LOZ baitfish questions?

[fatmanslim247]

Ok, I'm fishing LOZ next month, what kind of baitfish are predominate there. I live like 6 hours away so there is no way I can really check it out. What color cranks is that im looking for, trying to match the hatch. Thanks ahead of time for any help you can offer.

alex

[Needemp]

If your going next month and we continue to have cooler temps than usual, then you should get lucky and find bass moving into the early fall pattern (and I will be envious of you). That will be mainly the corners of docks using topwaters, sub surface lures and possibly crankbaits that dive 4-10 feet deep. If that is the case, shad will be the predominate forage. Use shad colors whether white or silver or whatever. But more importantly you should use the color you have the most confidence in.

[fatmanslim247]

I'm not going to be down there till the last weekend in september.  I have confidence in the craw and shad colored baits so I should be good there.

[Scarecrow]

My favorite LOZ lures and colors are Jig N Pigs (green pumpkin flake), wiggle wart (phantom green crayfish), and baby brush hogs (watermelon red flake).

I definately go with the craw colors.

I'll be fishing the gravois arm the last weekend in Sept.  

[cart7t]

Mike is pretty spot on with that boat dock end pattern.  Late sept finds the threadfin shad moving back into the coves in droves.  The bass will hang under the boat dock ends and ambush the schools as the cruise by.  Another little trick is to throw a white swimming jig with a trailer along the boat dock sides and ends.  

[tkite16]

cart I love your line minutes north of kohler city.  I grew up in that area.  What was the kohler city general store or something my mom swears they used to have a barrel of false teeth that you buy teeth out of.

[cart7t]

That was long before I moved down this way but I'm sure that story is probably true.  I believe that store was torn down to make way for a bigger one that has the false teeth in self serve vending machines.  

[fatmanslim247]

I figured there would be a great dock pattern, I have some baits in mind that hopefully I can get my hands on before I go down there.  What about the creeks and ledges right of the bank?  

[Needemp]

I figured there would be a great dock pattern, I have some baits in mind that hopefully I can get my hands on before I go down there. What about the creeks and ledges right of the bank?

Its going to be a pattern situation.  They may be on the docks, up the creeks, on ledges. You need to find the creeks that the shad are using, the ledges the bass are using, etc. Just a matter of finding them. The best tip I can give you is that it is very unlikely that anyone will be able to put you on fish from a forum. Heck, guys on the dock that day may not be able to put you on fish. It is all about your ability. So check the docks, the creeks, ledges based on the conditions for that day.

[fatmanslim247]

Ya, I will have several days of pre-fishing.  I should be able to find them... hopefully.  

[tentimesover]

I've been fishing LOZ every day for a couple of weeks.  The bait fish are in droves up in coves and I'm sure that the bass are having a field day on them.  In early morn I'm getting some nice ones against walls with top water lures.  When the sun's high I've been catching them on the front corner, shady side of the docks on top water lures.  Sure is great fun to see them hammer those top water lures!  My favorites are the Devils Horse (#1) and the Zara Spook (#2).

Also had luck on jigs with worm or grub or tube or lizard trailers pulled down ledges along the deeper water channels.  These tend to be spotted bass and run a bit smaller.

Wish I could say something about cranks but I guess I just don't know how to fish these.  I have picked up a few but nothing to write home about.

Good luck.

[fatmanslim247]

What are you talking about when you mention walls?  And what area of the lake are you fishing?  I will be there in 2 weeks to prefish, I'm hoping to find some big mamma's.

[midmohunter]

Fatmanslim247 what area are you going to put in at? I will be on LOZ around the same time. Which tournament are you fishing in on LOZ?

Good Luck to ya!

[fatmanslim247]

I will be prefishing the last weekend in sept then fishing the college series the following weekend.  My buddy and I were going to be fishing the super tourney but money is tight so we will be just prefishing.  What tourney are you fishing? bfl? Stren? Big Bass Smash?  Those are the tournaments that I know of that are going on those weekends.

[tentimesover]

Walls = Poured concrete sea walls, e.g., in front of condos.  Area = Hurricane deck bridge to 36MM

[fatmanslim247]

Just my luck, after that bridge is out of bounds for our college tourney.

[ValkyrieRider]

I was gonna fish the BBS but I think I'm just gonna follow around some of the contenders and see where they are fishin. Just use it as a learning experience.

[cart7t]

Just my luck, after that bridge is out of bounds for our college tourney.

Seawalls = Dam to the Hurricane deck bridge.

There's seawalls everywhere down there.  

[fatmanslim247]

Ya I know, we are going to be trying docks, the sea walls, and creek bends... you know those nice ledges that go right up to the bank and drop off to like 10 or 20 foot of water.  Hopefully we can get a good pattern going, if we can't in 4 days then we shouldn't be fishing.

[fatmanslim247]

So any new with the fishing?  Any ideas where the fish are now?  We will be heading up there wed, granted they are forecasting rain all freaking week, just my luck.

[Needemp]

So any new with the fishing? Any ideas where the fish are now? We will be heading up there wed, granted they are forecasting rain all freaking week, just my luck.

If I am interpreting this wrong, just disregard. But I am detecting a bit of negativity from you. One of the best things you can do is be confident. Rain, cold front, whatever happens, everyone will have the same conditions to battle. If you are truly confident, you will make better decisions. Negativity will lower your shoulders and make you question anything your doing. Just my input, but I can tell you in detail why being positive works and how it works for me.

[fatmanslim247]

It's a little bit of a bummer but there is nothing on the line this weeks so it will be a pleasure trip, no stress or anything

[cart7t]

All the answers you need are already there.  The shad are moving back into the coves.  That's the food.  The bass will be where the food is.  As for specific patterns?  take anything you hear with a grain of salt and realize patterns can change daily.  

[ValkyrieRider]

I've spent alotta time fishing empty coves the last few weeks. Don't plug away at a cove that's not producing. Seems like when I find the fish, I know it pretty quick.