For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[Bluebasser86]

Trying to decide between goin back to melvern this weekend to learn a jerkbait, or going to nebo to hunt for some donkeys. 

Never done any good at Nebo this early in the year. They seem to prefer the hotter months but maybe I just haven't figured out how to catch them out there in spring. 

[conorsixtakc]

Went and did some birthday bassin tonight at Douglas State Lake. Figured if I had to go somewhere close I was pretty much stuck catching dinks so I might as well catch a bunch of dinks. We caught probably 40-50 in the hour and a half we were there with about 50/50 bass to crappie ratio on little cranks, jerkbaits, and jigs. As it was getting dark I started fishing a jig on a drop off along the dam because I was marking tons of fish and Nicole was still catching crappie about every cast off the dam. I thought maybe I'd get a giant 2 pounder   I caught a couple a little bit bigger but still nothing that I could have even stretched 14". Decided I might as well try to catch a couple dinks on a deep crank on that ledge. One of my first casts got stopped under the boat by what I assumed was a decent catfish. I was pretty shocked when this gal flashed by the boat.

 

 

21.5" and 5.48 pounds on the smaller size Luck E Strike Smoothie crankbait. Didn't know they made them that big out there 

 

Now that's how birthdays should be celebrated! Congrats on the catch!

[conorsixtakc]

Went to SMP over lunch and pulled this 6.5#er to shore on a BPS rattle shad. No surface activity does not always = no wiper. They've got some big ones out there!

[pbrussell]

Broke down and bought a new combo to fish a jerkbait today. Looks like I'm in deep now.

[Mr_Scrogg]

Broke down and bought a new combo to fish a jerkbait today. Looks like I'm in deep now.

What you get?

[pbrussell]

I didn't end up splurging or anything, especially since I don't know how to fish one yet. 

I'm a short guy, so I ended up getting a BPS 6ft bionic blade, medium action.

Also, got a BPS Johnny morris carbon light reel, 6.4:1 ratio.

 

It helped that both items were on sale/clearance.

Lastly, bought a couple of rc stix to round out the package. 

[Mr_Scrogg]

Nice!!! Shorter rod will keep the tip out of the water on the twitches. I had a longer rod than needed and kept slapping the water with the tip.

Heard those RCs are tops too. Gonna pick up a couple myself. Those Rogues I have slightly float. So Ill have to tweak them.

[skunked_again]

back a few years ago myself, a few family members used to fish a weekly thing called First To 5 and BigFish.

 

it was easy, the event had 5-7 fishable holes on the lake that one could fish. once you boat a fish that goes to your "first to 5" or BigFish you got to move to open waters looking to improve your catch. when time was over everyone fished their next hole.

 

everyone fishing brings a new bait worth $7-$10, these will go to the "first to 5" winner. everyone will also bring $1. we will be buying the big bass guy lunch the next day.

 

 

a lot of lakes to work with.

 

i also understand that sunburn and Jose dont read the best. 

 

give it a thought. we found weekdays to work the best.

[Bluebasser86]

Nice!!! Shorter rod will keep the tip out of the water on the twitches. I had a longer rod than needed and kept slapping the water with the tip.

Heard those RCs are tops too. Gonna pick up a couple myself. Those Rogues I have slightly float. So Ill have to tweak them.

The RC baits are a very good bait for the money. Change the hooks out though, they come with pretty flimsy hooks that straighten out if you get a bigger fish. 

 

back a few years ago myself, a few family members used to fish a weekly thing called First To 5 and BigFish.

 

it was easy, the event had 5-7 fishable holes on the lake that one could fish. once you boat a fish that goes to your "first to 5" or BigFish you got to move to open waters looking to improve your catch. when time was over everyone fished their next hole.

 

everyone fishing brings a new bait worth $7-$10, these will go to the "first to 5" winner. everyone will also bring $1. we will be buying the big bass guy lunch the next day.

 

 

a lot of lakes to work with.

 

i also understand that sunburn and Jose dont read the best. 

 

give it a thought. we found weekdays to work the best.

Is there still something like this going on or are you saying we should try to get something like this going? I'd be interested but I'm not exactly sure on how you're saying it would work. 

[Wachati]

The RC baits are a very good bait for the money. Change the hooks out though, they come with pretty flimsy hooks that straighten out if you get a bigger fish.

Definitely agree, I fished the same RC for the tourney chart/bone I think it's called. One treble broke off and the hooks were always bending.

[pbrussell]

Ok. Here comes a technical question.

What hook treble size would you suggest buying for 4 1/2" bait, and the smaller 3-3/4" inch bait?

[Hi Salenity]

Ok. Here comes a technical question.

What hook treble size would you suggest buying for 4 1/2" bait, and the smaller 3-3/4" inch bait?

I think the larger one has #4 on it. Personally, I'd leave them alone and replace them wen they need it so you don't alter the baits ballast. During the tournament I fished a Megabass 110 in French Pearl 95% of the day. If I stop getting hits I'd try something else and other than squeaking another occasional fish out on a deep diving jerk the 110 was what I fished all day. I absolutely LOVE the hooks on the 110s but they make the RC hooks look heavy duty. I like the hooks on the 110 because they are such a thin wire and are ultra sharp that if you are dreaming during the pause and get bit it normally hooks itself before spitting it out. Now on the same note the hooks bend easy and the bait cost $25 so I started setting my drag pretty loose, probably looser than you'd think. MOST of the fish I caught had 2 of the 3 hooks in them, normally down the side of the fish. I think this was due to the loose drag letting the fish swim away and the rest of the bait actually snagging into the fish as it swam away rather than just dragging it in.

[micahthorlawson]

I didn't end up splurging or anything, especially since I don't know how to fish one yet. 

I'm a short guy, so I ended up getting a BPS 6ft bionic blade, medium action.

Also, got a BPS Johnny morris carbon light reel, 6.4:1 ratio.

 

It helped that both items were on sale/clearance.

Lastly, bought a couple of rc stix to round out the package. 

 

That should work good for you!   I do have to work this saturday so I won't be able to join you on melvern!  Let me know how you do!  You will love the jerkbait after you start catching fish on them!

[pbrussell]

Worked the jerk tonight at a pond, and caught 5. Took a while for me to get the hang of things. It's starting to click a little.

[Bluebasser86]

Ok. Here comes a technical question.

What hook treble size would you suggest buying for 4 1/2" bait, and the smaller 3-3/4" inch bait?

The larger RC stick has either 6's or 5's, I use VMC #6's on mine and they suspend fine.

The small one uses #8's, Mustad Ultra Point round bends are what I replace mine with. 

[pbrussell]

The outside right now. It sucks.

[Bluebasser86]

So I got word this morning from Ken at the Olathe BPS that Ned Kedhe (yeah that Ned) caught a new state record smallmouth from Lake Shawnee in Topeka. Supposed to have been 6 pounds 10 ounces, not positive what he caught it on but I have a pretty good idea what it probably was. Not 100% on it or anything yet but sounds like it really may have happened. 

[Hi Salenity]

Cool, if it ever stops SNOWING!!!!! Ill have to try that lake out.

[Bluebasser86]

Cool, if it ever stops SNOWING!!!!! Ill have to try that lake out.

IMO it isn't worth the drive to bass fish it. I've fished for bass out there a couple times and it usually sucks, especially for anything of any size. It tested positive for Largemouth bass virus last year so that has a lot to do with it I'm sure. 

[retro basser]

Went and did some birthday bassin tonight at Douglas State Lake. Figured if I had to go somewhere close I was pretty much stuck catching dinks so I might as well catch a bunch of dinks. We caught probably 40-50 in the hour and a half we were there with about 50/50 bass to crappie ratio on little cranks, jerkbaits, and jigs. As it was getting dark I started fishing a jig on a drop off along the dam because I was marking tons of fish and Nicole was still catching crappie about every cast off the dam. I thought maybe I'd get a giant 2 pounder   I caught a couple a little bit bigger but still nothing that I could have even stretched 14". Decided I might as well try to catch a couple dinks on a deep crank on that ledge. One of my first casts got stopped under the boat by what I assumed was a decent catfish. I was pretty shocked when this gal flashed by the boat.

 

 

21.5" and 5.48 pounds on the smaller size Luck E Strike Smoothie crankbait. Didn't know they made them that big out there 

 

 

I KNEW there were big ones in that lake!  If you could only get the dinks to quit eating it.  Interesting that it still took the smaller bait though: could help explain why conventional tactics don't work so good out there to pull better size.

 

 

I didn't end up splurging or anything, especially since I don't know how to fish one yet. 

I'm a short guy, so I ended up getting a BPS 6ft bionic blade, medium action.

Also, got a BPS Johnny morris carbon light reel, 6.4:1 ratio.

 

It helped that both items were on sale/clearance.

Lastly, bought a couple of rc stix to round out the package. 

 

I have a 6-6M bionic with a casting reel and like it pretty well.  it's my favorite squarebill rod.  I know it's crazy but for jerkbaits i like really light spinning setups with a fast tip.  they cast the light ones well and the grip / balance works for me.  Just a thought.

 

I'm sure alot of rods will work though... the tough part is waiting long enough.  force yourself to do nothing early and often.

[Bluebasser86]

I KNEW there were big ones in that lake!  If you could only get the dinks to quit eating it.  Interesting that it still took the smaller bait though: could help explain why conventional tactics don't work so good out there to pull better size.

 

 

 

I have a 6-6M bionic with a casting reel and like it pretty well.  it's my favorite squarebill rod.  I know it's crazy but for jerkbaits i like really light spinning setups with a fast tip.  they cast the light ones well and the grip / balance works for me.  Just a thought.

 

I'm sure alot of rods will work though... the tough part is waiting long enough.  force yourself to do nothing early and often.

The crank I caught that fish on actually isn't a real small bait, just the smaller of the two sizes they make the Smoothie crank in. It's still a 2" body which is the same size as a 1.5 squarebill. There are crappie LOADED up on the dam out there. You could literally feel your bait running into them there were so many of them down there. I'm guessing that's why she was up there and my bait was white with a black back. 

[pbrussell]

Back to melvern I went today. Tried my darndest to figure out a jerkbait out there. Couldn't make it happen. So, after about 2 hours of discouragement I switched to some baits I have more confidence in. Spots wanted weighted wacky rig senko baits. 

Smallies wanted crankbaits. Kvd 1.0, and wiggle warts in craw patterns were the ticket. Ned rig picked up some smaller fish.

I had what would have EASILY been my pb smallie hop off at the boat on a DT10. She was hooked on the outside of the mouth instead of the inside and just decided to come off as I reached down to grab her. We'll just say she was 4 and call it a day.

 

The largemouth I caught came on a little of everything. (Wacky rig, crank, think I had on on the ned too.)

 

Biggest fish of the day was a 3 lb smallie, with another just shy of 3. Caught a number of fish around 2.5 as well. It was a fun day.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

My dad and I hit up Melvern today as well.  I too was going with the sole purpose of trying to get the jerkbait going.  Skunked.  I fished a couple different jerkbaits the whole day except for a brief moment of discouragement and picked up a ned rig for a few casts. and then it was back to the jerkbait.

 

My dad caught a couple on a jerkbait including his PB smallie.  I am 99% sure this fish swatted at my jerkbait and then seconds later hooked up on my dad's.  It went 4-03.

 

[Mr_Scrogg]

Great color on that fish!! Great job

[Bluebasser86]

Good to see this weather didn't knock them down out there. I'll probably be out there with basshunter on Friday looking to finally break the 5 pound mark.