When I first got to the lake today there was already someone fishing in the spot where I wanted to start.  So right off the bat, my game plan was thrown into disarray and I was forced to fish off of a dam where I've never had much luck.  Started out by pitching soft plastics to shoreline weeds and patches of lily pads with no luck and it looked like the day wasn't shaping up to be a very good trip.  After a while I figured I'd try the exact opposite.  I walked out to the middle of the dam and started casting a Red Eye Shad out into open water.  On my second or third cast I got bit.  I never saw the fish so I don't know if it was a huge bass or a huge pickerel or heck, maybe I snagged a huge carp...I dunno.  But whatever it was it would have easily been the biggest thing I'd ever caught.  I felt like Jeremy Wade from River Monsters.  I actually had to put my weight into fighting this fish and I was still gaining little line if any at all.  It ended up getting off after about 20 seconds and as I was burning my RES back in disgust, this hit it...

 

 

Well I figured since I had 2 strikes in one cast, that there was probably something to the RES today so I kept throwing it.  A few more casts and I hooked up with 2 more.

 

 

I also had 3 more get off.  Two were small like the first one and another one was about the size of the second.  Around the time I was getting ready to leave, the guy who had been in my original spot came over to the dam and started fishing the grass and pads that I had started on.  Just as I was getting ready to pack it all in,  I had one more bite and it turned out to be the biggest fish of the day.  Fortunately the guy had come over and I was able to have him snap a pic that would do the fish a little more justice than just holding it out at arms length.

 

 

I wish I didn't have to work today cuz I would have stayed and I know I could have picked up a few more fish but hey, what are you gonna do?

 

 

 

nice fish Joe.

Nice

What color? How did you retrieve it?

What color? How did you retrieve it?

What color? How did you retrieve it?

Yes please share. Im curious about these baits but cant catch crap with the, oh wait plenty of grass bass!!!

What color? How did you retrieve it?

 

Yes please share. Im curious about these baits but cant catch crap with the, oh wait plenty of grass bass!!!

 

 

Oops...looks like I posted this one in the wrong forum...oh well.  The color was Gold Black.  I've also had success with Green Tomato.  The retrieve was steady and fast.  I'd cast it out and burn it in.  The lure was only running about 6 inches to a foot under the surface.  I did well with the Red Eye Shad this past spring into early summer and now it looks like the lipless crank bite is picking back up as the weather cools back down.  I've caught a lot of nice size bass and quite a few chain pickerel with this lure.  Easily my favorite lipless crank.

Good job!  Thanks for the info on fishing the Red Eye.  I haven't fished that lure much myself.

Thanks for a great report! I may bustout my Red Eye Shads and give 'em a whirl. Its been awhile.