We have a thread dedicated to kansas city area reports, and also a thread dedicated to wyco lake. I decided it was time to put la cygne on the map for obvious reasons.
There isn't a single lake that can make you smile bigger, only to curse the water the next day than la cygne. Let's face it, la cygne is an enigma, wrapped up in a question, bundled in a mystery that's unsolvable. So let's try and solve this dang thing- and catch some big fish while we're at it.
My limited experience with this lake has shown me that there are two key ingredients to having a good day here- the power plant needs to be blowing smoke, and the weather needs to be a little nasty. That's not to say this will guarantee anything, nor is it to say you can't have a good day when these conditions aren't present.
My most productive areas this season have been rip-rap areas, most specifically the southern most portion just east of the dam. Fish have always been there when i've fished it. Fishing up in the river is hit or miss. I'll note that i've not ventured north of the bridge- most of my fishing in the river happens on the channel swings just before the river turns into the main lake. I've had better luck in these areas when the plant isn't puffing smoke, so perhaps that's a valuable piece of information. These are my spots right now. I've not had a sniff on the dam, and fishing the rip rap south of the outlet has been very hit or miss depending on the day. I'll note that the water willow can be on at times. Keep in mind though, the fish have always been hanging out at very specific breaks in the willow. They pick what they perceive as the best spot, and camp there. If I don't fish these breaks (whether it be the willow coming to a point, pocket, etc.) then I don't get bit. If I don't throw the bait on top of their heads, I don't get bit. The fish that are there are generally larger though.
What about baits? The only thing that has worked for me time and time again has been a jig, or a crankbait. I've not had anything sniff a diver deeper than 10 yet. Shallow crankbaits have worked well for me. Dark colors are a must. On occasion fish will hit a spook, but that is a rarity. These fish are highly pressured. I've found that if you're not throwing the right bait on the right day, you are going to suffer.
And let's talk about bait fish too- what has perplexed me more than anything is the abundance of baitfish in this lake. Just because you've found them though (and it doesn't take long), doesn't guarantee any kind of success. Call me crazy, but I have done better on this lake when the giant bait balls are not to be found. Why? I definitely think fish are hanging around these baitballs, but because there is so much forage, they're simply stuff.
Catching big fish? There is a secret to that, just as there is at any lake. I've not caught any giants yet. We all know they're in there. From what I can tell they hang out in areas that see little pressure (IE off shore structure) or, some of them are indeed in the heavily hit areas but are only in the prime locations. Remember what I said about specific sections in the willow? This applies to areas with rip rap, or the laydowns/stumps you'll find scattered in the lake/river. There are big fish in these spots, but they are keyed in to the spot within a spot. Once you locate one of these, remember it, fish it quietly and with precision- making multiple casts if need be.
Do please chime in. Pictures are welcome. I know bluebasser86 (clayton) has his fair share
