Lake Monroe

Lake Record: 10.83 pounds

Slot Limit: none

Daily Creel Limit: 30

Just as with Elvis Presley, Lake Monroe has an over-population of young bass.

MDWFP fisheries biologist Tyler Stubbs explained how this lake ended up with too many bass, and the importance for taking out a good number of them.

“The overpopulation is the result of a number of things,” said Stubbs. “Several years of good recruitment resulted in many fish in 2- or 3(-year-old) age classes. Genetics and environment allow the bass to grow quickly, to a point. Once the bass population exceeds the readily available food sources, growth slows.

“Many of the overcrowded bass lakes are excellent for really big bream, because the young bream are being consumed at such a high rate.”

Another factor Stubbs points to is the direct competition the state lakes have with the Tenn-Tom Waterway and nearby Aberdeen Lake.

Stubbs conducts creel surveys on Lake Monroe as a way to keep track of the fishery. Bass anglers tell him the younger bass are eager to take any number of baits, depending on season and water clarity.

Early and late in the day, when many bass are surface feeding, buzz baits work well and seem to be popular. Walking baits, such as Top Dogs and Spooks also command strikes.

Stubbs said leveraging the natural bait is the key to success here.

“The primary food source in Presley is juvenile crappie, sunfish and catfish, so naturally, baits that mimic that prey are considered as top choices,” Stubbs explained.

According to Stubbs, structure, or fish attractors have been added to the lakes by the fisheries crew or by local lake managers. These fish attractors appear on maps of the lake, found at most lake offices or online at www.mdwfp.com.