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bishoptf

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    Lake Saint Louis MO

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  1. Welp today was a good day, best I have had in a long time. Really appreciate folks suggesting things to do etc..I still have so much to learn and being older hope that I can learn quicker than my past lol. Was really windy today, gusts to 20mph but I knew it was coming from the south with would be coming up the main lake but there would be plenty of branches that I could fish and be out of the wind, and let me tell ya it was windy. Front coming through tonight so not sure if that was the deal or I actually figured at least for today what they were wanting. I had been fishing for a couple of hours and had some new stuff tied on, micro chatterbait and some of the other stuff that I had been throwing, spinnerbait, jig and bunch of other stuff. Wasn't sure what skirt to go with on the micro chatterbait, changed the white out to a green pumpkin and went to a couple of shallow flats and nothing...decided to change my jig from a black/blue skirt and blue craw trailer to a more bluegill skirt, still dark has a little blue and green and change my trailer out for a green pumpkin craw. Was fishing an different area around a lift and reeling my lure back to the boat and had one swim up and almost hit it at the boat. That got me thinking, all my skirts on my spinnerbaits, and chatter baits where white, not bright white but that light white with some chartreuse in them so I switched out my skirt on my spinnerbait (one willow, one colorado) to the same one that I had on my jig and, trimmed it a little and put on a watermelon red fat albert grub. Well I started getting some hits, still pretty slow but was getting some dinks here and there and that was better than nada. Fished up one of the arms and it was getting late, had about couple of hours and wanted to fish a pocket off the main lake. Oh boy the wind was crazy gusting up the lake, pretty small pocket and the wind and water was pushing into it pretty good, there was a couple spots that I wanted to fish, one was towards the back on the side of the lift that was acting like a funnel with the wind and water, and what do you know nice 3lb fish. Really glad I had spot lock since the wind was really pushing me around. From there I bounced to the other side that had and arm that would be out of the wind and decided to fish that. Again up shallow to the side of a lift, 5lb fish (ok it was 4.93 but I'm rounding up, lol). I fished pretty much that arm and caught nice keeper after keeper. Probably caught 5-6 keepers and bunch of dinks. Not sure if it was the skirt making the difference or maybe the front coming through but I've not had that good of an outing in a long time, will keep trying the darker skirts for sure now, haven't tried it on a spinnerbait. TLDR; really had a nice day on the water, best day in quite some time even with the wind. Still have so much to learn about where and when and on what but will keep plugging along and try to keep learning. Again appreciate all the suggestions and advice. My plan is to create a thread in the Fishing reports section and just record my outings on these lakes and maybe over time continue to figure things out. I need to write things down anyways so I can see what the trends year over year so I figure I will just create a thread and record my outings, good and bad, lol.
  2. This lake has lots of shad, they are well feed and how its able to have decent size fish. When you say shad imitation on a jig what exactly is that?
  3. Welp first time this year getting skunked, usually I can catch at least a couple of dinks but nada...well nada on the bass that is...I seem to catch the biggest catfish, jig, crankbait it doesn't matter, lol. Caught one starting off, 17lbs, ugh, I knew what it was by now I know how they fight... I was up one arm and I know there was a lot of baitfish, every time I though my bait, little fish would jump out of the water, lol. Was pretty windy and cloudy, water temp has dropped to about 60 degrees, last week it was 62-63. Fished different areas today, fished swim jig along docks, secondary points, jog, rocket shad, squarebill, small squarebill and threw limited big glide bait and big swimbait (like a magdraft) with an underspin. I wish I had FFS at least I could see where the fish are setting up in the lake, right now I have no idea. Anyone have any suggestions I'm all ears.
  4. Week before last I caught some nice fish on big spinnerbait, so I thought I had figured something out, one really nice 5.5lb and another 3.5lb. I missed one at the end and I never saw but it pulled harder than the 5.5, really wish I could have lander her. So I tried to repeat that last week and I think I caught one fish on that same spinnerbait, lol. I've heard that the jig is getting the most action and going to fish that more tomorrow and try some smaller, like tiny crankbaits and another small swimbait. Will just keep trying different things, going to concentrate in one of the arms that I haven't spent much time in and see if I can pick up more bites. They are lowering the smaller lake that flows into the larger lake, lots of water being dumped so at least in that one area there is some flow for a change. One more thing, I think I may also throw a chatterbait, not really heard much about throwing one in the fall...just looking for other ideas and thought maybe I would throw that into the mix also. I also have a big glide bait maybe just try a little of everything, lol.
  5. Yup the bigger lake... Yeah thats the problem I have, I am not sure where the bass are for the most part. The other problem I have is there are so many things to try, like burning a fluke, I have flukes but would not have thought of trying that. I have a lot of stuff and can try different things just not sure what to try where etc...so much to learn, lol.
  6. Yeah I'm not really a newbie, I've been around for a long time just do not post much. I'm *cough* and older guy and just trying to step up my game and try to get better. I know the seasonal patterns but this lake at least for me is an oddity. It has a good amount of good size bass but its pretty shallow for the majority, no grass, and no current for the most part. I've just never done well consistently ever in the fall and would just like to figure some things out. I actually think if I had FFS I could at least figure out what and where the bass are in the lake. I think the relate to the brush piles certain times of the year but I think the boat lifts which most are hard lifts that sit on the bottom (since the lake is so shallow) are what they relate to the most but there are a lot of them. I'm just looking for more suggestions on maybe what to try, I've not had much consistent luck with what I have been throwing. Will be back at it on Monday, maybe I will throw a chatterbait and see what else I can come up with. I do think a majority of the bass are chasing the shad, there is a lot of baitfish in the lake, fish are fat.
  7. Tried all the above and more today, ended up being cloudy and windy. Not sure if a front was moving through but the wind was blowing. I haven't thrown a swim jig much and threw one today, man it was a struggle all day today. In addition to what you have listed today I also threw spinnerbaits, jigs and a pop-r. The only fish I caught which were right at the end of the day was on a jig along the same stretch of bank. I fished the jig in lots of places along with all the other items and nada all day long until right at the end. Just not sure where or what the fish are relating to and not sure how to figure it out, lol.
  8. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I just wish I knew more about Bass behavior along with all the other things that go into it, lake clarity, wind, on and on. Just going to try to read more and see if I can start to figure things out. My plan now that I am retired is to fish as much as I can. I have been averaging three days a week since we have not had much rain since june. I am also going to try to go out even when it gets colder through the winter maybe when we have a week or two that warms up. At least I probably will not see any other boats out there lol. Going out tomorrow afternoon and going to try maybe a jerkbait, jig and maybe a big 6" soft swimbait. I've caught fish on the squarebill but what we call dinks nothing large, the only large fish I caught have been on the large willow spinner bait but have had no luck on that this week. Small front coming through tonight so fishing may be even tougher but I'd rather be on the lake then doing other stuff since it will be nice weather otherwise.
  9. Yeah, mostly the bottom is mud, there are some harder bottom but not a lot. I can see harder bottom on my side imaging. Most of the banks are rip rap rocks, but the rocks do not extend far under water, no real grass in the lake, on the edge there is some water willow but no real grass. I have been trying all those you have listed except for jerkbaits. Was catching a few on underspin swimbait (owner flashy etc), tried small and larger swimbaits and nothing. The only thing that I have caught a few fish on is squarebills but they all have been small. Last week caught 2 decent size fish 5.5lb and 3.5 on a big willow blade spinnerbait shallow but nothing this week. Have also tried various different deeper crankbaits, rapala dt series, 8, 10 and 14 along with lipless and nothing on those but I could be in wrong location with the wrong retrieve. If you want to look at the lake and have access to google earth on your desktop, punch in lake saint louis and then turn on your historical time and go back to 11/2013. Thats the last time I can find a good image when they have the lake drawn down. That will give you and idea on the shore lines. I have been throwing what you mentioned, Keitech on an owner flashy. Lake has already turned over about 3-4 weeks ago, temps in range from 63-65, was actually cooler but warmed up a little bit. I have some finesse tackle and lures, so I can do all the above. Tackle is not my issue, me know what and where is lacking, lol. Thanks for the information, I have been going out mid day, usually in around 11:30 and fish until 4:30-5pm. I actually saw someone come behind me later in the afternoon fishing a jig and caught a nice keeper so I think I am going to try and fish a jig more tomorrow and see if that helps. With me catching the nice ones last week on spinnerbait, I kept trying that and this week has not produced, not sure what changed from last week to this week but I thought I was on to something and this week nada with the spinnerbait.
  10. Yes the lake has green sunfish and I have a good idea of the contours, there is not much of them, lol. Their are bouys and most of the arms are no wake areas, they have no wake areas on the sides of the lake but its not very wide so when boats are running the main lake is usually rocking. The main hours are sunrise to sunset, after sunset the lake goes to basically idle only. They only aquatic growth is water willow and not a lot of it but there is some around. There are bush piles around the lake and I know where most of the brush is located. The lake has LOTS of shad I believe they are gizzard since it gets cold in the winter and I do not think threadfin would make it. Lake has lots of them, everywhere basically, lol. I just struggle with figuring out where and on what I should be focusing. Fall tends to be more difficult at least for me, caught 2 nice ones last week on big willow spinnerbait shallow but water temps have dropped to mid 60's and do not think this week I have had any takers on the spinnerbait. I need to figure out how to eliminate water and figure out whats working quicker than I do, last couple of days nothing seems to work that I am trying. Oh and yes only LMB that I am going after.
  11. I really not sure where to post this, kid of a big dumb question but hear goes. I've been fishing all my life, older guy and if I could fish every day I would (being older body doesn't always agree). I have recently retired and I am fishing a lot more, but still feel like I struggle to figure out what I should be doing for a given day/season. I grew up beating the banks and trying to be smarter and learn more offshore techniques but one of the lakes I fish is a private community lake (about 600 acres) and have been fishing it for almost 30 years and still feel like I am at a loss during certain times of the year. It's an odd lake imho, has no grass (that would impact the skiers etc), its not a deep lake, average depth is 10ft, closer to the dam goes to maybe 20-25ft. So it's fairly shallow and there are brushpiles scattered and I know those locations and really the only other structure in the lake are all the boat lifts and there are lots of metal boat lifts all over the lake. There really is only one creek that feeds the lake and only when we get rain consistently is there any flow and there is not much flow then unless we have had a lot of rain so no real river/creek channel that runs through the lake. There is a local anglers club but there is not much information shared since they have weekly tournaments and my thought is no one wants to say whats working because ya know they want to win the weekly tournament. I do not fish tournaments I just fish for the fun and enjoyment. I guess I am just trying to learn how to figure out for a given time what the bass are relating to and how to figure out whats working. I have pretty much everything at my disposal tackle wise, hard baits, soft baits etc but I struggling at figuring out what and where I should be. I sometimes think I spend to much time in an area or a given bait and waste time that way. Just looking for any advice that could help me figure things out, what part of the lake and what baits to help me cover water to eliminate areas etc. Kind of humbles me since there appears to be so many folks that make it look easy and I seem to struggle more than I would like to admit. I read and watch youtube and there is lots of good information out there but there are alot of just trying to sell baits etc and I am really trying to learn how to be better at breaking down the lake each time I go out. What lures can I use to do that and where do I start, 600 acres is not that big but still a good bit of water to cover. Just thought I would throw that out there and see what else I can do to learn more, thanks! Really enjoy the forum!
  12. As someone that is always buying the cheaper tackle are the evo's and jackhammers that much better than the basic zman chatterbaits?
  13. I think it works for some stuff and not others, wish it was easier to know what it worked for...I tried some Rapala DT16 crankbaits and it did not work. So you have to try each thing and see if it works for it or not....
  14. Just saw this, baitwrx 25% off in cart with code save25 exclusions apply but I tried it on a shimano baitcaster and it worked, only good for rest of the day.
  15. I feel ya...PB&J is pretty good stuff, there is also Macaroni and Cheese and Ramen and lots of other cheap food alternatives...I mean I'd rather fish then eat all fancy
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