE wins at Meredith, July 25, 2002
First, do NOT use CEDAR CANYON ramp and do NOT plan on using it until the lake level increases or the Park Service does "something". The rains in July washed in so much dirt and sand that the ramp is dangerous and the suspended sand and gunk can easily clog your water pump. USE THE RAMP AT THE MARINA or Blue West, they are better but not by much. Meredith lose any more water and the authorities are going to have to do something or lose ALL boat ramps.

Now the fishing.

Despite several anglers reporting that they HAD been on some good bass during their pre-practice, the results were pretty meager. RICHARD BEILUE of Dumas won $360 with his only bite--a nice 4.68 lb. largemouth bass that hit a Pop-R. Richard said it was his only bite and happened while he let the lure just sit there. (this is a pattern that seems to work well in the summer, but it sure is hard to NOT work a Pop-R. Richard fished an off-shore rock pile. Second Place went to Amarillo's Joseph Gurierrez who s-l-o-w-r-o-l-l-e-d a white spinnerbait on the rocks to catch a smallie and a largemouth bass that weighed 3.70 lbs. Third place went to Amarillo's DARLENE SEAGO with 2.14 lbs. largemouth. She used her "baby" , a watermelon lizard and caught her bass in a grass bed. The fourth place angler was was LYNN DAVIS of Morse with a 1.66 lb. keeper largemouth bass. Lynn used a Tiny Torpedo and had one bite. THAT's it. Only four anglers brought in keeper bass, BUT several were crying about losing some "good bass" at the boat. The water level is at 72 feet AND FALLING. The recent rains fell on the lake and washed a lot of sand and dirt, but didn't raise the lake level. We NEED a good rain on the watershed west of the lake to the New Mexico border THIS side of Ute Lake. There are some still big bass in the lake, but I would not want to be a small bass without any place to hide from the walleye, catfish, and BIG bass.

How about a rain dance? How about our boat fees being used to "open" some more ramps?