Bluebasser86

Well despite the wind and the chilly start it turned out pretty good today. Jerkbaits and Ned rigs ruled the day. Super fluke and his brother came out on top when the dust settled with 16.87lbs, great sack of smallies guys. CCCDrew and his dad just barely fell short with 16.26lbs. Nicole and I were third with 14.72 followed by Hi Salenity/Wachati with 12.5lbs, Cbass12/Chris with 10.48, All day/basshunter0731 with 10.41, RJ_986 with 5.5, and Chris S/sizzlefry with 4.62. Nicole and my day started extremely slowly, our big fish by noon was only barely over 2 pounds, by weigh in that was our smallest fish. All our fish were on jerkbaits except for my biggest fish that ate a Ned on the dam I was positive she was a drum or catfish and I never felt the bite or set the hook, just tried to reel in and she didn't let me. My batteries were fading fast by noon so we went to the ramp cove and just started going to the back of the cove and drifting back out. I caught a 2.75 and 3.63 doing that. The bigger one was a keeper and there was only 20 minutes until weigh in so she rode back to the ramp to get her picture taken with the big gal. And the whole group!

I got one! We had the KC area get together today and I got a good smallmouth, biggest one of the day in fact State record is 6.88, my fish weighed 4.80, 4.80/6.88=.69767X100=69.77 I think? Either way, it felt good to get a respectable entry at least

Why would I want to do that? Then you'll all see that mine says 1 pound before anything is even put on it

Congrats man! I wish college fishing would have been a thing just a couple years sooner, I would have gone to college for sure just for that reason! Still makes me wonder if I should go back for that

Decided to fish a local lake this morning after I got off work from 9-12. Noticed that a very popular bank fishing spot was open when I got there. It's a point with shallow water on each side, a major drop on the front with lots of brush. I was working the brush with a home made 7/16 PB&J finesse jig. Missed the first bite, thought it didn't feel like a bass when it bit. Next bite was pretty similar, thought I had a good bass at first. Wasn't a bass but I can't say I was disappointed with the 22" 4lb saugeye that popped my jig Caught another, smaller keeper off a rockpile just before I left. It was still a solid keeper at 17" long. This one fell for a Pit Boss Jr fished on a 3/16oz home made swinging football head with a 2/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. Caught a couple pretty solid bass as well. One was on the same home made swinging football head/pit boss jr combo. The other was on a LC 100 pointer in Table Rock shad.

Fished Olathe today from 9-12. Started off with a 7/16oz PB&J homemade finesse jig on some brush in about 10' of water. Never had a chance to really pick it apart before so I worked it over pretty good. Missed the first bite I had but stuck the next one, thought I had a really nice bass for a minute, instead it was my new PB saugeye at 22" and 4lbs even Bite was a little slow and I was fishing too fast but still caught several bass too. Most fish were either on the same PB&J home made finesse jig, or a home made swinging football head with a Pit Boss Jr. Only 1 jerkbait bite, but it was my biggest bass of the day at 19" and 3.5 pounds. Fished some deep rocks with the swinging football head, got a sharp thump and was pretty sure I knew what it was, I was right. 17" saugeye on a home made swinging football head and Pit Boss Jr. Both the saugeye came home with me so Cbass and his wife can have a fresh fish dinner

Be ready to bounce off a lot of trees! It's 220 acres, 180 acres of trees that are almost too thick to fish. Lots and lots of fish though. Never caught any very big ones but lots of 12-18 inch fish, mainly flipping tubes and beavers and squarebills. Haven't really noticed any place being any better than the others, except if you try to get away from the trees at the dam it seems there's no fish at all there.

I don't really think that's possible but I would be willing to try!

She'll be able to sleep the whole way down there and I'm sure she will. I have no intentions of launching from the marina but if that's where everyone else wants to launch from to try to combat the wind (or further down at Arrow Rock, kind of midway down the lake and still on the south side?) That would probably be even closer still since you don't have to go as far up 75 to get to it.

If we start at 6:30 it's just starting to get light right about then. I have no problem with it other than the fact my partner isn't going to be happy having to get up that early I think we may want to make trailoring an option as well with the wind. We can all meet at the normal state park ramp but if you don't want to launch from that ramp you can drive to whichever ramp you want to use and launch, just have to be back at the state park ramp by take out? Maybe prevent a few people from getting soaked from long runs down the lake in a strong wind (myself especially ). This will be a weight touranment just like last time. Going on the honor system, must weigh them on a DIGITAL scale, and I think we should probably have a 12 or 15 inch minimum length limit to weigh a fish, just to make it even more interesting. I'll try to remember cards and pens for everyone this time

Wouldn't go with a football head if you're going to be fishing lots of brush. Shallow, murky water sounds like the perfect situation for a brush or arky jig, I'd probably go with 3/8oz in water that shallow and since the water temps are still pretty cold. Okeechobee craw is one of my favorite colors in stained waters, but any darker craw color works this time of year because the big gals are eating lots of craws to help with egg development. Personally I don't trim the skirt unless it's very long. If I want a more compact bait I'll switch to a finesse jig.

So I'm thinking we get the party started at 7:30 and fish until 3. Anyone have any problems with those times?

The Symetre is a great reel but honestly I don't think you'll notice a difference other than price and color between a Symetre and a Sahara.

There's state records where we'll be, catching them is no easy task though. My last 5 pound smallmouth I caught was out there though.

I'll be hunting them Saturday. Only need one about 3.5 to be at 50% of our state record

yep

I used to tow my boat with a V6 S10. It did pretty well, got about 15mph and had no problem stopping.

You need to get some bladed jigs that are weedless

I'm not posting anything until I get something that's at least 50%. Not like it matters, I know I'll need a 70%+ to even contend with Dwight

I'm a St. Croix guy myself and the Avids are great rods, but I really don't think you can go wrong with any of those rods. Never fished a Dobyn's but have heard nothing but good things about them. The Powell's seem a little heavy to me but lots of folks say the St. Croixs are tip heavy and I don't notice that so what I feel and what you feel holding a rod could be completely different.

I like spinnerbaits when I want something with more flash, other than that I go with a bladed jig first a majority of the time.

When there's nowhere left to put my hook I'll change them. If there worth saving I'll save them to use as a trailer later though.

I do both. The chunks should have precut holes to put your hook through at the front of the bait. Other trailers like grubs and craws get threaded on the hook. I have threaded the plastic chunks on the hook before though when I want those flapper arms with a shorter profile.

I'd guess that was probably not only the worst winter of that carp's life, but probably it's last Looks like a pretty nice one that ate you're weedless Hudd there