Bluebasser86

Last trip of the year was a little slower than the last, but still pretty good. Biggest fish was on an A-rig.

Thanks @T-Billy, I actually caught 2 of those palomino trout that day. Never saw either of them, both of them ate a Ned rig.

https://ibb.co/jV0Kv2m

I've caught a bunch of doubles, but never caught 2 bass at once on an A-rig. Now that 5 baits are legal in KS, I figure it's just a matter of time.

Way less than years past.

Idk if it's a guilty pleasure, because I love catching big wipers when I'm fishing for bass. Big catfish are fun too, but I'd rather catch them when I'm targeting them.

I have the largest size Frabill Trophy Haul net I carry in the boat that easily fits 30lb catfish and it has the lift assist handle. I'm thinking that may be a good option. That fish was 41" I think, it was just over the size to be a keeper, which was a big deal at the time for me. It was a great fight and a super exciting bite. A very shallow fish that kicked up a huge wake behind my bucktail and exploded out of the water when it ate it. I'd love to go back and get one from the kayak.

I caught a drum on a buzzbait a couple years ago. Still one of my proudest angling achievements

I've fished against some hammers, guys that just catch them every time, no matter what. I get lucky sometimes and catch a few.

I thought it might be a state record, nope, a solid 11 pounds short. One thing Kansas grows well is trash fish.

Good information to know. I'm hoping to maybe target them from my kayak next year and this was my plan to land them. I guess I might be looking for a cradle or hauling the big net with me. I've caught 13 muskie in my life, every one has been from Missouri. 12 were from 1 lake, 1 was from the most popular muskie lake in the state. My biggest was just barely a "keeper", but was of course released after a quick measurement and picture. Not sure what it weighed but nowhere near what it sounds like the fish you hooked.

I've had good success with the Victory hooks.

I buy them from Aliexpress and make my own. Been making them in 1/4 and 3/8oz size all year with good success. I think this one is a 3/8oz with a 2/0 hook. 3" Ned Senko for a trailer.

Chad Shad would be my vote. I fish tons of lakes that are primarily gill lakes, some have no shad at all. The Chad Shad outfishes gill baits every time.

It was basically cheating last time I went out. I stopped throwing it because it was catching fish so fast, but they were mostly smaller. Could have easily topped 100 fish if I had just stuck to the Ned. Switched to a small jig and jerkbait and ended with around 75 on the day with one nearly 6lbs on the jerkbait.

I t rig fairly often in cold water. My go to baits are a 5" stick worm or baby brush hog on a 4/0 Owner Cover Shot hook pegged to an 1/8oz bullet weight.

Posting this just for @roadwarrior

Hit the river again this past weekend with Tony. Water temps were 44-45. It was as fast as we could get a bait in the water when we got to the first spot. 4 blues and a flathead. I don't normally do "Hero Shots", but each one was biting as soon as the bait would hit bottom and I wasn't having time to release the previous fish, so we ended up with 5 of them laying on the bank. All released after the pictures. Then the switch turned off, and we didn't catch another bigger catfish the rest of the day. The second spot does hold lots of everything, and I caught several fish on a jigging spoon, casting and snapping it back. One of those catches was a fish the state list as of "Conservation Concern". I've only ever caught 2 or 3 before, so this blue sucker was a neat catch.

That one had a spinal injury I think, it was pretty humpbacked.

I could have easily surpassed 100 fish if I just wanted to catch numbers. A Ned rig was almost every cast but mostly small fish. I had an 11 minute phone conversation with my wife while the camera was running. I went back through the video and I had caught 17 while I was on the phone with her 🤣 I don't usually just leave it running like that so it was funny to watch how fast they were biting.

Pretty sure the big one was indulging on the freshly stocked trout.

Pretty okay day on the water yesterday. High was 41, same as the water temp. Probably 75ish fish caught, mostly largemouth but several wipers, a few drum, and a couple whites. Big bass was 21", 5.82lbs.

Is there current maybe? I almost exclusively fish it less than 5' deep and a lot of time around rocks, but it's in lakes with no current. I could see where some current would really wedge one under a rock on the bottom though.

They make a killer trailer, as well as an entire 4 or 5 inch stickworm. Not a profile fish see often either.