The small whopper plopper and the discontinued storm subwart caught all the fish. Bright colors because the water clarity is still a little murkier than usual.

Wasn't skunked today, only got one...but what a one.

 

3.92 lbs - best of the year

I went back to the river yesterday and my friend and I caught 24 smallmouth, 2 pike, and 2 walleyes in about 4.5 hours.  We caught most of the smallmouth on a new lure I found to replace the discontinued storm subwart - an XPS shallow crank in hot craw.  My two biggest were 19 3/4 and 20 inches.

9 hours ago, gimruis said:

I went back to the river yesterday and my friend and I caught 24 smallmouth, 2 pike, and 2 walleyes in about 4.5 hours.  We caught most of the smallmouth on a new lure I found to replace the discontinued storm subwart - an XPS shallow crank in hot craw.  My two biggest were 19 3/4 and 20 inches.

Udda Man gimruis... rivers are starting to get better despite high/chocolatey water.  Got out on the Miss myself... plastics were the ticket for me..

On a west metro lake today.  Got a late start but still had a pretty good day...also despite the warm temps.

 

12-14 largies.  Largest was around 17 in.  They were on the weed edge in 6-8 fow.  Senko did the trick again for me.

 

You guys are pushing me to the rivers soon though!

I gotta up my deeper game.

 

Out at 8am again, one 14" LMB at about 8:40 in the shallows, a bluegill and a pumpkinseed followed that, then nothing.

 

Went to deeper water where the sonar showed them. Tried T-Rigs, wacky Senko and swim-jigs there, but nothing wanted any of it.

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I gotta up my deeper game.

 

Out at 8am again, one 14" LMB at about 8:40 in the shallows, a bluegill and a pumpkinseed followed that, then nothing.

 

Went to deeper water where the sonar showed them. Tried T-Rigs, wacky Senko and swim-jigs there, but nothing wanted any of it.

Dropshot comes in handy in these situations, and if it's hard bottom.. the football jig. 

29 minutes ago, punch said:

Dropshot comes in handy in these situations, and if it's hard bottom.. the football jig. 

Tried drop-shot last week and it was a zero...which is why I didn't try it this week.

 

The bottom of North Arm (where I was the past two weeks) is muck - had to rinse the anchor every time I pulled it up.

Your not the only one that struggles with a drop shot, MN Fisher. I do too.

@MN Fisher Aggressive presentations like deep crankbaits, Jigs and 8 to 10" worms have been outperforming finesse presentations for me lately. Don't be afraid to try bigger baits, sometimes you need to trigger bigger bass with a worthwhile meal.

1 hour ago, sully420 said:

@MN Fisher Aggressive presentations like deep crankbaits, Jigs and 8 to 10" worms have been outperforming finesse presentations for me lately. Don't be afraid to try bigger baits, sometimes you need to trigger bigger bass with a worthwhile meal.

[Pic]

[Pic]

Dang man, I have been waiting for you to start dropping photos of giants like late summer/fall of last year. Is that a double on the same crank in the first pic?

 

Got up to Knife Lake last Sunday for a pick up derby. ended up 7th of 25, but did get Big Bass at 5.01lbs. Caught on a Spro Popping Bronzeye frog in all black. Like someone dropped a bowling ball on my bait. Best topwater bite of the year so far. 

 

 

 

@ThatOneBigKid yeah 2 on the same crankbaits left fish was 4.9lb right was 4.5 second pic was 5.5lb. Late summer is definitely my jam. I have tons of pics just hate posting picks on here cuz it's a pain. I post pics on fishbrain rsullivan6186

Went an hour North of the metro to miss the rain this morning.  Better fish were on plastics skipped under docks... a couple on Neds in 8-10 fow..

Hey Fry how do you hold all those fish up without lipping them? Everyone else holds their fish by the mouth and yours look like they’re on a peg.

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Hey Fry how do you hold all those fish up without lipping them? Everyone else holds their fish by the mouth and yours look like they’re on a peg.

I'm thinking finger(s) under the gill-plate.

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

Hey Fry how do you hold all those fish up without lipping them? Everyone else holds their fish by the mouth and yours look like they’re on a peg.

MNFisher is right... nice and smooth in the gill plate (against the cheek not the gill) and less chance of jaw ligament injury to the fish.  I got a bad case of bass thumb from lip gripping a couple years ago, that after this photo was taken developed into a nasty infection.  But if I do lip them now I’m wearing Fish Monkey gloves

Anyone fishing “The Boat Center” Smallmouth tournament on the Mississippi in Anoka this weekend?  

Bantam MGL XG RH 8:1 For sale if you're interested.
 

 

Was out early this morning on a west metro lake.  Spent 2 hours searching for fish.  Landed one dink so technically did not get skunked.  A beautiful morning but fish were nowhere to be found.

Went Saturday 6am-noon. Could not get one bite on top water, senko, jig, or crankbait. Switched to a ned rig (which i've never fished before) and started hammering them. Best 5 went for 17 and caught one after another between 2.5 and 4.25#. I was surprised at the sizes from the small bait and it was a lot of fun working it. Most were 8-12 feet of water but the 4.25 was up closer to 6. I used a lifted jig offset ned 1/8oz and just a scrap piece of green pumpkin senko that I had saved from a chewed up full worm. 

I wish I had a good metro area fishing report.. I just havn't been out on my local lakes that much. I dipped up to Mille Lacs last weekend for a morning session and found a killer topwater bite over Myr Mar reef while it was slick calm. That was fun. Bone white popper got a lot of action. 

 

I do have a trip planned to Little Boy/Woman lake over Labor Day weekend. I'm excited to fish that area for smallies. I've never been there before. 

I have still been river fishing with good success. I went on Monday for about 4.5 hours and caught 19 smallmouth and 1 pike. I didn’t catch any real big ones this time, however. They weren’t quite as aggressive as they have been either. I had to use a tube to catch some this time instead of topwater and shallow cranks. The water level has dropped off significantly and it’s also cleared up a lot the past 10 days. I intend to probably go one more time before September.

Hope this long, clear and stable weather pattern will improve fish activity.  Several nights in the low-mid 50's might stimulate feeding?  Crazy how dead this thread has been lately.

 

Was on Tonka Sunday morning and landed a few but it was slow going.  I know there are so many bodies to choose from other than Tonka but for some reason, I want to be able to learn it enough to fish it consistently w better results.

 

Despite the recreational traffic its still considered one of the best bass lakes in the region if not the US.  So many lakes crammed into one.

45 minutes ago, OperationEagle said:

Despite the recreational traffic its still considered one of the best bass lakes in the region if not the US.  So many lakes crammed into one.

I hear ya and know how Tonka is so highly touted.  But honestly I think you can catch a lot of small-medium sized fish there, just not a lot of quality/large bass IMO.  I fish a lot of smaller lakes in the area and seem to catch bigger fish.  The allure for me in learning Tonka more would be to fish tournaments... but not something I’m really planning.  So I get there occasionally but find myself wanting to go somewhere else next time...

4 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

But honestly I think you can catch a lot of small-medium sized fish there

Okay - where are they then? My past 2 outings have been like a desert. While I'd like to catch a new PB, just getting some that are eating size (2-3lbs) would be wonderful.