Lower Colorado/ Martinez area

[Moose]

Does anybody here have any experience fishing this area at this time of year? I have a club T there this Sunday and don't have much experience there this late in the year. Also, can anyone give me any advice on fishing the main river in the current?

Thanks guys,
Keith

[B Becker]

Hi Keith,

I am, by no means, an authority on Martinez, but I do follow the tourneys down there and keep a pretty good record of things that happen. It has been awhile since I have fished Martinez, but I have heard that the Corps or Engineers have done some dredging and made cannals to get into the backwaters......I know fishing the current with jigs(brown/purple) and crankbaits (yes, crankbaits work awesome in the current---I do it on Havasu all the time---it works)...should give you a couple of fish....but I would fish Martinez in the fall, like I would in the Spring....work the edges of the tule line in and out of the current....work the openings to backwaters (inside and outside), and if all else fails work Martinez lake itself....I wish I knew more specific areas, but it has been way to long and I don't want to miss-direct you.....I don't know if this has helped, but just remember to try the crankbait in the current along the tule line....I like a white crank with a green back.....

[JohNNy Utah]

If you don't want to win the tournament, then by all means......stay out of the current. Fish the Arizona side EARLY with buzz baits. No joke. As soon as the sun hits the water, that bite is over. Cranks will kill 'em at times in the current as well. The darker green tules are a great place to flip also. These are also a really good place to look inside Martinez and Ferguson. (I think I spelled that wrong) Try throwing blades as deep as you can into the reeds. Good luck.
Watch out for sand bars!!!

[Bob La Londe]

Watch out for sandbars? Whatchoo talkin' about? Down here we aim fer 'em. Winderup to a hunertandten til yer speedo says you hit top end and skip right over it.

Just ask Nummie about his ride up river with me. I never even slowed down. (If I had we would have been stuck for sure.)

[Moose]

Thanks guys,
I had a buddy give me the same buzzbait tip for early on the main river. I'll give that a try. We fish it every year in the spring for a 3 day tourney but have never hit it this late in the year.

[JohNNy Utah]

sandbars on the lower river! If you know what you're looking for , they're easy enough to avoid. This time of year when the water level starts to drop they do become a major concern.

[Bob La Londe]

Here is some solid dope. You gotta dope it out for what it is worht too you. My last tournament on the river produced one decent bass at about 3.9 pounds caught over deep standing trees on a popper in a back water lake. My partner caught several shorts and missed a lot of hits on a popper earlier while I was throwing a buzzbait. I never got a single hit on the buzzbait.

The rest of our fish came on a variety of stuff from senkos to crank baits all fished in backwaters or backwater channels.

We finished second. Of course it is a small club so maybe we ALL suck. LOL.

On the flip side... on the river I have only ever caught one short on a buzzbait. Buzzbait fish tend to be bigger. Then again in the summer when I start flipping a t-rigged 7" senko behind a 1/2 oz weight the fish tend to be bigger too. Just not as many of them.

Now, here is another thing. Look for schooling fish. That's right. I know our river system does not lend itslef to that, but almost every keeper I caught had a bigger fish follow it up. Also, if you are confident in your ability to net your own fish you might consider having your partner get a rod ready with a drop bait like a swim jig or a weighted senko to flip out whenever you are bringing up a fish. He or she just might boat one or two of those followers.

This is current stuff... Do with it what you will. Let me know how you do.