Catchin' The Bigguns In La Cygne

[pbrussell]

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

 

 

[Mr_Scrogg]

Ive yet to fish La Cygne. Its a decent haul for me. Will need to be one of those overnight trips for sure.

[Bluebasser86]

I plea to the fifth  

 

I've fished the lake so much I should know it better than I do. I would say the rock walls to the west of the outlet are my most consistent producing areas. Dark colored worms on a shakyhead, bigger baitfish colored jerkbaits, squarebills, deep cranks, or traps are the most consistent producing baits. I like the river from the mouth to the bridge and sometimes way past the bridge. Dark tubes, beavers, squarebills, traps, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits are my go to baits back there. The flat to the south of the outlet occasionally gets loaded up with fish, traps, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits get most of my best fish there. The outlet is great at times and pretty much anything will work there at one time or another. The riprap to the north of the outlet can be good at times with squarebills and traps. The rocks and coves by the main boat ramp are very consistent producers with squarebills, spinnerbaits, and traps. The big cove at the southwest end of the lake around the inlet/culvert gets loaded up when the shad spawn in the fall and a spinnerbait is all you need all day. I've done well on the dam from the outlet and to the east, usually on traps. The rocks around the inlet is hit or miss.

La Cygne has accounted for way more fish over 7 pounds than any other body of water in the state for me.

7.76lbs at the rocks by the main lake boat ramp on a chart/black back Spro Fat John early march 2013

7.51lbs at the outlet on a green gizzard shad Strike King Series 5

7lbs 2ozs flat point south of the outet on a tennessee shad colored Strike King King Shad

7lbs at the outlet on a Voodoo Xcaliber Erratic Shad 

7lbs off the east side of the dam on a gold/black back Xcaliber XR50

 

One thing I've never figured out on La Cygne is how to get them to eat a jig! I could count on 2 hands and have fingers left the numbers of bass I've caught on jigs at La Cygne.

[SuperFluke]

I don't have much to add, as la cygne usually kicks my butt.  We've caught a few decent bass on plastic worms north of the outlet, on the rocky bank with the river channel.  I've caught fish on jerk baits near the outlet.  My best trips to la cygne have been catching wiper on the road bed (look at the lake with google maps and it is obvious) with vertically jigged rattle traps or spoons and fishing for crappie on the south end near the dam.

[Chris S]

Shakey head w/ Zoom trick worm, paca craws, lipless BPS crankbait, KVD squarebill Tenn shad, Wiggle Wart shad, Biggest fish I have seen caught was on a wiggle wart way back up the river and it went 8.8, this is my sons favorite lake in the world, we sit back off the rock pile by the spillway and bust them on shakey heads on either side of the rock pile, if the bite slows we run the left side of the rock walls heading to the creek and fish the lay downs. We also caught a 2.2 pound crappie of the rocks by the smoke stacks. Wont let me post pics..I fish this lake late in the year and early in the year, two years ago I fished it four days before Christmas with my neighbor and we killed it on jerk baits at the spillway.

[pbrussell]

I will be going to the mighty la cynge tomorrow in hopes of tangling with a big one. Clayton side they were biting pretty good in the river there for a while, so I might venture up farther than I've gone and see what happens. He also mentioned the water was below the willow so I don't think that I will be hitting any of that! However, that is one less variable and I like less variables. The wind is really blowing out of the south today, so I think that should push the baitfish (and bass) northward. I'd like to think the bass could be hanging out in some of the pockets on the main lake, ambushing baitfish that blow by but that's only a guess. I'll be sure to check and see if fish are staged in these areas since the wind is not really supposed to let up until tomorrow. 

 

So I guess that makes the gameplan fishing some moving baits around the mouths of pockets. If that pattern doesn't exist, I'm sure I'll hit my favorite rip rap areas on the main lake and if those options fail I'll be zooming up the river to see what I can find there.

 

I'm looking for one over five. If there's any kind of good bite going on that shouldn't be too much to ask.

[Bluebasser86]

Fished La Cygne by myself on Thursday. Started out a little slower than 2 weeks ago but then I busted 4 real quick from under and just past the bridge in the river, 1 on a tube, 1 on a trap, 2 on a spinnerbait. Got one more on a tube and one on a squarebill before I left the river, biggest in the 16.5-17 inch range. Was a little slower on the main lake but quality was better. Caught some off the rock wall, mostly on a shakyhead and trap. Fished the rip rap past the outlet for a long ways, caught a few more on a trap, same in front of the stacks. Caught one really fat one on a trap in one of the pocket by the main ramp. Went to the outlet and caught one on a shakyhead, 3 on a swimbait including my biggest of the day that was probably in the 3-3.5 pound range, also had 2 nice wipers. Fished the rock wall again, couple more on a shakyhead. Ran back to the river and got one more almost immediately on a tube then no more. I was going to stay longer but there was probably 15 other boats on the water fishing everything I wanted to fish so I packed it in. 20 bass, 2 wipers, and 2 whites made for a pretty decent day even without catching a big one. 

[LVAngler]

When you say Rock wall do you mean on the west side as your heading to the river off the main lake or back in the cove to the southwest of the island? 

[Bluebasser86]

When you say Rock wall do you mean on the west side as your heading to the river off the main lake or back in the cove to the southwest of the island? 

Yep

[cbass12]

Yep

 

Nice answer dude  

[Ethan F]

Im going to Lake Lacygne staurday with a buddy shore fishing. Where should I go and what should I throw? Also a shad or bluegill imitation? 

[Ondrejka]

1 hour ago, BigSexy said:

Im going to Lake Lacygne staurday with a buddy shore fishing. Where should I go and what should I throw? Also a shad or bluegill imitation? 

 

I feel like the last 8-10 comments on this thread should just about uncover any info you'd ever need about LaCygne...................

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, BigSexy said:

Im going to Lake Lacygne staurday with a buddy shore fishing. Where should I go and what should I throw? Also a shad or bluegill imitation? 

The outlet is far and away your best option for bank fishing La Cygne. My distant second choice would be around the bridge in the river but it doesn't concentrate fish like the outlet can. Shad imitations are by far the best option. 

[Ethan F]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The outlet is far and away your best option for bank fishing La Cygne. My distant second choice would be around the bridge in the river but it doesn't concentrate fish like the outlet can. Shad imitations are by far the best option. 

Thanks dude! And chatterbait with a swimbait or what?

 

[RangerDanger]

11 hours ago, Ondrejka said:

 

I feel like the last 8-10 comments on this thread should just about uncover any info you'd ever need about LaCygne...................

Those comments are 3 and a half years old.

[Bluebasser86]

7 minutes ago, BigSexy said:

Thanks dude! And chatterbait with a swimbait or what?

 

I usually like to fish a trap or a jerkbait. A shakyhead or swing head with the plastic of your choice will usually get bit too. 

[Ondrejka]

35 minutes ago, RangerDanger said:

Those comments are 3 and a half years old.

 

And yet, nothing has changed. Lol.