Heading to Collins...

First time out there for in the yak.  Looking to target bass and trout depending on the bite.  Any suggestions as to where to hunt/rigging ideas?

Going to be my first time in "big" water in the yak, never taken it off Beale before.

I love me some Collins Lake !! 

It's small by compairson... but fishes real nice.  I hav'nt heard how low the water is now.
But you're mostly likely gonna see islands out from the marina. 
 The trout will be around the 40-50 ft range and have a slight case of lockjaw.  A small Sep's dodger with a spinner and crawler is my standard rig there. sometimes they key in on Rapala's and Needlefish... if I'm not getting hits on the crawer I switch up to the others.

There are some good size Bass in there. Alot of "Pro Bassers" secretly hit this lake in the spring. It will be tough going this time of year. Using dropshot and jigs in deeper water should do it for you.. Talking 20 + feet next to deep points and deeper secondary points.  If you have the gear for it, dredging smaller swim baits in that deeper water is what I'd use. looking for the big bite. Smaller baits will get you more action with smaller fish.

I'm sure others will chime in, and hopefully have up to date info.
 
Good Luck !

I was scuba diving there about three weeks ago and the bass were holding in between 8 to 12 feet  where the thermal cline was,on the dam. but I'm sure the water level has dropped since then, i may be parking my truck there Friday and hiking across the dam to deer hunt.

P.S. the  fish  i saw were mostly toward the east side of the dam. Retrieved a few anchors too.

lol anchor hoarding?

I go to Collins every year and always find an anchor or two 

well i know there is still one more there,after sticking my hand down in the hole a few times i realized if the rock moved i  might be trapped  so its still there for you to get next time 

Water is 30' plus from full. My go to rig there is a Seps willow leaf micro flasher with green beads. Behind that about 18" a threaded night crawler. Also rainbow dodger and needlefish work good. Jointed Rapalas work also, but not sure as to this time of year for that. The trout are starting to come shallower with the cooler nights. The best area for trout right now should be in front of the dam and the east side of the lake near the dam. Bass should be trying to fatten up now. I'd say between 10-20' depending on time of day. Drop shot Robos or creatures. Deep cranks 10' plus should be working now too in shad or minnow patterns. I would stick to the east side near the dam for them too. You can also work the island drop off in the middle of the lake on the channel side. Catfish are the big prize right now. Many 8 plus pounders coming in on chicken liver. Also try a large glob of crawlers. I may be out there on Thurs if the Ocean doesn't calm down a bit. I'll post up a report if I go.