Leesville 10/13. The skunk has finally landed

[BentRod]

SML is the best lake by far, don't get me wrong. You can't beat 10-20 fish days with stripers 10-20lbs. But it can't grow big stripers like it could in the 70s n 80s. We essentially caught 90% of the fish over 30" we tagged within a year or so, so basically we're catching the heck out of these fish. Leesville fish don't see near that pressure and they have cold water year round so you're going to have some studs come through, but it's a tougher lake to fish because of the same reasons.

[penn113h2]

I always thought SML to be harder because every time I go I never catch anything unlike LVL

[penn113h2]

And atleast from others I've heard it to be very hard

[mwardncsu]

Oct 17, 2013 11:39:51 GMT -5 penn113h2 said:

I always thought SML to be harder because every time I go I never catch anything unlike LVL

Maybe our other Leesville members are holding out on us and perpetuating a myth, but everything I've always heard about Leesville was it was one of the more challenging striper fisheries.... you seem to have cracked the code coming in......

[penn113h2]

Lol I don't know if that's good or bad exactly but I heard in the past from other friends who used to fish striper there said its a lil harder because something about the water dense, but I really don't know.

[Shadslinger]

All yall new comers to the lake should have been fishing 5 yrs ago. The ONLY reason you are catching fish now is because of the effort Dan Wilson put forth to bring the terribly declined population of stripers in the lake back up. They essentially doubled the amount of fingerlings they stocked 4 yrs ago and accidentally tripled the amount the year after. That was 4 yrs ago and those are the fish you are catching now. With that many stripers (of course not all survived) in such a small lake of course you are catching fish. Also back then and pretty much all my life I could count on one hand the amount of striper fisherman on the lake consistently and pretty much knew them all other than the few that come every once in a blue moon because the state record came out of leesville in high hopes of big fish.

The fishing pressure has picked up drastically on leesville the past few years for 2 reasons I believe. The amount of boat traffic and fishing traffic on SML and through word of mouth and probably this board that fish are being caught again.

I have mentioned to Dan Wilson several times that I believe firmly that the stripers in leesville should have the same regulations placed upon them as SML, if not stricter due to the smaller size of the lake. At this time he does not see the need...and on that I do disagree. Like my old man always said...Leesville is a poor man's trashy lake and SML is a rich man's lake and where all the money and focus between the two lakes will go.

I personally dont see the lake growing big stripers again for the two reasons above if something is not changed soon. The fish wont see their full potential because of the high harvest of fish due to the regs and also the lack of law enforcement to enforce those regulations. Ive also expressed that concern many times. I know of several that catch catch catch and never put back, sometimes way over the legal limit.

SML is by far the dominant fishery between the two lakes. Even in Leesville's prime when it was full of 20 and 30lbrs they were far from easy to catch as compared to SML. This is due to the fluctuations in water level and current produced by AEP. In todays time on SML you can go out and catch 10-20 lbrs every day with a few here and there pushing 25. Leesville you are catching 6-10 lbrs with the occasional one pushing 15 lbs. Both lakes still have the few and far between 30+ lb fish. Just last year sml had one go 43 and I have seen one or two around 30 come out of leesville. I would like to see a balance between both lakes producing nice size fish for many years to come but with the amount of fishing pressure that stripers receive now as compared to 15 yrs ago I don't think that will ever happen.

Just my opinion on the whole situation and some may agree and some may not. Ive been around this lake my entire life and striper fishing has been a part of my entire life. After all...I did learn from one of the best.

[mwardncsu]

Oct 17, 2013 16:03:20 GMT -5 Shadslinger said:

After all...I did learn from one of the best.

Yes you did.........



I agree with you that it needs similar protections and it could have promise to be a trophy fishery, more so than SML - just needs support behind it and a "voice" to do so.....

[penn113h2]

I wonder if I entered the very end of the rise because when I was 11 or 12 I remember catching a 12lb bass and releasing it, hmm? I say that because for the last couple of years the bass have been very small, st least from what I've seen.

[piper]

To be honest I hardly see pressure on Leesville. Not sure what your basis is but I try to hit it weekly and see a handful of boats at the most. Most boat I see look to be greenback fisherman. I will say I see some repeat guys trolling incessantly which kind of annoys me on such a small lake but it's legal.. Glad the lake seems to have rebounded. I catch and release 90 percent of what I catch with the others hitting the dinner table. Never have been nor will be a trophy on your wall guy but realize they do exist. Hoping to take the wife out tom...her. First striper experience..I'm pumped!

[penn113h2]

And yes same here I agree with both of you guys

[penn113h2]

I know this sounds like something my age kinda guy would say but I still think leesville has potential very much so, and the only reason isay is because it's a smalllake with lil traffic compared to SML.

[Shadslinger]

Im not fortunate enough to fish during the week while most people are at work, just on weekends and holidays. Ive spent many a days on the lake not many years ago in spring, fall and winter and never see another boat. That just does not happen anymore. Always atleast a handful out trolling, bait fishing, artifical, or cut baiting, etc. Leesville is somewhat small but plenty big enough for trolling. I even enjoy trolling myself from time to time when catching bait dont work out or other various reasons.

[grasscutter]

Shad is spot on about leesville....my opinion because of the recent stockings there is a ton of fish now and bait fish to feed them.....I see boats during the week when I'm mowing.....not too many years ago.... If you saw 5 boats on the weekend it was a busy day on the lake and many weekdays you were the only boat on the lake.....you better tell someone when and where you were going because if you broke down...there were no houses to go to for help and what were there were just weekend peeps.....far as leesville and the rabbit police ( wardens)......sat or Sunday after 11am till maybe 5..... Other than that you won't see one

[penn113h2]

Agree