For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[kanasbassfisher08]

I don't have any idea. I launched from Jayhawk/state park/west side of the dam and caught most of my fish right there in the timber by the ramp.

 

It's still a pretty primitive ramp but there's 2 ramps, both on the north side of the lake. The east ramp has a dock but the ramp leaves a lot to be desired. The west ramp is a little nicer but no dock. If I was launching a nicer boat there I'd launch at the west ramp and have my partner drive the truck to the east ramp to use the dock. 

hey i might of not told u about the dock last time clayton but they finally took that junk dock out and just 3 post sticking up now.

[Bluebasser86]

hey i might of not told u about the dock last time clayton but they finally took that junk dock out and just 3 post sticking up now.

Well I guess there is no dock then. If you've ever walked on those lily pad things at a pool that you have to use a rope to balance and walk across, that's kind of what walking on that dock was like. 

[inunishi]

Thanks for any help in advance that anyone may give, I have a couple of questions.

 

1.  Does Olathe lake have better fishing than Hillsdale?  I have never tried it.

2.  Is a sock better than a anchor for a canoe? 

[Bluebasser86]

Thanks for any help in advance that anyone may give, I have a couple of questions.

 

1.  Does Olathe lake have better fishing than Hillsdale?  I have never tried it.

2.  Is a sock better than a anchor for a canoe? 

Olathe is way better for bass if that's what you're after. Hillsdale is a better option for crappie, cats, and white bass.

 

I think I'd prefer an anchor, drift sock would be kind of a pain to use in a canoe. If all you want to do is slow a canoe down though a 5 gallon bucket does the same thing as a drift sock in a light weight boat like that. 

[Bluebasser86]

Went out to one of my after work spots this morning. Been seeing some big explosions the last couple times but figured they were just carp. First cast with the biggest size skitter walk saw some big white flashes under the bait and a couple boils    2 casts later it looked like someone dropped a brick in the water. No doubt what it was and a long fight with some drag burning runs confirmed what I thought. No scale or tape but guessing in the 6-7 pound range. 

[Hi Salenity]

I love smokers!

Went out to one of my after work spots this morning. Been seeing some big explosions the last couple times but figured they were just carp. First cast with the biggest size skitter walk saw some big white flashes under the bait and a couple boils 2 casts later it looked like someone dropped a brick in the water. No doubt what it was and a long fight with some drag burning runs confirmed what I thought. No scale or tape but guessing in the 6-7 pound range.

[conorsixtakc]

Love me some wiper, I'm addicted to those runs they make! @BlueBasser86 I'd say she's probably touching 5, only because i weighed this girl on a berkley digital scale and (assuming it's accurate) she went for 6.5. Awesome fish, and props for taking her on topwater!

 

 

[Chris S]

Just passing along a discount code I got e mailed to me.

 

 

Don't miss the Mercury Dockstore catch of the month!
  Through July 31st, save 20% on all accessories at www.mercurydockstore.com by entering the code
MERC20

[retro basser]

Over the last few days I fished at Chase County State Fishing Lake and caught a few dinky spotted bass on my cavitron buzzbait, they loved blasting it. The my brother and I went to a walk in pond near strong city and he caught his first bass using soft plastics (baby brush hog), 2.5lbs not too bad.  

 

Heck ya.  By the looks of it that's an older, smarter, bass that woulda weighed more even if it was getting enough to eat.

 

 

Well, my cousin and I hit three (Pleasanton, Critzer, and Mound City) different lakes on the 4th of July.  Decided to stay at smaller impoundments to avoid the pleasure boaters. 

 

It was our first time at Pleasanton and GEEZ was it tough.  We managed 8 largemouth bass but my first fish was the biggest of the day on a Booyah poppin frog.  It was my first time there, but it seems like that lake has no type of structure to fish at all except those dang water willows.  We did manage a few bass on deep diving cranks.

 

22 inches at 5.9 pounds.

 

 

Nice Pig!  I think most guys would settle for 8 if that was one of em!

[retro basser]

I sure don't get out there as much as I used to so i'm trying to pick my lakes right.

 

Hit Nebo last weekend but missed that early morning magic.  Got a couple with ok size but nothing real special.  I always feel like the bass are more experienced than me on that lake (doesnt help that i'm always fishing it when it's dead calm)  I just cant get enough quality presentations to really have a good day there.

 

This most recent weekend we camped at osage and it was a lot more forgiving.  I hadn't been to that lake in 8 years and didn't know anything about bass back then.  It's just awesome to go to a small lake that fishes so large because of the structure/cover options all over the lake. The primitive camping options are also good as any I've seen on a state lake at least.

 

Not only did I catch em everywhere I got into a couple of real nice ones too:

 

4lb 12oz almost right away.. the kid couldn't believe it...

 

 

Got another decent one the next morning that went 3lb 8oz

 

 

 

I'll be going back

 

[conorsixtakc]

Well done @retrobasser! I'd take that morning any day.

So I have a question I'd like to run across you fellow Kansas City guys, because I'm more interested in your opinions than I am in starting a new thread. I fish LOZ alot during the Summer months, and I need to get better with a finesse jig. What are your favorite jig+trailer combos and colors? The water's usually got a stain to it, around 4-6' visibility, lots of cover, and highly pressured during the week.

[Bluebasser86]

I sure don't get out there as much as I used to so i'm trying to pick my lakes right.

 

Hit Nebo last weekend but missed that early morning magic.  Got a couple with ok size but nothing real special.  I always feel like the bass are more experienced than me on that lake (doesnt help that i'm always fishing it when it's dead calm)  I just cant get enough quality presentations to really have a good day there.

 

This most recent weekend we camped at osage and it was a lot more forgiving.  I hadn't been to that lake in 8 years and didn't know anything about bass back then.  It's just awesome to go to a small lake that fishes so large because of the structure/cover options all over the lake. The primitive camping options are also good as any I've seen on a state lake at least.

 

Not only did I catch em everywhere I got into a couple of real nice ones too:

 

4lb 12oz almost right away.. the kid couldn't believe it...

 

osage 7-13 006.JPG

osage 7-13 010.JPG

 

Got another decent one the next morning that went 3lb 8oz

 

osage 7-13 016.JPG

 

 

I'll be going back

Looks like you caught your bigger fish from almost the same spot I caught my 5 1/4 my first trip out there, wonder if it was the same fish? First cove on the east side by the dam next to a brushpile. Seems like they're either really small or solid fish out there. The amount of cover and fish in that lake makes it very enjoyable to fish.

 

Well done @retrobasser! I'd take that morning any day.

So I have a question I'd like to run across you fellow Kansas City guys, because I'm more interested in your opinions than I am in starting a new thread. I fish LOZ alot during the Summer months, and I need to get better with a finesse jig. What are your favorite jig+trailer combos and colors? The water's usually got a stain to it, around 4-6' visibility, lots of cover, and highly pressured during the week.

Missouri craw, Pb&J, with whatever kind of brown or GP trailer you prefer or black and blue with a blue trailer. Now is a better time of year for big worms in deeper water down there. 

[Doc-Drew]

What are your favorite jig+trailer combos and colors?

Last weekend I had really good luck in South Dakota on a watermelon and purple finesse jig with a net bait paca chunk in bama bug red. Not sure how that would work at LOZ but the clarity in the lakes I fished up there was similar. I have had decent luck around here with a brown/green pumpkin-ish jig I made.

[conorsixtakc]

Missouri craw, Pb&J, with whatever kind of brown or GP trailer you prefer or black and blue with a blue trailer. Now is a better time of year for big worms in deeper water down there. 

 

Thanks @Bluebasser86. Yeah the most consistent pattern in the summer has always been shaking big t-rigged worms in brush, at least for me. It produces in the heat when nothing else will, junebug in the day and black/red flake at night. Looking for something a bit more compact that I can get up under the docks with during the day though, and honestly i just wanna throw something different lol.

 

Last weekend I had really good luck in South Dakota on a watermelon and purple finesse jig with a net bait paca chunk in bama bug red. Not sure how that would work at LOZ but the clarity in the lakes I fished up there was similar. I have had decent luck around here with a brown/green pumpkin-ish jig I made.

 

Thanks @CCC-Drew. We get so much tourney pressure where I'm at on LOZ, so I'm always looking for presentations that look real enough yet different from the 100's of other presentations they've seen. I'll have to give this watermelon/purple/bama combo a go!

[Bluebasser86]

Anyone want to fish Perry tonight? My buddy just found out he can't go. Probably leaving around 11 or midnight and fishing until 10-noon.

[Hi Salenity]

I'm going to watch Jamey Johnson at P&L

[Bluebasser86]

I'm going to watch Jamey Johnson at P&L

Jon will be there too. Sizzle got the spot, hopefully we'll put something other than big catfish and drum in the boat 

[Bluebasser86]

First off I had to take this picture just to prove that I did actually catch a bass out of Hillsdale 

 

Now to the Adventures of Blue and Sizzle tackling Perry Lake in the dark   Water was dirty, even for Perry. Wind blew harder than they said it would (shocker I know) and we struck out fishing around the ramp where I've caught so many fish before. Headed to Rock Creek Marina and fished the rip rap on the bridge and wasn't having any luck. I got momentarily sidetracked shooting gar that were hanging right on the surface under the bridge before we fished the backside of the bridge going into the marina. We didn't have anything to show until we got almost to the end of the rip rap by the docks when I finally caught a dink. Then Sean caught one, I lost one, he lost one, and I caught another in about 5 minutes. We fished around the backside of the docks and caught another one or two before we started fishing dock slips. I caught one or two and missed a couple more while Sean spent a lot of time walking the docks getting his bait back  . Had a fish slam my chatterbait, rip drag under the dock, and got me all excited before I saw it was a gar  We went around the other side of the marina and I caught a solid fish off the ramp dock before we jumped out so the dog could go to the bathroom. While I was trying to get my dog to focus on doing her business instead of sniffing the ground, Sean started catching fish on a spinnerbait walking the bank behind the docks, first one he caught was his biggest of the night. Probably should have weighed it, she was a solid fish. 

I think he had 4 fish before the dog finally did her business. I got in on the action and caught a couple myself. We decided to motor to the other marina by the dam (a long, rough ride over white caps on a moonless night). I broke off on the hookset on a solid feeling fish with a jig. Missed several bites with a jig and chatterbait while Sean was catching dinks pretty steady on a spinnerbait. I don't think I caught a single fish until we were fishing back out the breaker wall when I finally stuck a good fish on a jig, 3.96lbs on a black and blue home made jig.

Caught several more bass and a walleye before we went over to Evan's Creek where I caught several more on a buzzbait and baby brush hog. Ran over to the south state park ramp where I got broke off by a heavy fish on a jig, again. I caught a dink on a jig and FINALLY caught a drum  It was just starting to get full on sunny out and that was the end of our bass catching. We each caught another drum, I caught a white bass, and Sean caught a catfish before the wind really started rocking and we headed home! 

[Bluebasser86]

In case Jon can't make it would anyone be interested in night fishing Wabaunsee this Thursday night/Friday morning? Planning on leaving my house no later than 6:30PM and probably fishing until 8-10AM. The gate will be locked so there will be no option of leaving early so if you want to go we'll be stuck there for the entire night unless you drive out there separately. Jon should know by tonight if he can go or not so if anyone is interested just let me know and if he can't go I'll let anyone interested know as soon as I found out if I'll have an empty seat or not. 

[pbrussell]

Catching these in Estes park Colorado...

On the ned rig!

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Sweet.  I spent lots and lots of time in my childhood in Estes.  LOVE it there.

[Bluebasser86]

Catching these in Estes park Colorado...

On the ned rig!

IMG_0251.JPG

Pretty little brownie! Everything loves the Ned rig   Caught quite a few at Lake Shawnee early this year on one too.

[Wachati]

Well done @retrobasser! I'd take that morning any day.

So I have a question I'd like to run across you fellow Kansas City guys, because I'm more interested in your opinions than I am in starting a new thread. I fish LOZ alot during the Summer months, and I need to get better with a finesse jig. What are your favorite jig+trailer combos and colors? The water's usually got a stain to it, around 4-6' visibility, lots of cover, and highly pressured during the week.

I've been having some good luck with this color combo I made, with a perfection blue feck pit boss trailer. I would definitely say try throwing a 4" pit boss on as a trailer, not many do so it adds some variance to possibly help with highly pressured areas. But like Blue said MO craw and PBJ and just mess with the trailers and mismatch them to see if that helps.

[Ku Xiong]

Well, today was my Sunday so I decided to hit Banner Creek with a buddy before returning to reality.  This was my first time on that lake and I have to say, its a very good looking lake.  My first fish, I caught it on a white buzzbait in about 1 foot of water next to the bank.  We caught several more in the smaller coves.  Worked the trees in the shallow to the west of that lake, nothing.  The trees looked SO good, and yet nothing.  Maybe it was just us that day, but anyone else usually have luck in the trees to the west?  Over all it was a fun day.  I will definately be returning to that lake.  Caught fish on a little bit of everything; wacky rig, jig and pig, squarebills, buzzbaits, frogs, and shakeyheads.  We caught several bass in the 3 pound range.  My buddy also almost caught a nice one, probably 5 pounds, but it jumped a good 3 feet next to the boat and spit his jig and pig.

 

Caught on a wacky rig in about 2 foot of water.  Pretty skinny but very fun on 8 pound test line.

 

Caught on white buzzbait in 1 foot of water.

 

[Bluebasser86]

Cbass and I fished Melvern Thursday morning. It was pretty slow even early but it was really calm and humid already when we got there at 5:30. We caught a couple smallmouth and whites on a variety of baits on some flat banks and points I usually do good on early but nothing like we were hoping. We tried the dam and it was a little better. I was playing with my 7" MS Slammer I just got from TW Wednesday when I had one of the biggest topwater explosions I've ever had. I was hoping for a bigger fish but just catching a smallmouth on that big bait was pretty cool. 

That fish gave me some confidence in the bait and I waking it by the sides of the outlet when this nice spotted bass slammed into it. 

We caught several really solid smallies and spots off the outlet from all sides of it but the deepest side was best. Ryan hooked up twice with fish that didn't hardly move on the hookset and then they just came unstuck. He did get this really healthy smallmouth to the boat, she looked a lot bigger when he was fighting her.

I also got another keeper walleye off the outlet, this time on the Ned.

 

Fisher-C and I fished Wabaunsee Thursday night into Friday morning and it was worth losing sleep over. He took all of 2 minutes to put a 5 pounder into the boat on a jig.

Didn't ever catch the monster we were hoping for but the number of fish in the 3-4 pound range was great. Most of them fell for a jig or 10" worm.