Hoping to get back to Melvern this weekend because my buddy bailed with the boat last weekend. 

I am hitting La Cygne in the morning.  Going to try and learn a thing or two from a buddy that has fished it more than me.

If anyone decides to run to 'Vern this weekend, come by and say hey. Sunday looks pretty nice. 

I'll have to work at least part of one day, so I can't fish it both days. Sunday looks like the better weather, but do you think the fishing will be worse then because it's classic post front-- bluebird skies, north winds?

I'll have to work at least part of one day, so I can't it both days. Sunday looks like the better weather, but do think the fishing will be worse then because it's classic post front-- bluebird skies, north winds?

 

To be honest I've never really had too much difficulty with a post frontal system at Melvern. It won't be hot and heavy, but the fish will still be eating. I think it's just because I run and gun so much and am always changing presentations, even if there's no apparent pattern. As long as there's a little wind, you won't have to throw the Ned all d**n day. 

I'm going to Wolf Creek on Sunday. Does anybody have any tips? I have never been there before and have no idea what it looks like. 

I'm going to Wolf Creek on Sunday. Does anybody have any tips? I have never been there before and have no idea what it looks like. 

I've fished it twice the last two weeks, it's been okay but not great, this cold weather should have it turning on. Tubes, swimbaits, Neds have been the deal. You have to hunt for them quite a bit, but once you find them they like to group up out there. The south riprap and the west island were best Thursday but I'd have gone somewhere else if I'd known it wasn't going to be any better than it was. Make sure you have a comfortable life jacket and don't even bother going if they're calling for 15mph or stronger winds. 

I've fished it twice the last two weeks, it's been okay but not great, this cold weather should have it turning on. Tubes, swimbaits, Neds have been the deal. You have to hunt for them quite a bit, but once you find them they like to group up out there. The south riprap and the west island were best Thursday but I'd have gone somewhere else if I'd known it wasn't going to be any better than it was. Make sure you have a comfortable life jacket and don't even bother going if they're calling for 15mph or stronger winds. 

Ok thank you I think they are calling for around 10 mph winds. 

I've really been slacking on the reports lately I guess. I've been out and about a little bit. Most of you know about my near miss a couple weeks ago and then my redemption last Wednesday morning.

 

I fished Lenexa from the yak for a few hours last Tuesday and did decent with a War Eagle Finesse spinnerbait in Mouse and a T rigged YUM Wooly Bug in GP. 

 

Tried Olathe a week or two ago and did not do well. Wipers were piled up in the jigging spoon spot, but no bites. No shad were in the creek yet. I caught a few largemouth that averaged bigger than normal on a golden shiner BHW towards the south end. I was only out there for a couple hours. North end seemed devoid of bass. 

 

Chris and I fished WC Friday. It was a bit disappointing again, but we kind of put the pieces together towards the end and made a day of it. I did manage to hook and lose the biggest smallmouth I've ever seen in WC, certainly in that 4+ range. Ned saved the day, and Purple Haze was far and away the best color with Junebug a distant 2nd. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zms8p-OEcQ

The smallie bite was slow but steady at the 'Vern today, for me anyway. They seemed to be scattered, as I didn't catch more than 2 in any one spot. So I did a lot of running and gunning. Most of my fish came on the main lake or the first secondary point off the main lake. With one exception, all my spots further up the creeks did not produce, which was kind of the opposite of last Sunday when the few smallies I caught were up the creeks. No dinks this morning; all fat, solid fish. Here's the biggest:

 

Midmorning, I got into a bunch of stout whites off the Turkey Point campground. It was 20 minutes of chaos in the middle of an otherwise serene morning. 

 

The tube was the bait of choice today, with a couple coming on a squarebill and one on my jake-leg version of the Ned. Nothing on topwater, nothing on a spinnerbait, nothing on a paddletail, not even anything on the 4" Chompers grub that has been one of my most consistent baits this fall. 

 

My old BPS Extreme baitcaster started grinding bad today. Is there a reel repair shop in Kansas City anymore?  Or would I be better off sending it off to that outfit affiliated with Bass Pro in Springfield? 

Take it Mondotackle, Raymond has a guy that does it for a very reasonable price.

For anyone needing a baitcaster, Academy has the Mettle on sale for $40 this week. I'll probably have to go pick one up myself, and maybe a rod to go with it 

Went to La Cygne Sat & Sunday.

 

I have nothing to report.

Went to La Cygne Sat & Sunday.

 

I have nothing to report.

 

I thought you were going with a La Cygne veteran that was going to show you all the good spots?

I thought you were going with a La Cygne veteran that was going to show you all the good spots?

 

That is correct.  However, he ended up going in Jacob's boat ( a member here with the nitro z-6) since Adam W was already in my boat and Jacob wanted to get out too.  So we followed them to some spots and then did our own thing.  they managed 7 or 8 fish, but had a good limit of about 14 pounds.  So they did good. 

 

Which is partially why I went back Sunday.  To see if I could find some of those fish.... but I couldn't, and ended up catching the few small fish doing something completely different. 

That is correct.  However, he ended up going in Jacob's boat ( a member here with the nitro z-6) since Adam W was already in my boat and Jacob wanted to get out too.  So we followed them to some spots and then did our own thing.  they managed 7 or 8 fish, but had a good limit of about 14 pounds.  So they did good. 

 

Which is partially why I went back Sunday.  To see if I could find some of those fish.... but I couldn't, and ended up catching the few small fish doing something completely different. 

 

 

Chatter baits were the ticket last Thursday. Not the early bite I expected. 

Can't believe I missed this one:

 

https://youtu.be/k29wdxKFcEU

 

unacceptable.

Gotta say, Melvern was tougher than it's been for me for a while now. My guide trip on Saturday was fairly decent though, being able to fish immediately after the rain stopped. We weren't quite in post-frontal mode yet and the fish were still eating moving baits. Best fish was just under 3# (on a Buzz's 0.5), and tons of giant white bass. I mean giant. The guys had a good time and we didn't get wet. Sunday was a different story. Full on post front-highest bluebird skies and pressure through the roof. Took the That's a Good Fish guys out from Joplin again for some more footage for their show (in their boat). It was mind numbingly frustrating (for me at least). But as usual, still managed a few good fish, including my biggest Melvern LMB ever, 3 lbs. 2 oz. 18 1/4 inches. On a tube, in non-LMB territory. Sure had me surprised. 

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta say, Melvern was tougher than it's been for me for a while now. My guide trip on Saturday was fairly decent though, being able to fish immediately after the rain stopped. We weren't quite in post-frontal mode yet and the fish were still eating moving baits. Best fish was just under 3# (on a Buzz's 0.5), and tons of giant white bass. I mean giant. The guys had a good time and we didn't get wet. Sunday was a different story. Full on post front-highest bluebird skies and pressure through the roof. Took the That's a Good Fish guys out from Joplin again for some more footage for their show (in their boat). It was mind numbingly frustrating (for me at least). But as usual, still managed a few good fish, including my biggest Melvern LMB ever, 3 lbs. 2 oz. 18 1/4 inches. On a tube, in non-LMB territory. Sure had me surprised. 

 

Slow for us on Sunday too. I caught a decent amount of fish but my dad struggled to get bit. He did catch 1 smallie, 1 white, and 1 decent sized drum. He had fun though, which is all that mattered.

Can't believe I missed this one:

https://youtu.be/k29wdxKFcEU

unacceptable.

Ouch....

Nice!! Today?  Where?

Nice!! Today?  Where?

 

That is one of Lake Shawnee's famed giant Smallies. 

That is one of Lake Shawnee's famed giant Smallies. 

 

So tell me again why I am driving an hour to Melvern once or twice a week when smallies like that are probably 25 minutes away?

So tell me again why I am driving an hour to Melvern once or twice a week when smallies like that are probably 25 minutes away?

Because Melvern>Lake Shawnee. They're in there but certainly not common. I was there to try to trout but I fish for big trout with jerkbaits and ended up with a big smallie instead. Fished for 2 days and the next biggest smallmouth was 2.25, after that was maybe 1.5.

Because Melvern>Lake Shawnee. They're in there but certainly not common. I was there to try to trout but I fish for big trout with jerkbaits and ended up with a big smallie instead. Fished for 2 days and the next biggest smallmouth was 2.25, after that was maybe 1.5.

 

Thanks-- I was beginning to question everything. I'll be at Melvern tomorrow.