bluebasser86

This video was on a crappie fishing forum and I thought it was pretty interesting.

Yep, but there's several lakes in KS that are really producing some great smallmouth anymore. Biggest I heard of this year was a 6lb 10oz monster that nearly beat the state record, and it didn't come from any of the better known smallmouth lakes in the state

Thanks, that was actually at a lake much closer to home for me in KS. Unfortunately didn't get to Table Rock much this year. We've had good success pounding those jigging spoons off the bottom in front of those arches that almost look like a part of the bottom. The quality has been great for KS smallmouths too.

Pro Reel services my reels and does a great job, so that's even more impressive that it's not just coming from some guy that tinkers with reels on the weekends. Now I feel like I might need another one or two just to have back ups!

I wasn't really guessing which bait it was, just pointing out another, similar body style jerkbait that has recently come to my attention. I fished one of the H2O jerkbaits I picked up on Wednesday a little bit, it suspended perfectly and looked good in the water. Our below freezing temps all last week had the smallmouth anchored to the bottom and unwilling to come up after it though. Thankfully they were willing to pop a spoon and finesse worms drug along the bottom

Academy recently came out with their version of the RC STX/Vision 100 style bait. It says floating on their website but my buddy bought one and he said it actually suspends. I bought 3 yesterday for $5.99 apiece that I'm going to give a test run today He caught fish on his last Thursday but that was before we went into the deep freeze so we'll see. http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h20-xpress-153-ultimate-jerk-shad-1-2-oz-floating-twitch-bait/pid-891753?color=Ghost+Shad&N=4294956313+97009336+4294966997

I bought one of the Mettles this fall when they went on sale for $30. I put it on an extra 6' 6" M/F casting rod I had in the garage just with the intention of using it anytime I'm bank fishing or just need an extra multipurpose rod in the boat. I've been amazed how far that reel cast and how easy it was to dial in. It does feel "cheaper" but I've caught some good fish with it and put it through some pretty good abuse and other than some scuffs it's still going strong. Heck, I figured if it makes it for a year I've got my monies worth out of it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if I needed it. Would probably be a great starter casting reel for someone too.

No idea how it is this time of year, I've always fished it in the spring and summer. It's fairly deep for small lake, but most of the fish seem to be in the 2-15 foot range depending on time of year and water temp. Anytime I've been there the water is fairly stained and often muddier towards the backs of the coves. Pretty much all wood cover with some weeds and riprap. Unfortunately it's about 3 hours one way for me so I don't get out there as often as I'd like.

If you haven't tried them yet you should try the Lucky Craft Spazz. It's a little more slender than a 78 pointer but it's also a little longer and runs a little shallower with a very wide, slashing action. I bought one before our last trip to the White and that one bait was the only one the browns would touch. It only has 2 trebles also so that much less to worry about tearing the fish up.

I hooked the biggest bass I've ever seen on one of my first trips to Hazel, bigger than anything I saw on either of my trips to Mexico even. I was fishing the edge of some deep trees with a beaver bait out of a 16' john boat. When I set the hook I was positive it was a big muskie or catfish because it spun the whole boat around and started towing it towards deeper water. When I saw the enormous green side and white belly my knees went weak. As soon as I saw her, she made a mad dash back for the trees and I put too much heat on her and straightened a 5/0 EWG worm hook. I don't know that it would have beat the state record but was certainly over 10 and I would have guessed somewhere in the 11-12 pound range but it could have been more considering how few fish over 8, let alone 10, that I've caught in my lifetime. The big bass are certainly in there too. We caught several the same trip we caught those muskies.

I have the 7' 8" Mojo "Big Crankster" best deep cranking rod I've ever owned.

I've fished it a few times for Muskie and a few for bass. It's a fun lake but at 500+ acres it's pushing the limits for an electric motor only lake, especially if the wind blows. No camping anywhere on the lake, we usually stay at one of the hotels in Kirksville. In the 3 times I've fished it for muskie I caught 2, one was 34" on a big spinnerbait in the timber, the other was 11" on a crappie jig. Then last year my brother in law and I went out there for 3 days to fish for bass, best 3 days of muskie fishing I could ever imagine with 9 coming to the boat in 3 days with a few more follows and missed strikes. Didn't take pictures of a couple of the smallest ones.

I'll ship it, or I'll be in Warsaw next weekend the 28th and 29th

I bought one Vision 110 before Luck E Strike came out with the RC Stix. I got the Pro Blue and have caught some fish on it but haven't had any days I felt like it produced significantly better. I have been outfished by my buddy in the back of my boat throwing the same color RC Stix on Grand though. The French Pearl RC is a killer on the smallmouth on a local lake. I know the 110 is a proven bait and I'm sure the real jerkbait guru's could kick my butt up and down the bank with one most days, but myself personally I just can't justify a $25 bait when such a close copy of it is there for $8. I'd be more than willing to trade my 110 for 3 RC Stix.

Milford?

At $50-$80 a pop you may want to consider something a little heavier than 15 I was fishing mine on 30lb Maxima Thursday.

All those fish are from lakes near me in northeast Kansas. If you're willing to spend the money I would really suggest trying a Bull Shad. I fished a 5" Bull Shad on one of our local smallmouth lakes yesterday and was very happy with the results.

I watched more than one power boat pass in between a fisherman and the bank last week around the dam. I think all the boats were drop shotting so maybe didn't bother them much other than boat control. It becomes a big problem in my little boat, one big wake and I'm in a bad spot in a hurry, and of course you don't usually get just one single wake. I agree with the cigarette boat owner/operators being the worst. If brain cells were money those folks couldn't buy a cold can of Coke. I think to own/operate boats with that much power the boating safety courses should be mandatory. I had to take one to run my little 16' aluminum with a 60hp just because of my age, seems like it would be a good idea for them to have one too.

I like the Slammer because it attracts all sizes of fish, not just monsters. Makes it easier to keep throwing when you're getting action on the bait and not just hoping for one bite.

2007 Lowe Roughneck 1652 VPT with a 2006 Mercury 60hp 4 stroke. 24V 70lb thrust Minn Kota Maxxum, aerated livewell, Lowrance X125 and LMS 522clr with navionics chip, front pedastal seat, 2 sealed AGM Bass Pro group 27 deep cycle trolling batteries, trailer tires less than 6 months old. Both motors work very well, trolling batteries last all day no problem. Runs about 31mph on smooth water empty, 27-28 loaded. $5,000 located in Gardner, KS

Lots of swimbaits are fished along the surface like a wakebait. The Slammer can also be cranked down to a couple feet below the surface and will catch fish like that also, especially in dock slips. I've had some success with a 6" Huddleston but I haven't ever tried anything larger than that in a soft bait. I wish I would have thrown a Bull Shad down there last time but I didn't even think about it.

If they'll hit a redfin they'll hit a MS Slammer. Conditions weren't quite right for them to take it when I was down last week but had lots of followers on it. I wasn't throwing a big one though, just a 7 incher in the hitch color. Fish them in the same places and the same way you fish a redfin and you'll get bit. I probably should have fished a 9 incher and might have gotten a couple of them to commit. The abundance of smaller baitfish kept me fishing the smaller bait though.

All my fish were shallow for Table Rock in August. I think most of them were in less than 25' of water with lots of my keepers coming out of the back of small pockets in just a couple feet of water. The first night a Zoom Mag II worm in plum apple was best. Next morning a bone colored super spook jr was doing the trick along with a couple more on the worm.

I thought that myself but had never heard of it happening. After looking around a little I did find that on occasion they may hybridize. I have no idea how you could tell other than DNA testing the fish though. It certainly looked like it could be a mix of both. I'm not familiar enough with the lake to know what mile marker I was near. It was the point almost straight to the south of the State Park Ramp and the Branson Belle is moored behind me in the picture. It was actually off the backside of one of the docks, holding just below the cable.

The wife and I were on Table Rock Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon this past week. We camped at Aunt's Creek for the first night then stayed at a place in Branson Monday night. Fishing was pretty good around Aunt's Creek. We fished for about 2 hours Sunday night and I got on a pretty decent worm bite on any standing tree or laydown I could find and a couple in bushes. I had a fat 15" spot, 16" largemouth, then an 18" largemouth that was 3 even off the same tree. Capped off the evening and a small limit with one of the best colored largemouths I've ever seen. Thought it was a spot or meanie at first but after checking the tongue and the jawline it was indeed a largemouth, also off the worm. Next morning they were eating a Super spook Jr everywhere in shallow water and continued to eat up right up until we left at noon. It was a blast watching them in a couple feet of water come shooting out of the bushes to hit my bait. No monsters but another small limit of fish. You can tell how high the sun was in this picture and they were still eating it good. The dam was tough. One skinny 20" fish on a H20 walking bait was the only one even worth mentioning.