Super User WIGuide Posted June 15, 2016 Super User Posted June 15, 2016 As much as I fish, there are still times the fish confuse me. We've had some unusual weather here lately. Lots of rain has fallen, and there was a good chance of rain Monday through Wednesday this week. Monday I ended up not fishing because of it, but then the rain never came. I was bummed and itching to go, so yesterday when I looked at the radar and saw I had a few hours, I hooked the boat up as soon as I got home from work. It was a gorgeous day, completely overcast, a slight breeze, and storms moving it. I was thinking it was going to be lights out, and in a way I guess it was....the fish were fickle because the lights where out? haha. The lake I chose to fish has some large pad flats that I've caught quite a few fish out of. With the front coming in, you would think they'd be aggressive and with the lower light, there would be a movement out towards the edge of the pads. That was not the case yesterday. I couldn't get anything going on the edges, and had a few blowups on a frog but couldn't connect. Since they were at least slightly interested in the frog, I figured I'd give it a little longer before abandoning that pattern and trying something else. I was burning my frog back to the boat to make another cast when I noticed the signature bluegill boils come from a clump of pads as my frog came by and spooked them. I clipped my frog off and tied on a bluegill colored one and while I was doing so saw something pretty big roll a distance away. I finished tying it up, and zipped over to where I saw the roll. I must have thrown 15-20 casts in that area before the water under my frog erupted. I finally got one to stick, and it follows my theory that the bigger fish don't miss a frog nearly as often. I managed to wrestle her out of the pads and I finally got a look at her when she got in the open water an dang did she ever look big in that clear water! When I managed to get her in the boat, I found out my eyes weren't lying. Just a smidge over 20 inches and tipped the scales at 4lbs 12 oz. Man what a rush it was! I decided to work the area a little more and within 5 casts I was hooked up again. This time it was a northern that I was battling through the slop, but it was a good one. I got a great look at it boat side before it pulled off and it would have been pushing 30 inches. I continued to work the area and this time it took about 5 minutes, but there was a "v" coming towards my frog. It turns out that v was made by another northern, but this one I got in the boat and she measured up at 33 inches. I only caught one other little dink last night flipping a rock bar with grass on top. Admittedly, I probably spent a little too much time frogging, but I was getting some action I just couldn't connect. I still don't know why they weren't more aggressive though. Even the one I caught flipping just kind of picked it up. Oh well I guess I landed the ones that mattered and because of that it was still a good evening on the water! 10 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 15, 2016 Super User Posted June 15, 2016 Nice ~ Two very respectable fish right there ! Those blow ups must have been both exciting and well earned. Big pike are a blast in the pads but the rows of dagger like teeth sure do a number on frog baits. And after getting bit off more times than I'm willing to admit - I've broken down & now use a little trace of wire. Baits still get shredded but at least I am able to have the satisfaction of enjoying all the Slime btw - you're described the recent wacked out weather pattern here to a tee. Grinds my gears when the forecast for 80% precipitation keeps me off the water and then IT NEVER RAINS ! ( not a fan of fishing in the rain) It's been tough to pattern anything solid for weeks Please send a little of your good Mojo across the lake. Congrats A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted June 15, 2016 Author Super User Posted June 15, 2016 8 minutes ago, A-Jay said: Nice ~ Two very respectable fish right there ! Those blow ups must have been both exciting and well earned. Big pike are a blast in the pads but the rows of dagger like teeth sure do a number on frog baits. And after getting bit off more times than I'm willing to admit - I've broken down & now use a little trace of wire. Baits still get shredded but at least I am able to have the satisfaction of enjoying all the Slime btw - you're described the recent wacked out weather pattern here to a tee. Grinds my gears when the forecast for 80% precipitation keeps me off the water and then IT NEVER RAINS ! ( not a fan of fishing in the rain) It's been tough to pattern anything solid for weeks Please send a little of your good Mojo across the lake. Congrats A-Jay Thank you sit! They were great and what made them even better was I didn't see a frog flying back at me after I set the hook! haha I had one other blow up later on in open water...a northern in the mid 20" range came completely out of the water and flipped backwards into the water....never touching my frog. I haven't started using wire yet although I probably should too. I did somehow luck out on both the one I caught and the one I had on. They didn't cut the line, and the frog spun on the hook so it didn't get shredded. If they do get cut and don't come back looking like a spinnerbait skirt, you can usually patch them up with super glue without any ill effects. I'll do my best to send some mojo that way! 1 Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted June 15, 2016 Super User Posted June 15, 2016 that's a stud in that first pic (obviously referring to the fish, not you.....) 2 Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted June 16, 2016 Author Super User Posted June 16, 2016 17 hours ago, buzzed bait said: that's a stud in that first pic (obviously referring to the fish, not you.....) I have to agree with you on that one! 1 Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted June 17, 2016 Super User Posted June 17, 2016 Awesome report,nothing beats catching good sized bass on a topwater! 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 17, 2016 Super User Posted June 17, 2016 Wow. Nice fish. Confusion aside 1 Quote
Turkey sandwich Posted June 17, 2016 Posted June 17, 2016 Sometimes weird days just happen. Glad to see it took such a good turn. That pike had to be a blast in the weeds. 1 Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted June 17, 2016 Author Super User Posted June 17, 2016 6 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said: Sometimes weird days just happen. Glad to see it took such a good turn. That pike had to be a blast in the weeds. Thanks! Yeah I had quite the battle on my hands with her. Even with my drag cranked down she stripped some line on a few runs. I lucked out when she got up next to the boat because she was too tangled in grass to really fight much boatside allowing me to net it without too much of a struggle haha. Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted June 18, 2016 Super User Posted June 18, 2016 I had an experience like that the other day, fish blowing up everywhere and would not touch a frog, it looked like they were keyed in on small shiners but it was in a very heavy hydrilla mat so you couldn't really throw a fluke or swimbait. We could get them to swirl on it or follow it but that was all. Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted June 20, 2016 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2016 On 6/17/2016 at 10:04 PM, everythingthatswims said: I had an experience like that the other day, fish blowing up everywhere and would not touch a frog, it looked like they were keyed in on small shiners but it was in a very heavy hydrilla mat so you couldn't really throw a fluke or swimbait. We could get them to swirl on it or follow it but that was all. That can make for a frustrating day on the water. Up here we have mayfly hatches, and although the bass aren't as affected by them, crappies and walleyes are. It makes for tough frustrating fishing as you can see fish all over, but they're so zoned in on mayflies it makes them extremely tough to catch. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 20, 2016 Super User Posted June 20, 2016 9 minutes ago, WIGuide said: That can make for a frustrating day on the water. Up here we have mayfly hatches, and although the bass aren't as affected by them, crappies and walleyes are. It makes for tough frustrating fishing as you can see fish all over, but they're so zoned in on mayflies it makes them extremely tough to catch. Been there ~ had to break out the Fly rod. It's turns Frustration into Jubilation - very quickly. A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted June 20, 2016 Super User Posted June 20, 2016 5 hours ago, WIGuide said: That can make for a frustrating day on the water. Up here we have mayfly hatches, and although the bass aren't as affected by them, crappies and walleyes are. It makes for tough frustrating fishing as you can see fish all over, but they're so zoned in on mayflies it makes them extremely tough to catch. Walleyes on dry flies. Now that is something I have never heard before Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 20, 2016 Super User Posted June 20, 2016 1 hour ago, everythingthatswims said: Walleyes on dry flies. Now that is something I have never heard before AND ~ At Night ! Stumbled on it complete by accident. Stayed after sunset - bass kept biting and then the Waldos slipped into the mix. 2-3 feet of water. Crazy. A-Jay 2 Quote
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