Bluebasser86

Some of the ones I fish are near large reservoirs. I suspect the bass get in them during high water events. Nature finds a way in these things, or it could be someone catching them somewhere else and moving them, really hard to tell. Don't let the bass population thing discourage you. How many times have you heard of the great bass fishing in Kansas? One of the ponds I found with Google Earth proved to be a gem despite it's tiny size. I almost ignored it, but it wasn't too far out of the way so I gave it a shot. Held some of the healthiest fish I've ever seen. I'm usually pretty open about fishing spots, this is not one of those times.

Hadn't even taken the kayak out since my last entry here until yesterday. Decided to try to cross a difficult one off the list after I heard about a hot walleye bite going on at a small city lake I'd never been to about an hour away. I had spoons, grubs, power minnows, cranks, and some crawlers rigs and a marginal amount of confidence. A 180 acre lake isn't big, but in a kayak with no electronics, it's not small either. I eyeballed the lake when I got there and decided I'd troll a shad rap across the dam and fish a rock/clay/sand looking bank and point on the other side that looked like stuff I'd caught walleye on before. I hadn't paddled far when my rod bucked hard in the rod holder but nothing connected. It happened so fast I was sure my bait hit bottom or a brush pile. I paddled on when it slammed back again and stayed loaded this time. Just a little guy, but man I was pumped to get a toothy fish! There just isn't many in Kansas and reaching them from a kayak any time other than spring is really difficult. 2 bites in 50 yards, so I kept paddling. Got to the end of the dam where it flattened out and my rod was bouncing as the bait was hitting rods, then it folded in half and started jerking wildly into the water, obviously a much larger fish. I tried to tell myself it was a huge walleye, but when it wouldn't move off the bottom and it started steadily dragging my kayak along with it, it became obvious that wasn't the case. I was fearing it was a huge drum, but got the pleasant surprise when I saw this beast rise up from the depths in the clear water with my bait wedged in the corner of it's mouth. Another species on the list, and almost 2.5' more length! Good thing it wasn't any bigger, I about ran out of board. After that excitement I started drifting my crawler and snapping a firetiger 1oz spoon. Quickly discovered the lake was pretty shallow and with the water being so clear, I dropped down to a 1/2oz lavender shad spoon, bingo, first cast. Had a lot of fun catching close to 2 dozen eyes, walleyes and saugeyes, to get 2 more species on the board. My biggest walleye wasn't much, but my biggest saugeye was a dandy. My walleye The biggest saugeye. Spoon eater! I also caught a wiper that was around the 20" mark, which I don't have one on my totals yet, right as I tried to take the picture to count it, the thing flopped and was right back in the water, hopefully doesn't come back to haunt me. I also made a quick stop on the way home to add another species. Wasn't as big a smallie as I hoped, but got another foot out of the deal.

Fresh cutbait like bluegills, carp, chubs, suckers, goldfish, shad, any fish that is legal to use for bait really. I use a 2/0 Kahle hook and fish it weightless, just let the weight of the bait carry the hook to the bottom. After it settles, I fish it along slowly like I would a plastic worm. Strikes are violent and fish tend to average larger than they do still fishing so be prepared. I can cover much more water and catch many more fish than someone sitting in one spot and waiting.

Cassidee enjoying her boat dog bed canopy after a cooling off swim.

YUM Magnum Christie Critter got me some stout ones last year. It's a big hunk of plastic. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-YUMBAITS.html?from=basres

War Eagle

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12401-senko-faq- look-here-first/

Braid frays and cuts easier than mono on sharp edges. Gar have sharp scales, not just teeth. I've had very few bite offs from gar though, they don't have cutting teeth, they have needle teeth for holding prey. They like to twist and spin while fighting and will often wrap the line around them and then their sharp scales will saw right through your line. Not really anything you can do to prevent this, I've seen them roll up and cut limb lines with #180 cord, takes them awhile but they'll get it done.

I fish them on a Hammer Rods 6' 9" H/F Micro rod. Doesn't sound like it would be a good rod for them, but it has an excellent tip, good bend throughout, and lots of backbone to move big fish. Take a look and you can see the tip vibrating nicely, the tip jump when the fish strikes, and how well it loads on the hook set.

I fish some ponds exactly like you describe. Some have had fish, some have not, only 1 way to find out. I've caught fish up to 6 pounds out of them, worth the effort for sure.

I try to avoid people like that but if they keep doing it and leave me no choice, I'll make sure to fish extra hard and catch every fish I can. As much as I'd like to, I wouldn't ever say anything to them about it, really no good can come of it.

I don't lip my fish for the most part, so I don't get the bass thumb real bad. The gloves I wear prevent it some also when I do lip them. I've got broken blood vessels all over my left side from all the years of setting hooks, a lot of them are probably from setting the hooks on flatheads in heavy cover with 130lb braid, but some probably from all the bass hook sets.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Yeah, I was thinking the same, unless he's 5' tall or something. She isn't overly fat but not paper thin either. A 3lb fish around here will typically be in the 18" range. I'd guess your fish somewhere in the 20-22 inch range and closer to 5 pounds than 3 pounds. Regardless, congrats on nice fish no matter what she weighed.

You've never heard of Norman's lures?? Or of the Norman's Pro Pop? Like I mentioned, the Norman's Top Dollar is one of my favorite poppers but it's kind of hybrid lure.

That moment you realize you're not mowing the yard tonight.

I get some pretty unique colors from lake champlain lures. I order bulk from them because I go through so many during the winter at the power plant lakes on the white bass and wipers during guide trips. Pretty sure they'll do custom colors too if you email them but they have some bright chartreuse colors.

Agreed, I use a 6' 2" XF/M Avid with what amounts to a modern day pistol grip and it really allows me to work the bait and make very small movements with the bait that I couldn't do with a longer rod.

They're a great shakyhead bait in the winter for me.

I've caught lots of bass up to 6 pounds on cutbait fishing for catfish, even on frozen pieces. Bass are not overly smart creatures, it just seems like it some days.

I've been trying to pare down what I have the last few years and have been pretty successful at it, cutting down to a few brands and basic colors in most things. It certainly makes my on the water decisions easier and the results have been pretty nice also.

I have 43 bags of sapphire blue Pit Bosses and almost as many in Lime-Purple Passion. They got discontinued, I panicked. Not going to pull all my hard baits out but I'm sure the RES is the winner in that category if you count all the variations I have of it from the little 1/4oz, silent, 2 taps, standard, and 3/4oz.