Bluebasser86

Well today was certainly not a numbers day but after catching lots of fish last week Chris and I decided to hit to La Cygne again today. We had rain off an on for the first half of the day and then pretty steady rain the second half of the day, at least the temps were in the 40's most of the day and wind wasn't terrible. The plant was not generating when we got there. No generation equals no action on power plant lakes. It took us almost 3 hours to get a bite and the first half dozen were serious dinks, only one would have even topped a pound. We came around the point and noticed the visibility had dropped to a couple hundred yards so we knew they'd started generating and the warm water running into the lake was creating steam so we figured we'd get to the outlet again because those fish react first. Not much going on other than one dink and one missed bite. I was fishing a Series 5 on a sand/gravel ledge where the current runs along when my bait got crushed. I wasn't sure it was a bass at first until she came up and wallowed. She was hooked good until she wallowed next to the boat again and the front hook popped out. She pulled like crazy and I thought for sure she'd come off but Chris finally got the net under her. I was shaking so bad I couldn't hardly get her on the scale. 24" long and 15" around and 7.51 pounds. We probably didn't catch another half dozen the rest of the day and it was raining pretty hard and starting to get dark so we headed to the ramp but decided to fish around the ramp for a minute before we left. I was fishing a Bandit 100 in mistake color off a rock pier when it got stopped. We both thought it was around 3 pounds when it first came up and wallowed around. Once it got to the boat and dove down it was obvious we'd underestimated her. She was barely hooked on the back hook but she stayed stuck and we got her in the net. Not quite as big as the first but at 21.5" and 13.25" and 5.88 pounds she was certainly a great way to end the day!

Well today was certainly not a numbers day but after catching lots of fish last week Chris and I decided to hit to La Cygne again today. We had rain off an on for the first half of the day and then pretty steady rain the second half of the day, at least the temps were in the 40's most of the day and wind wasn't terrible. The plant was not generating when we got there. No generation equals no action on power plant lakes. It took us almost 3 hours to get a bite and the first half dozen were serious dinks, only one would have even topped a pound. We came around the point and noticed the visibility had dropped to a couple hundred yards so we knew they'd started generating and the warm water running into the lake was creating steam so we figured we'd get to the outlet again because those fish react first. Not much going on other than one dink and one missed bite. I was fishing a Series 5 on a sand/gravel ledge where the current runs along when my bait got crushed. I wasn't sure it was a bass at first until she came up and wallowed. She was hooked good until she wallowed next to the boat again and the front hook popped out. She pulled like crazy and I thought for sure she'd come off but Chris finally got the net under her. I was shaking so bad I couldn't hardly get her on the scale. 24" long and 15" around and 7.51 pounds. We probably didn't catch another half dozen the rest of the day and it was raining pretty hard and starting to get dark so we headed to the ramp but decided to fish around the ramp for a minute before we left. I was fishing a Bandit 100 in mistake color off a rock pier when it got stopped. We both thought it was around 3 pounds when it first came up and wallowed around. Once it got to the boat and dove down it was obvious we'd underestimated her. She was barely hooked on the back hook but she stayed stuck and we got her in the net. Not quite as big as the first but at 21.5" and 13.25" and 5.88 pounds she was certainly a great way to end the day!

This one really surprised me because I'd never seen one before. My first and only goldeye from Milford Lake Kansas, looked like a little tarpon with needle teeth. Wasn't any doubt what this one was but this lake has some monster smallies so I was a little hopeful for the first 10 minutes or so of the fight. 40lbs from Wabunsee Lake, Kansas.

Rage craw or Yum craw papi.

Huddleston 4" Weedless Shad catches me lots of keeper size and bigger fish. Swimming or stroking a Havoc Grass Pig on a football head along the bottom is a great big fish technique also, especially swimming over deep weeds.

Bam, question answered. I believe this thread can be closed now

P-line C21 for me. Cheap and great abrasion resistance and very strong. It stretches quite a bit but I think it helps me keep fish from pulling off also.

Bed fishing is about the only application I've found for a white craw, but they can excel at it and for that they worth carrying at least during the spring.

I'd like to try one of the minis. I had one of the original ones and like how easy it was to fish but it dove too deep to serve much purpose in most of our lakes. A series 5 is about the deepest I get before I switch to a football jig.

If nothing else it's a confidence thing for me.

Lucky Craft makes a few baits in a 3.5 and a 4.5 size. http://www.luckycraft.com/luckycrafthome/Products/crankbait/lc3-5.html My pick would have to be Lucky Craft 1.5. Haven't tried one of the new ones but all my old RC's still work great!

Brent Chapman would be my pick. I've met and talked to the guy several times, even done some archery target shooting with him as he's also an avid bow hunter. He's very down to earth and just a really cool, nice guy and he's very knowledgeable. Seems to be a very dedicated husband and father as I've seen him on the water fishing with his kids a few times or walking the aisles at Bass Pro or Cabela's carrying his kids and answering all their questions. He also fishes similar to how I fish but is much better than I am at certain kinds of fishing so I think it would be easier to learn from him since he may be able to explain things to me in a way that I could understand. KVD would be a blast too. Not sure I'd want to fish behind him but just to spend a day in the boat watching and listening to him would be awesome. Denny Brauer would be another top pick for me. I wish I had some of his swing for the fences way of thinking. Often my problem is fishing for bites instead of fishing for the right bites. Zona would be a good time. I'd love to get on some of that northern smallmouth bed fishing with him. Plus he seems like a rolling blooper reel in the boat.

I used to do it sitting down in my old 2 man. You can either go with a shorter rod or learn to be really accurate with a sidearm roll cast. I got really good at a roll cast and skipping with a baitcaster from fishing in that little boat. Eventually I learned to stand in the boat without falling out but I know that's not really an option in a canoe.

TW had them for a minute on 12/24 before they sold out. Lots of people wanting to try a proven fish catcher for a fraction of the price.

I've talked to Chapman several times, great guy and personable. He knows a lot about the local lakes also so maybe he can give you some info not just on fishing but specifics for a lake you might fish. You could always make that 2 hour drive to La Cygne for some winter bassing too!

I like either a single tail grub or a pork trailer for a bigger profile. A pork trailer on a slow rolled spinnerbait in early spring has caught some pigs for me.

Netbait T-mac, Havoc Pit boss, Zoom Baby Brush Hog, Rage craw, Rage anaconda, Zoom magnum finesse worm, BPS stick O.

SK Denny Brauer flipping tube and Pour Boy tubes for me. Cabin Creek are a good bait too.

Rocky areas that get direct sunlight during the afternoon and evening hours should have some of the warmest water early in the year. Creeks and protected coves will warm up quickly during warm fronts because there's less water to warm.

Get a cheap orange hunting vest and wear it to where you're fishing at then take it off when you get there. You could get in contact with the guys and exchange phone numbers so you can call to check if they're going to be hunting when you want to go out there. I'd either do that or avoid the area during hunting season but I'm not getting shot over a few fish.

Going back to La Cygne this Thursday and will have an empty seat if anyone is interested. 40 for a low, 52 for a high, cloudy with a chance of rain and 12mph winds from the SW is what weather.com has for the forecast right now. I'm sure it will change between now and then but there's a good warm front coming through starting today going through Friday so they may be really fired up by Thursday. Pm me or send me a text if you've got my number.

I hope you have better luck with your Rage rods than I had. I had the 7' 1" MH/F I used for pitching. After less than a year it broke 2/3 of the way up the rod while swinging in a 2 1/2lb fish. I also had a 6' 10" ML/F spinning rod that I used for drop shots and grubs. Had it less than a year when I was fighting a smallmouth the epoxy that holds the front reel seat in place broke loose and my reel came off the rod. Another member had the same problem with a casting Rage rod. I liked how the rods felt and looked just too many problems for me.

Spring and fall are my most productive times to use jerkbaits. Steep rock banks and points with steep drops off the sides or front are a couple of my favorite places to fish them.

I use a 15' telescoping lure retriever with wire rings on the end and rarely lose a bait.

I use 6 or 8 pound InvisX and have no problem feeling bites in 30-40 feet of water. If you're using Vanish that stuff has a ton of stretch and is probably why you can't feel anything.