For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[Ondrejka]

On 12/12/2016 at 8:10 PM, conorsixtakc said:

I need some bibs badly and can't take a second mortgage out for some Cabelas guide wear. Thanks! @cbass12

 

I have the H20 softshell jacket and like it, but I don't like the bibs. I opted for a nice pair of Frabil bibs instead.

[gardnerjigman]

48 minutes ago, Ondrejka said:

I have the H20 softshell jacket and like it, but I don't like the bibs. I opted for a nice pair of Frabil bibs instead.

What was wrong with the bibs?

[Ondrejka]

1 hour ago, gardnerjigman said:

What was wrong with the bibs?

Not warm enough for how cold I regularly fish in, not enough pockets. My Frabils have pretty stout knee pads in them too, which I like. Plus bang for my buck, I'd rather have the Frabil name for the abuse I put them through. Those H20s are worth it for $60, for sure, they're just not for me. I do enjoy the jacket, though!

[gardnerjigman]

1 hour ago, Ondrejka said:

Not warm enough for how cold I regularly fish in, not enough pockets. My Frabils have pretty stout knee pads in them too, which I like. Plus bang for my buck, I'd rather have the Frabil name for the abuse I put them through. Those H20s are worth it for $60, for sure, they're just not for me. I do enjoy the jacket, though!

Was just curious. I've had great luck with mine for the year I've had them. Generally just wear a pair of thermals with jeans under them in extreme cold. I like the mobility of them also. I'll have to check out the Frabil ones too!

[Bluebasser86]

 

[bradco]

Was at WC today & guys at guardshack said their contract( Sheriffs dept) is up April 1st. They said Sherrifs dept asked for more money to operate lake & power plant told them no.

 

if it doesn't get resolved, power plant can shut down lake. One idea thrown out was pay to fish. I know I would have zero issue with paying to fish there.

 

Best lake in our whole areas, sure hope they get it resolved!!!!

[KC_Bass_Guy]

Has anyone been to Lacygne lately? Looks like decent weather tomorrow (Saturday 12/24) so I was thinking about doing a little Christmas Eve fishing. 

 

I know the lake doesn't normally freeze, but after that major cold front last weekend, I thought I'd better ask before making the drive. Anyone know if the ramps are clear?

 

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, KC_Bass_Guy said:

Has anyone been to Lacygne lately? Looks like decent weather tomorrow (Saturday 12/24) so I was thinking about doing a little Christmas Eve fishing. 

 

I know the lake doesn't normally freeze, but after that major cold front last weekend, I thought I'd better ask before making the drive. Anyone know if the ramps are clear?

 

Stack have been running every day since the end of summer and fishing wad good last Wednesday. 

[KC_Bass_Guy]

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Stack have been running every day since the end of summer and fishing wad good last Wednesday. 

 

Thank you...

[Ondrejka]

Wolf report: fishing good-great-grand-wonderful (duh).

 

Two guide trips between 12/22-12/26.

 

12/22 was close to a 100 fish trip in around 4.5 hours. Average sizes were solid, between 15-17" with one 18 (green). Right on queue, the Wipers have shown up too. 

 

12/26 didn't produce the bigger average size, but we had around 60-65 fish, 15-17" from 7:30 til 11am. 

 

Green:brown ratio right now is probably 10:3. More aggressive Largemouth than you can shake a stick at. Haven't had a Wolf drum in the boat for over a month now.

 

Advice to BR: should go without saying-leave your Ned rigs at home. Find the right areas holding massive amounts of fish, and fish it out. Let the merry go round of boats go around you. It's not uncommon going 10-10 right now in one spot that's holding fish. Slow down.

 

[tyson2925]

Fished LaCygne last Saturday, 12/24/16.  I haven't been there in over 5 years so I just focused on the best looking stuff.  I only had 3 bites  but one nice one on a jig made it worth the trip.  All fish were caught on rock in less than 5 FOW.

[redbirdsfan44]

Went to Lacygne today until about 1. Caught some whites and wipers at the warm water and then went looking for largemouth. Had three of us in the boat and we each caught one largie. Mine was definitely one of the fattest fish I've ever caught. Went just barely over 7. Great day to be on the water

[Bluebasser86]

45 minutes ago, redbirdsfan44 said:

Went to Lacygne today until about 1. Caught some whites and wipers at the warm water and then went looking for largemouth. Had three of us in the boat and we each caught one largie. Mine was definitely one of the fattest fish I've ever caught. Went just barely over 7. Great day to be on the water

Awesome!  What did you get her on?

[redbirdsfan44]

4 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Awesome!  What did you get her on?

On a rock crawler off the bluff walls 

[redbirdsfan44]

39 minutes ago, redbirdsfan44 said:

On a rock crawler off the bluff walls 

I tried to be nice to some duck hunters and grab some runaway decoys for them and then they yelled at me because apparently I was messing up their hunt. I think setting up right at the end of the point where the wall that runs along the warm water was a poor choice in hunting spot if they were worried about fishermen ruining their hunt. I understand it's  public lake but they set up 75 yards away from the most popular spot on the lake to fish right now and we're complaining that there were fishermen there. 

[Bluebasser86]

40 minutes ago, redbirdsfan44 said:

I tried to be nice to some duck hunters and grab some runaway decoys for them and then they yelled at me because apparently I was messing up their hunt. I think setting up right at the end of the point where the wall that runs along the warm water was a poor choice in hunting spot if they were worried about fishermen ruining their hunt. I understand it's  public lake but they set up 75 yards away from the most popular spot on the lake to fish right now and we're complaining that there were fishermen there. 

I don't think that area is open to hunting? I thought it was just in the river. That's a poor setup anyways, should have been in the very back of that cove where it's marshy.

[redbirdsfan44]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't think that area is open to hunting? I thought it was just in the river. That's a poor setup anyways, should have been in the very back of that cove where it's marshy.

That's what I tried to tell them and I told them many other places up in the river that would have been a whole lot better. I'm like you and didn't think they could hunt there either. I had half a mind to call the game warden on them after they threatened to knowingly shoot at us if birds came from our direction. It's people like this that give hunters a bad reputation. 

[tyson2925]

12 hours ago, redbirdsfan44 said:

That's what I tried to tell them and I told them many other places up in the river that would have been a whole lot better. I'm like you and didn't think they could hunt there either. I had half a mind to call the game warden on them after they threatened to knowingly shoot at us if birds came from our direction. It's people like this that give hunters a bad reputation. 

great fish!  I think I saw you guys on that point.  At first I thought that was a laydown but then realized they were decoys.  I would be surprised if that was a legal place to hunt??

[Ondrejka]

1 hour ago, tyson2925 said:

I would be surprised if that was a legal place to hunt??

 

I have been dealing with the same thing at Clinton. Apparently in talking to other hunting buddies, technically I guess they are "legal," however it's a grey area in the KDWP regs. Legal, I guess. Ethical, not so much. 

[SuperFluke]

1 hour ago, tyson2925 said:

great fish!  I think I saw you guys on that point.  At first I thought that was a laydown but then realized they were decoys.  I would be surprised if that was a legal place to hunt??

 

I want to fish Lake Kahola

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, SuperFluke said:

 

I want to fish Lake Kahola

I'm sure most people who know what that is probably do.

[BigGame0892]

Hey guys, trying to understand a little more about some of these Kansas lakes.  Specifically, I have moved to Manhattan from KC and anticipate fishing Milford, Jeffrey Energy Center and Melvern quite a bit this coming year.  I'm used to being able to catch literally tons of bass on shaky heads in all of the Missouri Lakes you could think of - including some of my personal bests.  Curious as to why its seems like the Ned rig and tubes seem more the way people go for finesse fishing at Milford and Melvern?  Thanks.

[tyson2925]

1 hour ago, SuperFluke said:

 

I want to fish Lake Kahola

Its pretty solid.

[Ondrejka]

22 minutes ago, BigGame0892 said:

Hey guys, trying to understand a little more about some of these Kansas lakes.  Specifically, I have moved to Manhattan from KC and anticipate fishing Milford, Jeffrey Energy Center and Melvern quite a bit this coming year.  I'm used to being able to catch literally tons of bass on shaky heads in all of the Missouri Lakes you could think of - including some of my personal bests.  Curious as to why its seems like the Ned rig and tubes seem more the way people go for finesse fishing at Milford and Melvern?  Thanks.

 

I wouldn't go so far as to say those baits are being used more than a shakyhead in KS. It's probably the same. If I'm finesse fishing for Largemouth, it's a shakyhead. Smallmouth: tube.

 

I have caught more Smallmouth over 18" in the past 4 years between Melvern & Wolf on a tube than any other finesse bait. If I'm fishing the Ned or having clients fish the Ned, it's because the fishing sucks. When plans A-Y don't work. Melvern gets so much pressure nowadays you're almost forced to size down. But I still will fish a tube until I absolutely can't anymore before resorting to the Ned. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the reason "more people go the way of the Ned" is because they don't necessarily have to dick around with 7 other rods on deck. If they are new to the lake or Smallmouth fishing, I can guarantee they will just throw the Ned all day long. It would be too easy for me to take clients to Melvern, give them nothing but the Ned, and have  a 40-50 fish day. Are those fish going to be over 15"? Highly doubtful. But you'll find the numbers. It's too easy sometimes. But that's not what I'm about.

 

Tube: quality | Ned: quantity.

 

Anyway, my .02.

2 hours ago, SuperFluke said:

 

I want to fish Lake Kahola

 

I want to fish private, unpressured lakes too.

[BigGame0892]

28 minutes ago, Ondrejka said:

I wouldn't go so far as to say those baits are being used more than a shakyhead in KS. It's probably the same. If I'm finesse fishing for Largemouth, it's a shakyhead. Smallmouth: tube.

 

I have caught more Smallmouth over 18" in the past 4 years between Melvern & Wolf on a tube than any other finesse bait. If I'm fishing the Ned or having clients fish the Ned, it's because the fishing sucks. When plans A-Y don't work. Melvern gets so much pressure nowadays you're almost forced to size down. But I still will fish a tube until I absolutely can't anymore before resorting to the Ned. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the reason "more people go the way of the Ned" is because they don't necessarily have to dick around with 7 other rods on deck. If they are new to the lake or Smallmouth fishing, I can guarantee they will just throw the Ned all day long. It would be too easy for me to take clients to Melvern, give them nothing but the Ned, and have  a 40-50 fish day. Are those fish going to be over 15"? Highly doubtful. But you'll find the numbers. It's too easy sometimes. But that's not what I'm about.

Thanks for the insight.  Personally, I'm always fishing for quality first - I think we've all caught plenty of dinks in our time.  I've never understood people telling me that a shakyhead doesn't catch quality - seen too many tournaments won on it.

 

Never dragged a tube much, except maybe on Stockton Lake in MO.  Guess I'll have to work that out a bit.