Keep it simple, listen to local expert.

[king fisher]

I learned a valuable lesson the hard way. I went to a small lake I have had good luck with huge bass since discovering it last spring.  Rarely does anyone fish the lake, and I had started considering it my personal lake with me being the knowledgeable local expert.  I planned on fishing a spot on the shore with buzzbaits.  Then cranking a rock pile in 15 feet of water, both places I had success in the past. 

       I was starting to fish the bank at first light when another Kayak angler passed by me. ( he must not have heard it was my private lake) He told me he was from a town close by and fished the lake often but only in the winter.   He kindly offered to tell me where the fish lived, and how to catch them.   He told me the big bass are all at the far end and only eat frogs. Having three rods all rigged with different hollow body frogs in his kayak, he definitely believed in his theory.  The lake level was dropping fast, the far end is flat, muddy, only a couple feet deep, and far from any deeper water or structure.  I have had some success there when the lake was flooded, but didn't think it would have any large bass now that the lake had cleared and dropped.  The end I preferred to fish has varied depths, steeper shore line, steep drops, ledges, humps, and other structure, with flooded trees and large rocks for cover, both along the shore, and off shore.

     I thanked him for the advice and said I would try the far end later in the day.  Like a fool, I went ahead with my game plan.  Landing large numbers of small bass in both places.  At the end of the day the local anger stopped by while paddling to the take out.  He told me he caught 4 Grande bass, lost three, and had a giant bass break one of his rods.  I pulled my kayak next to his to see the pictures.  They say pictures are worth a thousand words, well these pictures were worth a thousand pictures.  All four bass were over 9 lbs. with one close to 12.  He had a picture of a large size popping frog all the way down one bass's throat.  The frog looked no bigger than a fly rod popper, in that giant mouth.  He said, I told you bass live at the far end, and eat frogs. Only small bass at the end I fish.  His English was as bad as my Spanish, but I will just say I got the picture.  Next time a local fisherman offers me some advice, I will listen.   

[Fishnski48]

Well said.. the weather there must be terrific ..  I have been there in July and November... much prefer November and later months.  Which area was the lake?

[Bankbeater]

I learned that lesson about 14 or 15 years ago on a body of water I have fished since I was a little kid.  That was quite a wake up call!

[LrgmouthShad]

Thanks very much for posting this. Gives me a lot of perspective. 

[king fisher]

Here is a map I made of the lake with my fish finder.  Lake is 2 feet lower now.  Water temp. is 66 degrees at daylight, warms up to 71 degrees in the afternoon.  Air Temp. day time low 58  high 80.  Will not vary more than a couple of degrees from the first of Dec. until Mid April.  Sunny, with mid. afternoon winds 15-20 MPH. from the west every day.  Water clarity 1 1/2 to 2 feet. Other fish species are carp, tilapia, and catfish.  I have assumed the bass eat mostly tilapia, but according to the local angler they eat frogs.  Where would you fish?  West end is where I'm going next chance I get.

[TnRiver46]

There is a population of largemouth bass that are always shallow. Cold, hot, windy, calm, whatever. They live in shallow water and rarely leave it. Why would they? Sure there are largemouth that live in deep water and some that use shallow and deep water, but there are plenty of big bass that LIVE shallow year round. Folks like Jason Christie and Edwin Evers are really good at catching them too 

[soflabasser]

It is hard to beat someone who has decades of successful experience fishing a particular body of water. That is why it is best to listen to these types of fishermen if you plan on fishing the same place.

[Darth-Baiter]

My visit to Clearlake (my third visit) a couple of kayak fisherman flat out lied to me.  They told me to cast  at the banks.  Ugh, sure.  Thanks. 
 

I did my thing and ended my skunk-streak on that lake   I pulled out 9 good bass. I was so happy and paddled back puffed up like peacock.  I fished hard and wasted a lot of time doing the wrong thing, thinking I was right until I figured out a pattern.   I had guys on bass boats asking me for advice.  I told the truth. Clearlake isn’t my lake
 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Yeah, but then next time you get the guy with a bunch of decoy baits tied on that sends you to the hard to get to garhole and by the time you realize you've been duped, it's too late.

[DitchPanda]

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Yeah, but then next time you get the guy with a bunch of decoy baits tied on that sends you to the hard to get to garhole and by the time you realize you've been duped, it's too late.

I've never understood this tactic...if you don't want to help somebody that's fine but no need to lie. When people ask for advice I help as much as I can and if I'm protecting a bite i just won't tell them the exact spot(s) but give them ideas of what to look for. I've never sent them purposely to the dead sea...but then again I'm not a d#$%. At least I dont think I am!

[Darth-Baiter]

4 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

I've never understood this tactic...if you don't want to help somebody that's fine but no need to lie. When people ask for advice I help as much as I can and if I'm protecting a bite i just won't tell them the exact spot(s) but give them ideas of what to look for. I've never sent them purposely to the dead sea...but then again I'm not a d#$%. At least I dont think I am!

Exactly. Some days you can point out a bass to me and I still won’t catch it.