Ku Xiong

There are about 4 bedding Largemouth Bass right in front of Denny's Shop. When I get the chance to, I will go check them out. Well, yesterday (04-25-2015) Denny advised me, someone had thrown 2 large rocks (10-15 pound range) right onto this about 3-3.5 pounders bed. Sure enough, 2 large boulders on this bass's bed. The bass was still hanging around the bed, but if it had eggs, I dont know if they would have survived that. I dont know, but that seriously irritated me.

I believe those are fish lice. Ive caught stripers at Wilson that had those things on them.

Hey Chine Walker, I believe those are fish lice. We caught a bunch of stripers at Wilson that had those.

My two brothers and I headed out to Mound City yesterday before the wind picked up. We got there at 0700 hours. This was my first time this year on that water. We headed towards the lily pads, but this year no lillies. Aquatic vegetation was thick in the shallows. We caught the majority on topwater; throwing buzzbait, poppers, and frogs. A weightless senko landed the biggest of the day. The wind blew us off the water by 1130 hours. Caught several smaller bass also.

Everytime I want to go to Coffey County, the wind decides to be 15-25 mph.

Well, it kind of does not help the fisheries when there has not been any kind of fish sampling for maybe 5-6 years. Since the county going back to its permits, the state does not want to get involved anymore. The county feels as if they are losing money, losing control when the the lake was a CFAP. They could not agree to anything, so the state has decided to quit with the fisheries sampling (i.e. shocking and netting) and the stocking of the lake. So for the past 5-6 years, it is unknown statistically on the quality and quantity of any given sport fish out there. The last sampling I was involved in, maybe 2008 or 2009, the SMB were doing great. Lots of young of year class and a couple breeders. LMB were numerous also, but mostly the 12-16 inch class. A lot came from the willows of the dam and the south side of Wilson's Cove. Looking at it now, the SMB population has exploded. Mainly taking advantage of the numerous crawdads in that lake. Something the LMB are not doing. Im catching more 15-20 inch SMB than keeper LMB. During this years spawn, I have seen several 4-5 pound LMB on their beds. So, they are out there. With this vegetation growth continuing from last year, hopefully it will atleast kind of improve the LMB population with some kind of habitat for it to lay and ambush. That lake just needs more habitat for the LMB. I have often heard how great the lake used to be for LMB when the lily pads were in. It can still happen, it just needs time and the right fisheries management. The trout and catfish are the main money makers for the sales of permits. I do not see them stopping that. I do agree with blue, no need to stock more LMB when there is plenty of them in the lake. I have been thinking about proposing to the parks director of maybe the stocking of Spotted Bass. Deep clear lake with rock structure and little vegetation. A habitat more suited for them. But, issues come up of competition for food. Another mouth to out compete the LMB. Good idea? I would like to see them in there, but mainly just for my selfish enjoyment of catching one and having a place close to home to catch one.

In the spring of 2012, when the water was at normal pool we caught a lot of bass. Pitching jigs, throwing squarebills, buzzbaits, and frogs was awesome on the first day. We fished the reeds in Hells Creek and was nonstop action for the 4 hours we got to fish before it got too dark. We caught 30-40 LMB ranging 12-18 inches. The next day we fished along the dam and we caught SMB ranging from 12-19 inches. Made several passes across the dam and still consistently caught bass. Caught majority on tubes, jerkbaits, and squarebills. We went last year 2013 in September and the water was super low. Reeds were nonexistent. Only submerged grass were present. We mainly fished points and shallow flats as the shad were all schooled up. Ned rigs, lipless, buzzbaits, poppers, spooks, swimbaits, and wakebaits all worked well. The lure I had the most success on was a Cabelas HDS jointed swimbait. The bass were obliterating that thing while swimming it across the surface. None of the strikes were subtle. There is 1 cove with docks and a couple of coves we found with standing timber. We did not do too good in the standing timber. We still managed to catch a lot of bass, mainly SMB. We caught very few LMB. It is a beautiful lake to be at when the wind ain't blowing you off the lake. The deep bluffs and clear water make it one of the more scenic lakes in Kansas. It is one of my favorite lakes to bass fish and we have been going there once every year for a few days now. I always look forward to that fishing trip.

I use the Strike King Elaztech finesse worms 7 inches. They stretch without breaking and float tail up with a shakeyhead. Just use a gel super glue to keep it on at the base of the worm.

Well, today was my Sunday so I decided to hit Banner Creek with a buddy before returning to reality. This was my first time on that lake and I have to say, its a very good looking lake. My first fish, I caught it on a white buzzbait in about 1 foot of water next to the bank. We caught several more in the smaller coves. Worked the trees in the shallow to the west of that lake, nothing. The trees looked SO good, and yet nothing. Maybe it was just us that day, but anyone else usually have luck in the trees to the west? Over all it was a fun day. I will definately be returning to that lake. Caught fish on a little bit of everything; wacky rig, jig and pig, squarebills, buzzbaits, frogs, and shakeyheads. We caught several bass in the 3 pound range. My buddy also almost caught a nice one, probably 5 pounds, but it jumped a good 3 feet next to the boat and spit his jig and pig. Caught on a wacky rig in about 2 foot of water. Pretty skinny but very fun on 8 pound test line. Caught on white buzzbait in 1 foot of water.

Pleasanton's ramps are still primitive. The west ramp appeared to have a concrete slab in the water and was not very level with the gravel at the sides. Be careful backing it in and not going over the sides with your trailer. I did not see a dock at either ramps and had to beach my boat. Glad I have an aluminum.

Well, my cousin and I hit three (Pleasanton, Critzer, and Mound City) different lakes on the 4th of July. Decided to stay at smaller impoundments to avoid the pleasure boaters. It was our first time at Pleasanton and GEEZ was it tough. We managed 8 largemouth bass but my first fish was the biggest of the day on a Booyah poppin frog. It was my first time there, but it seems like that lake has no type of structure to fish at all except those dang water willows. We did manage a few bass on deep diving cranks. 22 inches at 5.9 pounds. It was also my first time on Critzer. If you enjoy pitching, that is the lake to be at. If you hate navigating through thick brush and trees, thats not the lake to be at. We caught about 15 bass all on jig and pig on standing timber. Not much of a finesse type of lake at all. Bass ranged from 12-16 inches. Mound City was our last destination. We wanted to hit the topwater bite out there and we did alright on buzzbaits and poppers. Most of my catch was on a weightless texas rigged senko thrown close to grass beds and the banks in about 2-3 foot of water. Mound City is starting to become one of my favorite bass lakes. We caught about 20 or so bass there.

Its always good to see a fellow bass angler at the dotte!!!

A buddy and I went out to Mound City Lake yesterday. We thought the clouds were going to stick around and be a cooler day. NOPE, it was the complete opposite. Partly cloudy skies with little to no wind. It was hot and humid. It was a good thing Casey's was close by because we brought some water and powerade but ended up going back to Casey's to get more water. Water temperature was around 80-88. We caught approximately 30 or so largemouth bass. I landed two 19 inch bass and 1 18 inches. I also had another one maybe 18 inches spit me out at the boat. All together it was a fun day. Caught the majority of mine on a variety of topwater (buzzbait, popper, and hollow body frog). I also caught a few on senkos, jigs, squarebills, wakebaits, and variety of soft plastics texas rigged. 19 inches. Smacked a popper. 19 inches. Caught it on a white buzzbait. 18 inches. Exploded on white buzzbait.

A friend and I braved the morning and afternoon showers today and headed to Melvern Lake specifically targeting smallmouth bass. We caught 26 smallmouth, 5 kentucky, 2 largemouth, 3 channel catfish, 1 drum, 3 green sunfish, 6 crappie, 2 walleye, and "A LOT" of white bass. We threw everything back. Smallmouth were in 8"-18" range. I lost 3 other nice smallmouth after their aerial acrobatics in the 16-18 inch range. 18" Smallmouth. 17" Smallmouth 16" Smallmouth

Well its been a while since I posted, but my 2 brothers and I went out to WyCo Lake in the afternoon around 6pm until dark on May 30th. Im trying to introduce bass fishing to my brothers. We managed 13 Smallmouth Bass and 3 Largemouth Bass. All caught on shakeyheads, Craw Papi, squarebills, tubes, Ned Rigs, and jerkbaits. Smallmouths ranged from 12-18 inches and largemouth 12-14 inches. My brothers first time ever on a boat and catches this nice 16.5 inch Smallie. He loved ever bit of it. The first Smallmouth of the day for me. It hammered a Ned Rig. It measured out to be 17 inches. My last fish of the day. It slammed a shakeyhead. 18 inches.