For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[Bluebasser86]

Made my first trip to Melvern yesterday with my brother.    I was surprised by how windy it was, although after fishing in kansas for the last several years, I shouldn't be.  Thanks to the board, we knew where to start...rocky areas around the marina and the dam.  Caught a bunch of fish to start out with (including a "slam") around those areas using tube and ned rig.  As we were fishing the dam, my brother hooked one of those little bluegill that live up shallow with the ned rig and was reeling it in when a large bass came up from behind and took the fish right off the hook.   Hmmm.  After that, I started throwing a KVD square bill in kind of the crawdad/orange color to see if I couldn't get one to chase that.  Caught my personal best smallmouth at 3.4 lbs on the squarebill.  The location will be familar to most of you.

 

Tubes and shallow crankbaits produced best fish but fewer bites.  Ned rig was dominant on the dinks.

 

Nice fish! That southeast corner of the dam almost always has a few fish and usually some good ones.

[pbrussell]

Here's a couple of nice ones from Lacygne today.

I'm starting to piece that lake together a little bit. Kind of. (haha)

[pbrussell]

Made my first trip to Melvern yesterday with my brother.    I was surprised by how windy it was, although after fishing in kansas for the last several years, I shouldn't be.  Thanks to the board, we knew where to start...rocky areas around the marina and the dam.  Caught a bunch of fish to start out with (including a "slam") around those areas using tube and ned rig.  As we were fishing the dam, my brother hooked one of those little bluegill that live up shallow with the ned rig and was reeling it in when a large bass came up from behind and took the fish right off the hook.   Hmmm.  After that, I started throwing a KVD square bill in kind of the crawdad/orange color to see if I couldn't get one to chase that.  Caught my personal best smallmouth at 3.4 lbs on the squarebill.  The location will be familar to most of you.

 

Tubes and shallow crankbaits produced best fish but fewer bites.  Ned rig was dominant on the dinks.

 

 

Congrats on that pb. My old pb smallmouth came from the dam at melvern too. Several 4's and a number of 5's have been caught off the ol reliable melvern dam, so get back out there and get ya a bigger one!

[skunked_again]

it drives me crazy to fish the dam @ Melvern. i see the fish you guys catch, i know the area but i cant catch those fish for the life of me. today we caught:

 

drum

whites

crappie

smallies

blue cats

walleye

perch

 

17 smallies total. 7 were over 15", one was 19". zero @ the dam. at the end of the day we killed the trolling motor batteries fishing shallow, mud stained windy points. had 2 drum break me off before i could give them drag. forgot to put my plug in the boat for the first time ever. oops. seen 3 deer swim across the cove we were fishing.

 

Melvern is just a good place to be. 

[joefish]

Guys, I have a question.

     Where in KC is a good reel repair shop?

 

I have an old Shimanno Stradic 2000 spinning reel that needs some TLC.   This reel has made at least 10 trips to Ontario and fought numerous smallmouth, Northern Pike and Walleye, not to mention the crappie and bass locally.   I'm sure a disassemble and good cleaning would be in order.  It also catches when cranking occasionally.   I really like this size reel and would like to get it the care it needs.

[Mr_Scrogg]

I send mine to either Delaware Valley Tackle (site sponsor) or JFrancho.

Both do good work

[Doc-Drew]

I have an old Shimanno Stradic 2000 spinning reel that needs some TLC.

I have the same reel and love it. Gotta love hand me downs haha.

[Bluebasser86]

Guys, I have a question.

     Where in KC is a good reel repair shop?

 

I have an old Shimanno Stradic 2000 spinning reel that needs some TLC.   This reel has made at least 10 trips to Ontario and fought numerous smallmouth, Northern Pike and Walleye, not to mention the crappie and bass locally.   I'm sure a disassemble and good cleaning would be in order.  It also catches when cranking occasionally.   I really like this size reel and would like to get it the care it needs.

DVT, great service and turn around and you're dealing with someone with a proven track record. I tried to save money and use a guy in my old bass club. I ended up getting back a cleaned baitcaster that no longer had any anti reverse?? 

[conorsixtakc]

DVT, great service and turn around and you're dealing with someone with a proven track record. I tried to save money and use a guy in my old bass club. I ended up getting back a cleaned baitcaster that no longer had any anti reverse?? 

 

Wow... just a minor oversight! I'm actually glad joefish asked because I've also got an old Sahara 2500 (old shimano = better than new shimano) that has been beaten up on some float trips and is about to see some saltwater flats in Tampa for my honeymoon...

 

I'm sure a good disassemble and cleaning will be in order   where's Delaware Valley Tackle located? Delaware? 

[SuperFluke]

Back to Melvern again today. Let's just say the wind and the razor clams got the best of us today. Both my dad and I had good sized smallmouth on in the marina cove, but both pulled off. Mine was on a tube and my dad's on a Ned rig. Thought mine was a rock cause it was pretty shallow and then she rolled on top and I lost her. Caught over 20 bass in various places, but marina cove was best. Tube and Carolina rig lizard also produced until the razor clams claimed them...

[SuperFluke]

Fished Clinton for about 45 minutes yesterday after helping out with a sailing regatta as a chase boat. Threw the ned rig since it was still tied on from melvern. Was surprised to catch a couple of decent smallmouth. Got several whites, a drum and a tiny walleye, so it was a productive hour. Can't see Clinton really as a great smallmouth fishery due to the murky water but hopefully they continue to improve out there.

[Bluebasser86]

Fished Clinton for about 45 minutes yesterday after helping out with a sailing regatta as a chase boat. Threw the ned rig since it was still tied on from melvern. Was surprised to catch a couple of decent smallmouth. Got several whites, a drum and a tiny walleye, so it was a productive hour. Can't see Clinton really as a great smallmouth fishery due to the murky water but hopefully they continue to improve out there.

I've seen several pictures of some very chunky smallies from Clinton and the population is supposed to be doing pretty well around the dam. I've never fished Clinton and unless they really take off I'll just keep driving to Melvern

[Bluebasser86]

Kanasbassfisher08, basshunter0731, and I just got back from the Wyco fish off at Lake of the Ozarks/Truman, man it was tough! Jon and I got down to the lake Thursday morning and fished way up the Osage (tournament launched from Drake Harbor) and managed to scratch 2 keeper, one being a 12" spot. If the current hadn't started and we didn't happen to be at the right place at the right time when a school of whites and spots started blasting shad we would have had fewer than 10 bass on the day.

Friday prefishing Truman was better than expected. Jon struggled badly all day, catching 1 short spot and a crappie and finding a spinnerbait in a tree (a very important spinnerbait it turns out) but I was able to boat 15-20 with 3 keepers all on a 1/2oz brush jig. So we were going into the thing thinking if we could just stay in it Saturday we'd have a shot on Sunday. Around 3pm we needed gas in the boat and we had a good idea what to do on Truman so I suggested we go fish the Ozarks for a couple more hours so maybe we could figure something else out a little bit. Jon tied on the spinnerbait he found which was chart/white with tandem, hammered blades that were both half silver, half gold, split right down the middle. Probably less than 5 casts he catches a solid keeper. I put on the closest thing I had and stuck by far the biggest fish we'd seen all weekend. A couple more fish in less than 100 yards so we called it a night and were pretty excited about the next day.

Saturday we made the 20 minute run to our area, confident we'd have it to ourselves. It was pretty tough to take when we were greeted by a boat from the tournament sitting right at the mouth of the cove. We motored straight to the back of the cove and started fishing. I think Jon caught one on his first cast and within a half dozen docks caught our first keeper and several shorts. I struggled to find a bait they would eat after I lost the blade off my spinnerbait. We had a pretty good lull in the action until the monsoon rains came, in 3 docks Jon caught 2 more keepers. It was about 9:30 then and I was positive we'd be culling by the end of the day. By 3:30 we had those same 3 bass and no more  Lots of close ones but no keepers. We saw 6 other boats from the tournament in our "secret" spot, twice had solid keepers caught behind us by flippers, just a frustrating head scratching day but it was for most everyone I guess because we were sitting in 6th after day 1.

Sunday at Truman felt almost like punishment. We launched an hour and a half late because of thick fog under strict orders to stay off plane until it cleared up enough to see. So we idled for 15 minutes to our first spot. I caught 2 short largemouth on a spook, then a barely keeper largemouth on a Slammer. It cleared up enough to see so we ran to our second spot. Chris broke off on the hookset, I caught a short on a 10" worm and one on a 1/2oz jig (seemed like the best pattern was to catch a fish on a bait and then switch to something else). We kept covering water, Chris caught a short on a spinnerbait, then some fish started chasing shad on a 1' deep mud point and I caught a chunky keeper on a spook. One more short on a Zoom mag finesse worm and we bounced around a couple spots, I caught a short skipping marina docks with a flat dawg. In a final move of desperation we fished the trees by the boat ramp and I started swinging for the fences with a 7" stick O on a 1/4oz Texas rig. I was shocked at about 20 minutes to weigh in when I got thumped hard next to a tree, swung and stuck a heavy fish that was in the roots of the tree immediately and my line popped  :cry3:Never saw it but I can't imagine a short eating that huge hunk of plastic that easily. 7 something pounds was the heaviest stringer of the day, we had the second or third heaviest with 3.90lbs (felt like a Wednesday night weigh in on a good night really). Lots of people blanked, a couple 15" squeakers, they didn't read the final standings but I believe we finished in 4th, maybe 5th, better than I expected.

They announced they'd be doing the same format and fishing the Classic at the same place next year for anyone interested, I won't be there next year punishing myself all year just to fish lakes or area of lakes that are just as tough as Wyco. 

[gastler]

It should definately be some interesting weather for any tournaments in the midwest this weekend. Maybe this cold snap will push them into feeding up shallow, or it may give them a case of lockjaw.

[Chris S]

Walleye like high pressure systems

[Mr_Scrogg]

So what youre saying is youll be trolling all day Saturday? Lol

[Chris S]

So what youre saying is youll be trolling all day Saturday? Lol

with 25mph wind more like drifting

[Bluebasser86]

Fished La Cygne today and surprisingly it didn't suck Had probably 15-20 bass, a couple sunfish, a channel cat, and Jared caught a drum. Squarebills caught most of my fish, followed by a shakyhead, along with one each on a pit boss and buzzbait. Had one keeper on a shakyhead and 2 on the crank. Biggest of the day was off a log in the river and was super fat ath 19.5" and 4.87 pounds.

[joefish]

Shucks, I decided against LaCygne Wednesday. 

[Doc-Drew]

Fished La Cygne today and surprisingly it didn't suck Had probably 15-20 bass, a couple sunfish, a channel cat, and Jared caught a drum. Squarebills caught most of my fish, followed by a shakyhead, along with one each on a pit boss and buzzbait. Had one keeper on a shakyhead and 2 on the crank. Biggest of the day was off a log in the river and was super fat ath 19.5" and 4.87 pounds.

What was the water temp?

[LVAngler]

It's good to see someone catching fish at LaCygne.

 

I'm new to this forum and this is the first summer I have kept my boat near LaCygne.  I'd like some other lakes to fish around the area if anyone has any recomendations.  So far i've hit up Miami County, Middle Creek, and Pleasanton. 

[Bluebasser86]

What was the water temp?

80 in the river, 90 at the outlet. Didn't make it down lake, the 4' rolling white caps were more than I wanted to deal with. 

[Bluebasser86]

Fished Jon's Uncles ponds in Springhill today. I was messing with my new 6" S Waver and had caught a dink and missed a few others at the big pond so we decided to fish the little ponds in the back yard. When we got to them there was a few big grass carp cruising the surface. Just jokingly I cast my S Waver in front of one like I was trying to get him to bite. I was more than a little surprised when a different carp shot off the bottom and T boned my bait! The pond is tiny so it didn't have anywhere to go but even with my heavy swimbait rod and line it still took a long time to wear her out and even then I had no idea how I was going to land her with no net. I had to get in about knee deep and steered her head towards the bank and then pushed her up onto the bank. We didn't want to risk killing her and our scales were a long walk to the truck so we snapped a picture and put her back.

[pbrussell]

It should definately be some interesting weather for any tournaments in the midwest this weekend. Maybe this cold snap will push them into feeding up shallow, or it may give them a case of lockjaw.

It was interesting alright..

[Mr_Scrogg]

Well after the Wabaunsee Bash, Caeleb and I went to Melvern. Had about a hour till dark and fished a bit.

one of 2 that HAMMERED a RC Series 2 Squarebill.

Someone is gonna pee the bed, playing with fire.

Today was WINDY. Fished the north side, cranked a RC Series 2 Squarebill through a brush pile, thud thud of the sticks, WHAM, FISH ON!! Pulled hard, stayed deep, saw a flash of light colored side, thought "Shoot, a dang drum", then it came up.

3.5lb Greenie. Well... kinda pale greenie.

After that, Wind picked up. I thought we would head to Marina Cove to get out of the wind. Started out of the cove, hit the main lake, and WOAH, Swells and rollers. I decided to put my tail between my legs and head back. One bite all morning, heavy wind, we decided to kust head home.

Still fun though.