Went to Valentine, NE last weekend for a family wedding -- decided to pull the boat along and sneak in some fishing.  Got on the Refuge around 11 AM Friday and was able to fish until 5 PM. Watts Lake is very shallow (4' max), with lots of weed beds and reeds surrounding the lake. I had not fished the Refuge in 7+ years, but my brother was just up there this summer. He recommended some spots and lures. Caught a nice mix of bass and pike, 26 total, on the following lures:

 

- Chartreuse spinner bait:  top producer of the weekend

- Bone colored Whopper Plopper:  first time fishing this...it caught pike!

- Black buzz bait:  always love me some top water buzz baits

- Blue fleck senko: just a few fish on this lure...good to work it

 

Crazy to be in the middle of the lake, in 4' of water, and throwing my lures in to pockets between weed beds. Fun to have the pike and bass come up and slam lures within eye sight.

 

Saturday I had a small window to fish. My brother was in town, but didn't want to fish...but his daughter was up for the task.  This time we fished Clear Lake (which is a bit of an oxymoron...carp in this lake churn up the bottom...it's pretty silty.

 

Wind was 20-30 that morning, so we found some spots back in the reeds...again, 3-4' of water...overcast...the pike bite was on. Caught a few small pike (17-21") on the chartreuse spinner bait, and then hooked in to a big pike! Niece had thrown her lure over mine, and we got tangled...but the fish was still on. Stupid me didn't have a net in the boat...so I was trying to finess the big pike and not get lines tangled any more than they already were.  Lost the fish just a few feet from the boat : )

 

We fished the area more and I hooked in to another large pike...this time no line tangles...but still no net.  So I tried to wear her down a little...didn't work as it threw the bait near the boat again. Strike two!

 

We were pressing up against our predetermined "departure" time, when a big swirl followed my spinner bait...then BANG! Fish On! this time the fight was short and the big pike looked lethargic.  I kept it's head above water and maneuvered in close...put the grip behind gills and boated it.  Thirty six inches long, 8 pounds, 11 ounces.

 

Might have been the same fish...think I wore it out...when I returned to the water it was slow to recover...but did recover after a few minutes and swam off. 

 

Pictures of the fun...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice!

 

Never been there but have heard about it and hope to some day make it there. Not for the bass or pike though, actually for the monster bluegills that live in some of the lakes. Not sure if they still do, but they use to give up 2+lb fish every year.