Retiredguns

Well, my local lake still looks like chocolate milk, but I knew the fish had to eat! Yesterday I went out in a cloudy, light drizzle and absolutely slammed them with a rattle trap. 20+ largemouth and a few big white bass. Middle of the lake in about 5-7ft of water. One white bass barfed about 20 minnows into my boat so they are gorging.

Been out 7 times since around mid March. I live near the Illinois/Wisconsin border. Our local lake has been murky for 2 years for some reason and I have been skunked 4 times. Went up to a 110 acre lake in Elkhorn, WI and caught 25 Bass. Most were small, but at the end, I got a 5.15lb Momma to take a wacky worm. The lily pads are just now surfacing and I can't wait to throw frogs.

LOL

$989 for the reel isn't too bad, but the lures are $129 a piece!

Our local lake (330) acres has been pea soup since day 1 this year. Not sure if the mild winter had anything to do with it, but the water is just nasty with what I call "puss". That stringy, dense garbage of dead weeds that you have to pick off the hooks, sinkers, etc.. The excessive heat hasn't helped either. It is the worst I have seen in 24 years. I have had good days once I figure out what get their attention. This morning I got one on a buzz bait and one on a wacky worm which must have fallen on that Bass's head. I am in Northern, IL. 2 weeks a go I caught 40+ in a beautiful lake in Wisconsin. Night and day. 4 weeks a go I visited a Marine Corps buddy in Minnesota and we caught so many that we couldn't leave until our Wives called and said COME HOME! I need to move.

Got out this morning on my birthday. The water here in Northern, IL is still around 50 degrees. It was cold & windy but I managed to catch one fish. 5.33lb Momma on a very slow rattle trap in 18 feet of water. They were stacked on my screen, but only this one went for it.

First boat on the lake!

In 1986 while stationed in SC, I bought a Skeeter Starfire and really got into Bass fishing. I worked in a weapons shop and 3 of us fished every chance we could. There was a Black Marine from Detroit that asked me if I would take him some time. He had never fished for Bass and had nothing. I rigged up a couple extra rods and put them in the boat. We headed out to my favorite river on a perfect Saturday morning. Within 1 hour we landed over a dozen really nice fish and 4 of them were his. He was beaming the entire day. I wish I had a camera on the boat. By the end of the day we must have landed 30+ fish. He was so excited he went to the PX the next Monday and bought some gear. I took him out 4-5 more times over the season. I was rewarded that day with my last fish being a nice hog caught on top with a Devil's Horse. I wanted to show my Wife so I took it home, got some pics and let it go in the base pond.

The lake was a gravel quarry until 1961. There is a very small feeder creek at one end and a spillway at the other. I think the above statement about diminished numbers is correct as largemouths are pretty abundant. Where I caught the smallie, the lake goes from1 to 24 feet in about 25 yards off the bank.

Brother-in-Law and I hit the small, local lake last Saturday in the rain. We caught about 10 Largemouth before the weather started to get annoying. I decided to end the short trip using my new Jackhammer and Yamamoto Zako along a steep bank. 1st cast was a 3lb Largemouth then after 4-5 more casts a fish nailed it on the drop. To my pleasant surprise it was a decent smallmouth. The species isn't even listed on DNR site, but there are a few. People asked me if I was BS'ing them because they have never caught one in 20 years lol. I feel vindicated for taking out a 2nd mortgage and buying a Jackhammer!

My Brother-in-Law is the only Bass fishing partner I can tolerate for extended fishing. We can fish for 10 hours with little banter and have a great time. I also have a group I have been Walleye fishing with for 2 decades that are pleasant whether 2 hours or a week in Canada. It's not easy finding like-minded people all the time.