Dubtee

Per this great news, has anyone found a good, warm, mostly waterproof glove you can actually fish with that they could recommend?

Dang Kid, that's tough, hoping your fix is easy and works out. Quick report: I went to Waconia this morning with an old friend who was in town on business. Had to cater to his limited abilities a little but definitely the first day for me that the bite seemed tougher. There are bluegills and crappie everywhere in the shallows and inside weedlines - the bass we caught were all dinks. Bluebird, post front with not a lot of wind out there, so I'm sure that didn't help. Also, tons of giant carp in the shallows spawning and carrying on dirtying up all the water in areas. i don't tend to find many bass around them when they are doing that, curious of other's experience? I would have just flipped the grassline if I was by myself, not sure if that would have been more productive or not.

I refer to these bass as cruisers, whether they are looking for a spot to make a bed, get on a bed, etc. doesn't matter to me. I feel like I can catch them as long as they don't see me or I spook them first. Depending on the conditions, I try to cast way ahead of me in the high percentage spots and hope I land it near one. I also think some of those cruisers are looking for the first bluegill spawners as well. Even if I can't get the super shallow fish to bite, I feel there are always good fish on that first piece of cover away from the spawning areas or that first line of grass - whether they are coming or going, not sure, but I believe I can entice them into biting. I'm with Gim and don't spend much time on a bedded fish, too slow for me.

I had a couple hours to kill on Saturday so I went out from about 2-4 pm and braved the wind. Water on the little lake was back down to 58-60. I caught a few decent ones shallow including my Minnesota PB, the good ones were on the reed line somewhat protected from the wind, but almost in it if that makes sense - like right on the seam. Once I got out in 6-8 fow in the teeth of the wind, the only thing I could effectively cast was a red eye shad. I did pick up a few bucks out there on it. The leeward side of the lake was calm and clear and I did see fish on beds - nothing giant. I could not get them to bite anything but I didn't spend much time on them either. I'd be really interested to know what the water temps are back down to after Sunday's cold monsoon.

I ended up getting out yesterday afternoon as well and destroyed them. Caught some real good females in very shallow water (warmest I found was 65). Biggest female was 4.85. Main lake was like 55 and I happened to stop at a point leading into a large bay and caught so many 1.5-2 lb males it wasn't even funny. Actually got tired of catching them, there must of been a giant group of them down there. Shallow fish were caught on a 3/8 chatter (but I think they would of ate anything), point fish were caught on a red eye shad and jerk bait in 6-10 fow, scattered grass.

Nice report fellas. Pretty much the same for me on the opener, went to small west side metro lake. Water was colder than I expected, warmest I found was 53. Wasn't a numbers day, but most all I caught were good ones. Best 5 went 20 lbs on the nose. 6-8 FOW, weed flats, lipless crank and chatter did the damage. I did get out yesterday as well and could not get bit in that 6-8 fow zone. I started seeing 60-63 degree water in the very back bays where some scattered lilys are starting to grow. Once I moved shallow, I started catching them on the chatter, but mostly males. I'd have to think those females are going to be right behind them here soon.

Hard to beat a good jig day, nice work. IS IT SATURDAY YET?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Does anyone have a good shop around the metro for reel repair? I have a 3-4 yr old revo winch that I have not used much that will simply not cast very far anymore. I've tried cleaning/lubing everything I could and it still won't cast - used to be able to sling a 6XD a mile on this thing. I've been reading this may be common with these reels, but thought I'd get a shop's opinion before I dumped it. Thanks in advance.

Could anyone tell me when the free 7'3'' shows up on the Duckett sale? I go to check out and don't see anything saying I'm getting a free rod.

Nice fish Star! I like the look of that spinner bait.

Had a buddy in town and we fished hard from Friday-Sunday morning at some of the west metro staples and absolutely got our butts kicked. Water temp was everywhere from 53-59 those days, wind was brutal on Friday and I don't think my hands have unfrozen yet. Threw the kitchen sink at them from 4 to 15 fow trying to focus on greenest grass we could find. Green Coontail in 7-10 fow was about the only thing I felt any confidence in - if you could find it on a wind blown point then all the better. I saw some curly leaf still having some green clinging to it, but everything else seems to be dying off pretty fast. Besides a couple randoms on a jig, swimbait, and chatter, the red eye shad had the most bites by far (and still not very many). Biggest was only 3.5 lbs. As @gimruis says, the pike are definitely on a rampage so my red eye shad supply is very short right now. It did seem the afternoons were better than the mornings as it was flat freaking cold starting out the day on Friday and Saturday. I couldn't help but think I needed to be in the deer stand this past weekend instead of on the water.

Anyone have a metro report form the past few days? I have a buddy coming into town this weekend and want to put him on a few. I tried last night on the west side and got my butt kicked although the pike were active.

Fry, this may be too late but with the breeze this morning, I'd focus on the movers - chatters, lipless, spinnerbaits even. If some chop, I like a buzzbait if there is shade or a little cloud cover. Guys, I am thinking about taking the family west to camp in a couple weeks. Has anyone fished Green Lake lately and could chime in on how the lake was? I have never fished out that way and looking for a lake or two to focus on while we're there. Thanks in advance for any input.

Got out Saturday morning, west side metro lake. Had water 68-70, slight breeze picked up as the sun came up. I ended up kind of junking around for the day. Not a numbers day at all, but the bass I did catch were quality. I noticed right away that the pads are starting to recede, like very noticeably in a week. Started off near the pad line with heavy grass near a deep water hole, and stuck a 4 on a popper as my first fish - I thought it was going to be the day of all days. Caught another 2lb on the popper then moved on to a main like point as I wanted to throw the whopper plopper. Got to the point, long one, 4-6 FOW with submerged grass - had several swipes at the plopper, but none would eat it. I had the 110 size on and thought about downsizing to the 90, but didn't want to waste time. Started throwing a red craw colored red eye shad, ripping off the grass and caught a couple shorts and several slimers, but nothing notable. Moved to another underwater ridge, 5-6 fow submerged grass and caught a skinny 3.5 on a jig. Threw a chatter a lot in this area and nothing. Lastly, moved to a 5' grass flat where I normally catch them good on a jig. With the wind picking up and blowing directly on this area, I traded the red red eye shad for a blue colored one and first cast caught a nearly 5 pounder. Next cast caught a big ol pike and I thought I had something going. Had another real good quality bass come unbuttoned, but I felt like I was on to something then. Then I had to go, so I couldn't really finish out the pattern, but it did seem that the fall bite is coming on quick. I bet the weather coming in next week really gets them chomping. One thing to note. I definitely got caught up by KVD a while ago when he says to switch out your stock trebles for the short shank EWGs. It seems like once I started, every fish literally has a face full of hooks - like so many in them I feel bad sometimes. I didn't switch them out on the blue red eye shad I was throwing as it was new and I got lazy. Not saying the one I had come off was because of that, but you never know. I do know the lures I have switched them out on are a pain to get out of the fish. Just thought I'd throw that out there for anyone having trouble losing fish with trebles.

Nice TM punch, you'll love it. Nice report Fry. I'm headed out tomorrow morning for a 1/2 day bite and have a plopper tied on and ready. Supposed to be a little chop, so I am expecting some mega blow ups!

Great report guys. I'll make it out later this week and report back. Need to try that scrounger head it looks like! Nice fish @sully420. Spent a week in central IN for work last week and took the sticks to fish with a buddy. We fished a Tuesday nighter on a decent place and freaking 3.5 lbs won it. Talk about pressure and tough fishing! We sure have it good up here in MN.

Man, awesome reports everyone! Definitely some good info to use if one hasn't been out in a while. Been out a couple times a week over the last month. I really haven't been trying anything real shallow. I have a lake where I can usually catch some good ones on jigs into grass in about 6-7 FOW, but any other west side lake I go to I am focused deeper (12-20) and on any kind of point I can find. Whether main lake or some kind of submerged hump, I try to find the points and where the grass line is. Once I find the grass line, big worms, jigs, swing head creatures, and drop shots have all caught them. Ran this pattern on Waconia the other night and caught something like 20 out of 25 casts on a drop shot - no giants but all of them 2-3lbs. I have never run into a group wadded up like that. However, I literally had to make the exact same cast from the exact same spot to get them to eat it. If I executed, I could call my shot, pretty fun. Will be my first fall with a boat this year, so looking forward to how things will change over the next couple months. Keep the reports coming!

Those brown camo smallies are about the prettiest things that swim, nice work FryDog.

@Sully420, nice fish and report. Were you just trying to tick the top of the grass with the 5XD? When I am throwing the 6XD and dredging bottoms, I often think that throwing something just over the top may be more efficient and won't get slimed up as often.

Good reports fellas. After a few short trips over the weekend with a 5 yr old, the little bit of fishing I got in seemed to be kind of junking around on main lake points, 15 ft or so of water right on the weed line. Caught a couple of decent ones on a 10" zoom monster with a 3/8 and a 6XD. Was able to get a good afternoon trip in on Tuesday over by Tonka. A 4 on the zoom monster on a main lake point and bunches of 2.5-3's on a 1/2oz jig on an off shore ridge, 7-8 feet of water just flipping into grass. I'm wanting to get back on Tonka but it sounds like there is quite a bit of tourney pressure. Really don't want to deal with the boats.

Love all this jig talk! I've been flipping around a 1/2 oz cone shaped jig that I can swim or let settle. Like Sully said, swim headed jigs are pretty versatile. I've been having recent success with a rage bug as the trailer. I bite off a little on the top to make it more compact.

Quick report: Fished Saturday morning and bite was pretty good early, west side lake, 76 degree water. Caught several on a KVD popper first thing around submerged milfoil and the lily pad line. I then went to my jig bite and it was still there, several quality fish. Picked up a few with weightless a T-rigged senko in the same area as a follow up lure after I felt I picked off the aggressive jig fish. Bite slowed around 8:30/9. Quick question on vegetation ID. Does anyone know (for certain) what this type of vegetation is? It seemed to grow in clumps, 4-8 fow, also seemed attached to bottom. There are curly leaf patches around it, but didn't seem to be mixed with anything. It is real limp and grass-like when I pull it out of the water, not real hard stemmed. Sago Pondweed?

Although I can catch them off shore on breaks right now, they only seem to be small. That being said, went shallow yesterday after the storms, caught a few shorts and one real good one on a frog. Saw another good one miss the frog and another came off. I then found some hard botttom coontail just off some docks, 4-6 FOW, and pitching a 1/2 oz jig was the ticket. Caught 12 or so fish (all quality) in about 1.5 hours once I happened across the coontail. They didn't seem to be in the neighboring patches of curly leaf. Real fun evening and was good to get off of the 13'' funk I have been in.

Nice fish sully. I still haven't figured out the flipping bite yet. Fished Prior yesterday and there was a tourney launching when I got there. Everyone I saw went off shore on breaks, humps, or main lake points. I followed suit and found a lot of bass in 10-20 feet on outside grass on a power shot but no real size. I didn't have the time to run the pattern so not sure if it was just a matter of finding one of those points/breaks with good ones on it. I'd be interested to know what won the tourney - anyone here fish it?

Good stuff Sully, thanks. Makes sense on the deep stuff as I have fished out there enough over the last week and haven't really found them there yet. Gonna get my flipping rigs ready and go to work, I'll report back.