stl-ill_side

Made several trips to Coffeen Lake (near Nashville, IL) last year and by late summer the lake levels were so low if it dropped another foot, I don't think it would have been safe to try and get boats in the water. A guy from the IDC said it was as low as he's ever seen it. We've had a decent amount of snow/rain this winter so I'm wondering if anybody has fished it the past couple months and in general how were the lake levels?

Jason: I've never had much luck after a big cold front moves, especially when accompanied by rain. I've never quite understood why as with the Midwest heat a cold front isn't going to have much, if any effect, on water temperature, but for me the bite always goes cold for 24-48 hours.

Just a message to introduce myself. My name is Jared and I live in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO. Although I've fished all my life, I really began pursuing bass fishing seriously the past couple years so in many ways consider myself a rookie. My fishing partner is Bass Resource vet -- Fishing_Doug. After a summer of bank fishing, we knew we had to get a boat and purchased a Pro Tracker 170 TX with a 25 hp (a lot of lakes in MO and ILL have a 25 hp limit so we didn't want or need to go higher). Other than the rod space, this has been a good investment and allowed us to get to a lot more water. We've had some dud days on the lake, but a couple great ones as well and those keep you going. Each of us is set on equipmnet -- Bass Pro Shop has become my wallet's worst enemy -- now we're just looking to get better in terms of skill. Doug has raved about the knowledge on this Web site and he's certainly correct as I was previously a member of ESPN's Bass Insider and their message boards were weak compared to the knowledge and sense of community offered here. Look forward to learning more and even sharing some info when I can.

One spot that is on the small side (approx. 72 acres) is Simpson Lake, located in Valley Park (off Marshall Rd.) and part of St. Louis County Parks. This lake has carp, bluegill, catfish and largemouth bass. This lake is not especially deep -- 20 feet is max and most spots are less than 10, but does have a fair amount of structure and cover. I've caught a few bass there -- most on the small side, but caught a six-pounder there a couple years ago from the bank on a spinner bait. This lake is not heavily pressured. It's open to boaters, but the majority of people fishing are doing so from the bank.

Bassresource.com's message boards are a fantastic wealth of knowledge. Hoping some of you guys and gals with bass fishing experience in Ontario can offer some advice. I am going to fish with a buddy at Lake of Bays in Huntsville, Ontario from June 30-July 4. My bass fishing experience is strictly largemouth bass in missouri and southern illinois. What type of line do folks recommend? Any lures I should consider? Any advice is welcome!