For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[Doc-Drew]

Just got back from a week-long visit with my family up in South Dakota. While I was up there, I managed to talk my father into taking the boat out of the lake we have a house on (Lake Pickerel) and giving Clear Lake, SD a try. Lake Pickerel is fun if you want numbers. We caught 43 bass in 2 hours one day but I wanted to try something for bigger bass. I am glad I did. In two days, fishing from 7-12 we boated 29 and 28 bass. Mainly smallmouths but a few small largemouths mixed in. Most of the bass were caught in 3-5' of water on jigs. We ended up with 16 smallmouths over 17”.

[AllDay]

Skunked! It's been quite awhile since I've seen you on the board, always liked you're straightforward reports and comments.

I'm going to Olathe in the morning. My buddy backed out last minute so if anyone wants to go I'll have an empty back of the boat. Planning on getting out there at first light and fishing until about 1 because I have a doctors appointment.

How did Olathe fair for you? I hear you have to dock your boat come dusk - is this true? That would totally spoil my night bite trips!

[AllDay]

Have any of you fished Brown SFL in Hiawatha this year? If so, let me know your thoughts!

[joefish]

Have any of you fished Brown SFL in Hiawatha this year? If so, let me know your thoughts!

According to KDWPT Brown SFL has blue-green algae and it is still in Advisory State. Shouldn't be a problem fishing but wouldn't want to get in the water.

[retro basser]

Yes, it will be packed with lots of people acting crazy and lots of them that should never be allowed to operate a boat. Don't be so sure about nobody being out at night out there either. I've seen ski boats running full speed in the dark with no lights on out there. It's usually like a miniature version of Lake of the Ozarks out there, only it's much small so the chaos is more concentrated. Despite all that I've done very well out there during Memorial and Labor day weekends both. Last time I was out there for Labor Day my wife and I caught hundreds of big white bass, literally until we got bored with catching 1-2 pound white bass. They had thousands of shad pushed into the marina by the dam and were just on a constant attack for 2 days straight, it was pretty crazy.

Congrats on your 3,000th?!? post!!

+1 on the Ozarks of KS, I'd steer clear of Perry on a big weekend if you like wake free fishing.

Having said that... bikes can't float but i'd be an easy deal to sling some Mardi Gras beads to shore

[AllDay]

According to KDWPT Brown SFL has blue-green algae and it is still in Advisory State. Shouldn't be a problem fishing but wouldn't want to get in the water.

I saw that report too - I'll hold off on Brown for now. The potential exposure to neurotoxins from the algae doesn't appeal to me.

[Bluebasser86]

How did Olathe fair for you? I hear you have to dock your boat come dusk - is this true? That would totally spoil my night bite trips!

Well after I've been bragging on how good Olathe had been it sent me home with my tail between my legs. 4 hours and I only managed 8, biggest was maybe 15", most around 12. I also caught a catfish casting a swimbait to schooling wipers and letting it swing back to the boat on a tight line, kind of surprised me. Best pattern was to catch a fish on a bait then put it away. I caught 1 on a chatterbait, 3 on 2 different color jigs, 4 on 3 different color worms on shakyheads. Also caught a very heavy sleeping bag on a jigging spoon, unhooked it before I had a chance to see if anyone was inside it or not

The lake is open from sunrise to midnight is what the sign says but I was out there at 5:30am and all gates are open and another boat showed up shortly after I did and proceeded to launch without any lights on their boat.

[retro basser]

I saw that report too - I'll hold off on Brown for now. The potential exposure to neurotoxins from the algae doesn't appeal to me.

Brown sucks. I went last year. Extremely silted small little lake. You can bottom out in the middle of the lake in some spots. Ok for the bank fisherman if anything, but for a boat you can do much, much better.

[Bluebasser86]

Brown sucks. I went last year. Extremely silted small little lake. You can bottom out in the middle of the lake in some spots. Ok for the bank fisherman if anything, but for a boat you can do much, much better.

I second that motion. Been there once, no desire to ever go back.

[AllDay]

Well after I've been bragging on how good Olathe had been it sent me home with my tail between my legs. 4 hours and I only managed 8, biggest was maybe 15", most around 12. I also caught a catfish casting a swimbait to schooling wipers and letting it swing back to the boat on a tight line, kind of surprised me. Best pattern was to catch a fish on a bait then put it away. I caught 1 on a chatterbait, 3 on 2 different color jigs, 4 on 3 different color worms on shakyheads. Also caught a very heavy sleeping bag on a jigging spoon, unhooked it before I had a chance to see if anyone was inside it or not

The lake is open from sunrise to midnight is what the sign says but I was out there at 5:30am and all gates are open and another boat showed up shortly after I did and proceeded to launch without any lights on their boat.

Look on the bright side - you didn't get skunked! Looks like Olathe's hours match Wyco's. Perhaps one of these times I'll hit up Olathe. I just returned from fishing Richmond (excellent!), Garnett South (average), and Cedar Creek Valley reservoir (good) and I'll write more with pics.

[AllDay]

I second that motion. Been there once, no desire to ever go back.

Well if two people are saying the same thing then that's the triangulation I need - I won't be going there! Tomorrow on the docket is Milford lake camping then Monday all day is fishing Milford. I'm definitely starting from the south end like I did last time and you can bet I'll be throwing crankbaits.

[Hi Salenity]

I'm going to take the kids camping at the state lake tonight........ pray for me! Lol

[retro basser]

I'm going to take the kids camping at the state lake tonight........ pray for me! Lol

This will be the trip! Gotta happen soon right?

Should be getting my *ahem* blessed truck back this week and start tearing up lakes for the fall season. In the meantime if anyone is heading out to perry this week I've got gas money

[Bluebasser86]

This will be the trip! Gotta happen soon right?

Should be getting my *ahem* blessed truck back this week and start tearing up lakes for the fall season. In the meantime if anyone is heading out to perry this week I've got gas money

Probably going Wednesday and I have an empty back seat if you're interested.

[retro basser]

Probably going Wednesday and I have an empty back seat if you're interested.

Heck ya I am...

With it staying dark later i might get to sleep in till 5 this time... hehe

I'll text ya..

[Bluebasser86]

Yeah I don't start seeing any light in the sky at work until about 6am now.

[AllDay]

Well the Labor Day report is here. That Friday night was a wash-out from the gulf rains. Saturday late morning the rains let up and I started with Garnett-Crystal lake (South) and it lended a few small LMB and nothing of size. I cruised 3/4 of the way around the 10+ acres lake in 45 mins and moved on to Cedar Creek Valley Reservoir about 4 miles southwest of Garnett:

Cedar Creek Valley was good - to the northeast side of the lake (see above link) was the route I fished. This particular route was good b/c it was nearly completely lined with steep drop-offs within 3-5 feet from shore. LMB were actively hitting crankbaits running parallel to and shallow (about 3'-5') off the shore. I boated several LMB around 13"-15" and the largest was a 2-lbs LMB:

The water levels were low (as is everywhere in the state) and when levels restore, this can be a good bass lake b/c it has good structures and cover currently exposed. There aren't any standing timber where submerged timber and brushpiiles are dominant. The entire reservoir is lined by rocky shorelines and bluffs. The locals say the LMB here get up to 10 lbs and is comparable to La Cygne. After about 2 hours I packed up and headed for Richmond lake - boy was I in for a treat.

This 2 acres lake is stockpiled with LMB and they fight with an attitude. I'm not surprised - this is a fish-fed lake:

The east side of the lake is the deepest and was the most productive where the same crankbait colors used at Cedar Valley worked at Richmond. At Richmond, the cranks were cast shallow with patterns parallel and perpendicular to the shoreline worked very well. The LMB size here are great: I consistently boated 15"-18" LMB and was lovin' it. I lost several large ones and a couple of catfish (18" and 21") which also bit the crankbaits. Overall, both Richmond and Cedar Creek Valley are viable lakes. Definitely Richmond - I'll be going back!

The morning of Labor Day at 0630 we set out to fish the same point as before at Milford:

These two areas were very productive as they have very steep drop-offs near the shore. I caught a few SMB, a drum, and a bluegill, all off red/orange crawdad Rapala crankbait. I lost a big one too and never saw it but it sure fought hard and heavy. The casting method most effective was to use a 10' deep diving crank casting perpendicular to shore and quickly retrieving it, bouncing off the bottom until it reaches the drop-off cliff where the fish are suspending. By the late morning the bite slowed and we decided to drive to NEBO SFL in Holton. To be fair, NEBO, another small < 5 acres lake wasn't "completed": my batteries were depleted and trolling the entire lake wasn't finished. However, I had several strikes on cranks on the east side brushpiles and boated a small catfish along the south side brushpile. To the entire west side are huge floating lotuses/lillies and I would love to try a dawn/dusk topwater in that area. I didn't have the opportunity to fish the north end piers and brushpiles. It was around 3PM, 100'F and water temps at 85'F with a depleted battery so conditions were less than ideal and I still got strikes. I would consider returning to NEBO under better conditions.

[AllDay]

Let me know if you guys have fished NEBO or surrounding bodies of water in Holton. I referenced NEBO in a post a few moments ago. Let me know your thoughts!

[Ku Xiong]

I dont want to be a debbie downer on this situation, but please if you go to a lake with zebra mussel infestation, try not to launch your boat onto another lake that is not infested with them. If multiple lakes are in the plans, atleast go to the lake with no infestations first. It is up to us to reduce the transplantation of these critters to other neighboring lakes. The last i checked Milford is on the ANS list. Not too sure about Nebo. Sorry, I do not mean to start anything with you AllDay. I love your reports, and keep them coming. Just be careful with them zebra mussels.

Tight Lines and Good Fishin!!

[retro basser]

Well the Labor Day report is here....

FANTASTIC, well composed, report! Glad the deep running cranks were working for you... If you do the work you might as well reap the reward. I'd like to fish all of those lakes, but have only done NEBO. It's a big bass lake and the only downside in this case is it is NOT a small bass numbers lake. A great test for any serious fisherman because the bite will likely be as subtle as your presentation must be to get bit. It's so quiet up there and the lake so small I think they hear most anglers coming a mile away.

please if you go to a lake with zebra mussel infestation, try not to launch your boat onto another lake that is not infested with them.

Tight Lines and Good Fishin!!

Even if you are washing your boat, it's good that Xiong makes the point, just as a reminder. I like to take multi-lake roadtrips too and I've found the easiest way to handle this is just hit a carwash, use a spray bottle of diluted bleach for the bilge, and by the time you reach your next destination you'll be dry and 'un-infested' ... has a nice ring to it huh?

[retro basser]

Blue helped out a boatless brother yesterday and let me ride along as he went to Perry. We got there pre-dawn and he didn't have his rigs ready so while he was tying up I threw a black buzzbait around the cove as we trolled a little... I was kinda surprised I didn't get a bite or anything...

When he's finally done stripping & restringing a reel, then tying on several in the dark (3 min later...) He throws in.... BAMMMM first cast is a 1+ pound smalllie....

Next cast BAMMMM.. he's into one again can't remember what it was...

Third cast... You guessed it.... BAMMM at least that one was probably a friggin Drum.

At this point i'm wondering if I shoulda just brought a 6pack and lawn chair instead of my fishing gear for the day...

But it turned around quickly enough after I dropped the buzzbait for a squarebill and we got into a school of whites and got to land a few of them at least and i got a largemouth right around 2 lbs at the next spot.

Turns out we were catching the tail end of the coldfront blowing in from due north, once the scattered clouds let the bluebird skies and hot sun in the bite slowed down a ton. I think he ended up with 10 greens/browns and I only got that 1 from the morning... but I think mine held big bass honors till about noon

Oh, and also we helped a hooker in the tiniest pink bikini I've ever seen unsnag her line...THAT was interesting.. The game in Topeka must be getting rough if the gals have to resort to 'fishing' down at the marina hehe

[Ku Xiong]

Three of us went out to Leavenworth State Lake today from about 4:30pm until dark. We caught a little over 25 bass mostly on squarebills. We caught a few others on chatterbait, buzzbait, and spinnerbaits. Dark colors seemed to be the best on chatterbait and buzzbait. Bluegill color on squarebills. It was very slow on soft plastics. I think we only caught 1 bass on a shakeyhead and it was small. They seemed to want something moving today out there. They were slamming squarebills on the pause of the retrieve. The biggest was just a little bit over 3.5 pounds caught on a squarebill. Today has been the best day so far out there for us. Fish were caught in 3-7 feet of water, wherever there is grass on the bottom.

Tight Lines and Good Fishin!!

[AllDay]

I dont want to be a debbie downer on this situation, but please if you go to a lake with zebra mussel infestation...

No offense taken Ku. I was aware of the zebra mussel existence at Milford and went to the carwash, but I can take some bleach with me next time too. A couple weeks ago, I posted a question about Perry and expressed concern about its infestation there (haven't been there yet this year). Will ensure the boat is 'detoxed' or that the zebra mussel infested lake is the last one so that the lakes are preserved!

[AllDay]

Oh, and also we helped a hooker in the tiniest pink bikini I've ever seen unsnag her line...THAT was interesting..

Very informative report retro, particularly the part where you helped a damsel, OK hooker, in distress.

[Bluebasser86]

Very informative report retro, particularly the part where you helped a damsel, OK hooker, in distress.

He wasn't joking, it was like she'd sewn a couple eye patches together and decided that covered enough. Definitely looked better from a distance, got up close to help her and it was something like this

I was really surprised Perry was not better than it was. If we'd been after drum it would have been a great day. I had 8 largemouth and 2 smallmouth all day along with at least that many drum, several white bass, and a little flathead. We were getting tons of quick "tap tap" bites and that was all they were doing. The ones that would pick a bait up and run either dropped it quickly after picking it up or just didn't have the whole bait in their mouth. You'd set the hook and see the tooth scratches on the bait but it would be back from the hook a ways. The water is way down (I'd say at least 7-10 feet) leaving lots of my normally productive areas on dry land or with almost no water.

I think the front must have really been influencing the fishing a lot. I say this because I fished the Wednesday nighter at Wyco with Chris that night, after my boat when through a good carwash/bleach bath We fished hard all night and caught a total of.......7, no keepers, only one I even had to measure actually. Our normal spots and baits were just not getting bit. Everyone pretty much echoed our results, they just were not biting. We did have a massive school of white bass erupt behind the boat and spent 20 minutes catching those and 1 nice wiper almost as fast as we could get our jigging spoons to the bottom, and sometimes it didn't make it to the bottom. If I'd known how bad the bass fishing would continue to suck I would have kept catching them all night, at least we were catching something. 2 fish and 3.18lb won it, only 5 fish weighed in but one was a nice 3.12lb largemouth, that's a hog for out there.