As a child, and even a young man, I used to curse out loud if I heard someone talking about “Burke Lake.” The place just always seemed to leave me frustrated, and the only fish I could ever catch were small bluegills. Even that was rare, as usually I came home completely empty, and getting a tug on the fishing line was actually a good day. I’m not sure if it was due to being a terrible fisherman, too much pressure on the lake, or a combination of both. However, the past five years have provided some outstanding fishing at this lake, whether its spring, summer, or fall. Sorry, I don’t fish in the winter, because that’s when hunting occurs.

Spring has so many opportunities for Bass, Bluegill, and Crappie, but summer isn’t a joke either. The keys to success at Burke Lake are, show up really early in the …