FishingDM Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 On 6/29/2018 at 10:27 PM, BassThumb said: I'm not surprised Mille Lacs dropped from #1. The pressure from having all the hype and the two back-to-back AOY Champioships has made it an amazingly difficult fishery in just a couple years' time. Those big 10-15 year old bass got real smart, real fast. I was just out there Weds and half the fish I caught had scarred up mouths. I mean literally 50%. I've heard this Top 100 list called the "Lake Killer List". I don't doubt that anymore. I fish Mille Lacs most weekends and I have definately seen a difference in the fishing since the hype by BASS. It is still excellent fishing but I have found it harder to catch them. It's possible the scars were from the smallies digging in the rocks for crawfish. One I caught yesterday had a mouthful of crawfish. 1 Quote
BassThumb Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 12 hours ago, FishingDM said: I fish Mille Lacs most weekends and I have definately seen a difference in the fishing since the hype by BASS. It is still excellent fishing but I have found it harder to catch them. It's possible the scars were from the smallies digging in the rocks for crawfish. One I caught yesterday had a mouthful of crawfish. That's very true, on both parts. I can't wait to get up there tomorrow and Weds, 4th of July. It's a great fishery, it you really have to put the lure right on their nose. I used to run and gun with jerkbaits and 1 oz spinnerbaits. Now I soak dropshot and Ned's just to get bit. However, those bass where eating craws 5 years ago too, and they weren't all tore up. These were traditional scars from fishing: roof of the mouth, fresh broken jaws, healed broken mouths, etc. I didn't used to see that. Quote
Super User WRB Posted July 2, 2018 Author Super User Posted July 2, 2018 13 hours ago, Koz said: Santee Cooper Corrected, thanks. Quote
NittyGrittyBoy Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 Maybe publicity for AOY won't ruin lake Chatuge this year Quote
Super User Catt Posted July 2, 2018 Super User Posted July 2, 2018 On 7/1/2018 at 6:45 AM, Brad in Texas said: The secret is, by the way, that most anglers can "not catch fish" just about anywhere, any time, even on lakes with the best reputations. I hear all the time Toledo Bend was ruined because it was rated #1 two years in a row. No! The absence of grass changed how ya fish the lake, the bass made the adjustments to not having as much grass, sadly most anglers didn't! 1 Quote
Troy85 Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 36 minutes ago, Catt said: I hear all the time Toledo Bend was ruined because it was rated #1 two years in a row. No! The absence of grass changed how ya fish the lake, the bass made the adjustments to not having as much grass, sadly most anglers didn't! Based just on the results of the TB Lunker Program from 2017-now. I would agree with you and I'd say the lake is doing just fine. 1 Quote
Super User WRB Posted July 2, 2018 Author Super User Posted July 2, 2018 Imo Texas has the top LMB fishing lakes in the country for quality and they are professionally managed. California's Delta is a better bass fishery then Clear Lake for consistant 5 bass limits over 20 lbs year around. The problem with the Delta is political, it's in the middle of the water wars and the LMB population is under attack by politicians trying to eliminate the fishery in favor of water rights, zero bass management. DVL couldn't hold a major bass tournament, fishes too small for more then 50 boats. The fact is all California's larger size lakes are located in northern half of the state. Clear Lake is a big natural bass lake with good populations of LMB but fires have damaged the surrounding water shead and communities to visit and stay near the lake. Anyway the BM 100 lists is always interesting to read each year. Tom 1 Quote
greentrout Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Catt said: No! The absence of grass changed how ya fish the lake, the bass made the adjust ments to not having as much grass, sadly most anglers didn't! once lived in houston, tx....same thing happened in lake conroe... good fishing... 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted July 2, 2018 Super User Posted July 2, 2018 On 6/29/2018 at 10:27 PM, BassThumb said: I'm not surprised Mille Lacs dropped from #1. The pressure from having all the hype and the two back-to-back AOY Champioships has made it an amazingly difficult fishery in just a couple years' time. Those big 10-15 year old bass got real smart, real fast. I was just out there Weds and half the fish I caught had scarred up mouths. I mean literally 50%. I've heard this Top 100 list called the "Lake Killer List". I don't doubt that anymore. Very true. It’s a Top 10 Lake and 90 minutes from my house and yet I rarely fish it and only with a guide. And I LOVE smallmouth!! Quote
Super User gim Posted July 3, 2018 Super User Posted July 3, 2018 Ya that's the good and bad thing about making a national ranking on this list. The good thing is that you get the national recognition you deserve and the bad thing is that now everyone knows about it. Very few people used to fish Mille Lacs about 5 years ago and now that it has gotten such national B.A.S.S. prestige, its been getting hammered to death. I still do think there is a state record swimming in there but they have become extremely difficult to catch. Quote
detroit1 Posted July 3, 2018 Posted July 3, 2018 Lake ST. Clair has been #1 in the recent past, a bazillion people fish it, and look at what the FLW gang weighed in last week....'nuff said. Quote
greentrout Posted July 3, 2018 Posted July 3, 2018 Best lakes 2018... https://www.bassmaster.com/best-bass-lakes good fishing... Quote
Super User NorcalBassin Posted July 3, 2018 Super User Posted July 3, 2018 Pretty crazy list... 4 of the 5 areas I fish 99% of the time are top 5 out west. Didn't see that coming. Quote
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted July 4, 2018 Global Moderator Posted July 4, 2018 On 6/29/2018 at 11:27 PM, BassThumb said: I'm not surprised Mille Lacs dropped from #1. The pressure from having all the hype and the two back-to-back AOY Champioships has made it an amazingly difficult fishery in just a couple years' time. Those big 10-15 year old bass got real smart, real fast. I was just out there Weds and half the fish I caught had scarred up mouths. I mean literally 50%. I've heard this Top 100 list called the "Lake Killer List". I don't doubt that anymore. Yup! Chickamauga is the hardest place I have ever tried to catch a bass Quote
FishingDM Posted July 4, 2018 Posted July 4, 2018 On 7/2/2018 at 10:23 AM, BassThumb said: That's very true, on both parts. I can't wait to get up there tomorrow and Weds, 4th of July. It's a great fishery, it you really have to put the lure right on their nose. I used to run and gun with jerkbaits and 1 oz spinnerbaits. Now I soak dropshot and Ned's just to get bit. However, those bass where eating craws 5 years ago too, and they weren't all tore up. These were traditional scars from fishing: roof of the mouth, fresh broken jaws, healed broken mouths, etc. I didn't used to see that. Oh yes, I did see that on one I caught last weekend. I was thinking scars on top of their head, and sometimes sides. Thats what I have seen when they are feeding on crawfish. I will be out on Friday, taking a friend out to catch his first Mille Lacs smallmouth. Quote
BassThumb Posted July 4, 2018 Posted July 4, 2018 I’ll be heading up to Mille Lacs today. It’s the best place I know to spend thr Fourth and Labor Day. Most lakes will be a zoo, but they’re all spread out on the Pond. It’ll feel like a normal Saturday. I won’t have another angler within 3 blocks more than a few times today. Quote
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