How's Everyones fishing going?

[Skell9653]

I've been fishing strip pits one evening the past month or so. Mainly small bass up to a couple pounds. I can't wait until fall fishing! What's fishing been like for everyone else? What's lures have you been having success on?

[bluebasser86]

Haven't made it down quite that far but I've been doing well at Critzer on jigs in the brush, mainly cedars and hedge trees. Lots of solid fish catching the bait while it's dropping and making the line jump, good times.

[Ham]

Very Nice!

[Quillback]

I'd like to fish those strip pits one of these days, it's a bit of a haul from here, and it is not someplace I want to tow the fiberglass boat, so I haven't done it.  I really need to get a yak and start exploring some of those lakes and some of the smaller ones in this area.

Lately I've been fishing Loch Lomond here in Bella Vista, Lomond has changed the last few years and what has changed is that milfoil has become widespread.  It's happened in the last few years, and has pretty much taken over the lake.  It's mostly good news so far.

The good - The bass and shad populations have exploded.  We have a lakes department that keeps the milfoil under control, they have a mower that they can run over the top of that stuff and that keeps it from growing to the top and they'll do some spot spraying with copper sulfate at times to kill it off if it gets on the ramps or docks.  They do a good job of managing the growth but yet leaving enough in to provide quality habitat.  

The bad - I love to fish bottom dragging stuff for bass, doesn't work too well in milfoil.

 I had a 40+ bass day this Thursday, they are chasing shad on top and I've been throwing a 1/4 oz Kastmaster at them which is the same size as the shad they are chasing.  No monsters, but plenty of fish in the 2-3 lb. range which are a hoot on light spinning tackle.  I like to tweak Kastmasters, I paint the flat side white, put a snap on the front and replace the treble (the one that comes the 1/4 oz Kastmaster is possibly the worst treble manufactured on this planet) with a #6 Owner treble that comes dressed with that mylar stuff.  Work it so it stays near the top, use a herky-jerky type retrieve, and pause it for a half second or so every 10 feet. A lot of strikes come on that pause.  The Kastmasters will work on the big lakes too, I've caught bass on Table Rock with them. 

So that's what I have been up to.  Once this weekend is over I plan to start getting back on Table Rock and Beaver, September is a tough month for me on the big lakes but I also like to challenge myself with tough fishing and if you get a good fish when things are tough it gives me a better feeling of accomplishment.

So good luck out there and let us know how you do.