AllDay

I'm with you on the green pumpkin - that color universally wins wherever I go, I'm all about the pumpkin.

I like the Shakyhead too - are you throwing worms, craws, or rodents on those shakys? I really like the Culprit Fat Max worm at Cabellas (BPS doesn't have Fat Maxes). When fishing off the bank a little ways, do you cast along the contour line or perpendicular to it? I find that casting along the line works well.

Nice smallie, particularly for Wyco Lake! I'm familiar with that bank across from the marina cove - it's all rocks lining the bank and around the point. Good catch!

So I take it La Cygne "wakes up" with bass biting when the water cools? Hey I'm all for it if that's the case. Mid-20's doesn't bother me; it does if nothing's biting. When that time gets closer, I'm game for La Cygne on Fri night or Sat day/night if anyone wants to go. This Fri and Sat I'm weekend-warrioring by fishing Hazel Creek and credit goes to Blue for his recommendations where to fish - I know they'll yield bass!!! Stay tuned!

Perhaps when it really cools off (interesting, mid 20's you'll go) we can hit up La Cygne a time or two!

Have fun and I assume you'll be registering your boat and trailer? I was in the same boat (no pun intended) when I picked up my vessel at which time I realized I had to do all the administrative stuff like registering the trailer, boat, and motor before I can use it. Wyco lake requires state registration before you can get another special boat permit from them to boat at Wyco (fyi).

Chris, I fished Lacygne at night in July (launched from the northern-most boat ramp from the creek) and was able to land just a 3# LM bass. I motored south to the main lake and OMG per my Humminbird the water was 100'F !!!!!! I think I'll need some pointers on Lacyne b/c I know it holds big LM bass, I'm just not familiar with that lake and where those lunkers are hanging out at. I believe Lacyne still holds the state record for LM bass if I'm not mistaken. In general, the threads I read about Lacygne paint a love-hate relationship with that lake. At this point I don't even know if the bass are holding in the windy northern creek or are they closer to the main lake or the mouth of the creek. N-S-E-W direction, who knows!

Welcome Jim, yes this thread, to echo Chris' statements, is loaded with with suggestions - when you give advice on your successes, what comes around goes around, and one day you'll need advice too. Since you're in the OP area, you're somewhat close to Miami Lake and I recommend that as both a starter lake (from hiatus) and a return-trip lake. There are good bass there to rekindle the fire.

Hi Jim, It's a bluecat actually, boated from Lake Viking, MO (private lake). I caught him off a square billed white shad crankbait just 2' off a retaining wall near the shore. No sooner than it hit the water did I hear a splash as if I did a belly flop in the pool; saw nothing but a big fin splash the water! Took me 25 minutes to land him b/c I was using a light action rod and 8# line. I released him too - I'll wait for him to gain another 10 lbs and we'll rendevous again

Blue, I gather you work nights and I'd definitely go if I could, however, I work days and the only times I can fish mornings or evenings/nights are on weekends. In fact, I have yet to fish mornings at Wyco b/c I always fish nights - speaking of which I went last night and tried out for the first time my video camera sunglasses. I boated a largemouth in the hour I spent over the waters. I'll try to post it today or so if I can get a moment to upload to YouTube! I have a Pelican Predator two-man bass boat and she gets her done (55 lbs thrust Traxxis trolling motor and 2.5 HP Mercury outboard motor). This Saturday early morning I'm very much considering going to Hazel Creek b/c your pics of what you landed at Hazel just got me fired up! Are you working Fri night/Sat morning?

Although it's too bad that smallmouths aren't expected to be hearty nighttime eaters like their largemouth counterparts, there's consolation in knowing you tried for nightime smallies too and had challenges. For me then I'll continue pursuing the nighttime largemouths, I love doing that. I attached a pic of my nighttime adventures over the July 4th weekend at Miami. That lake rocks. During the day I prefer 7"-12" green pumpkin ribbon tail worms; at night it's black, black/blue fleck or junebug colors. The key for me is casting right on the bank, they eat it up.

It was a tale of two halves (like in sports): at 7:30 PM at launch time from the southwestern boat ramp (see attached) where I changed the plan to launch from the south end of the lake instead of the marina. I noted the point where it was just explosive - bites on every other cast if not every cast on a crawdad (yellow/red) crankbait. I even hauled in two catfish in a row (off cranks!). But when the sun set, it was a totally different story: bites crawled to a near-hault. I'm wondering if smallmouth aren't the night biters like their largemouth cousins? With largemouth, I can hit them all night and have and I was hoping for the same with smallies but not this time. I'm seriously considering going to Hazel Creek next weekend. I have the topographic map of it and will study it. I have to run for now but I can send it to you later (not like you need it, you've boated the lunkers out of there already!).

http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=10&ll=39.164208,-94.778152&spn=0.014807,0.031972&z=15&vpid=1345220238158&t=h&lyt=large_map&hll=39.164574,-94.779019&hyaw=272.0630192742051I attached a link of the areas (the NE point) I hit up at Wyandotte lake (Google Mapmaker is cool!). All of July at night (8PM till Midnight) despite the daytime temps being > 100'F, I always caught LM bass and never got shut out. The best color is black, blue, or junebug and the most effective plastics are 5"-7" ribbon tails. Wacky worms have also worked. About Milford, I've reviewed your google map route and compared that to the lake's depth topography and I will fish the routes you recommended b/c the routes are on the deepest end of the lake.

Blue, I'm looking forward to this evening into the night at Milford. I'm going to ask a newbie-to-Milford lake question: Is Thunderbird marina = State Park marina? I notice you reference State Park marina cove and I want to ensure we're talking apples to apples. Thanks again for your advice!

I attached the plan of attack tomorrow. I use Google Earth for the image then Snagit grab the image and to create arrows and such. Since this is my first outting at Milford, I figure I've got to start somewhere. I may just fish the first north point as I head out of the marina. I was able to visualize the areas you were describing, thanks! Thanks for the offer for helping on Hazel, I'm certainly going to go there. The layout of Hazel looks like Wyandotte. You definitely describe a lot of your smallie successes from the southern part of the lake. Left for smallies, right for largemouth - got it!

Wow this is impressive and you narrated the play-by-play like a champ! When you said there's monsters in there you weren't kidding! I'm definitely going to hit up Hazel Creek and will let you know how that shakes out when I go there. At Wyandotte, I catch smallies along the shallow weedbeds when going for LM. Do you think smallies at Milford will be found in shallow points or do you think they're deeper (8'-10'). I'm going to finesse it with 7"-12" shallow first and then I'll switch to cranks and jigs if it's not working. You mention the north end of Milford which is the shallowest area (deepest area is south end). My entry point will be opposite the thunderbird marina where there's a main lake point. From there I'll journey northbound. Have you fished the middle much (like the main lake point across the marina)?

Hey Blue, have you ever tried to fish largemouth at Milford and what are your thoughts on largemouth there? I'm hitting up Milford this Friday night (I'm a night guy). I fish Wyandotte often as I live 5 mins from that lake. I normally go for largemouths off the points and enjoy it. I see you enjoy Miami lake, it's a great one and there are largemouth o'plenty there. Never been to Hazel Creek lake but am willing to drive it if you say there's good largemouth there!