MrGiggles

Went again tonight. Lots of boats out this time. Worked a jig and crawler again. 20" eye and a channel cat. Only brought a few crawlers with me. In the last photo of my graph you can see how I work the jig Just sort of hop it on the bottom, pulling it up a few inches. I have also had luck casting a short distance and hopping it back to the boat. Went to trolling after, had 3 crappie and a drum. Big sucker. Seems like the fish are pretty scattered. I apologize for spreading the pics over several posts. It's the only way to work with the size limit.

Many of the various campground offices sell and renew them. The main office sells them. You can call and have one mailed as well. If you fish a lot, it pays for itself pretty quickly. I use the ramp for free 11 months out of the year, since I try to go a couple times per week.

One of the many benefits to having that annual pass hanging from the rear-view.

I gave it a shot last night out of Crabtree. Ramp is totally submerged with very little slope, thankfully my trailer is pretty low, but I still had to get my feet wet. A darn shame, I know. Worked a jig and crawler for a little while as well, with no walleyes to show for it. Went to trolling afterward, caught a decent crappie right away. Then went over to a submerged island with some trees/brush on it. Trolled the proximity and ended with 2 more crappie, two walleyes (one keeper), and a LMB. If you could get a bait down in those trees without getting hung up, I think a guy could do pretty well. They were loaded with fish. I was short on time and didn't want to deviate from what was working. Hoping to go again tonight or tomorrow.

It's certainly a good idea. Times like last night where I had the lake to myself, testing fresh engine repairs always concern me. Don't know if my troller would make it several miles back to the ramp after an afternoon of fishing.

Masters and Cedar Ridge.

I will agree that it is probably one of the most boring ways to get them in the boat. But under certain conditions, it's also just about the only way to get them in the boat. I pull crankbaits, because I usually end up with a bonus walleye or two, and often many other species. Keeps it exciting for me. Blues, flatheads, channels, drum, gar, all species of bass, bluegill, you name it. No planers, three rods is pretty much maximum for me if running solo. Two straight back off the transom, one out of the side. Keep them 4ft apart to avoid tangles. I use snap weights and lead core as summer progresses.

I've came to the same conclusion. Have always used 87 pump gas in all my OPE, never had a problem. Even stuff that sits forever starts up just fine. I never drain gas out of the mower in the winter.

Crabtree, Masters, and Cedar Ridge are the ones that I know are usable.

Figured I would give it a shot tonight, avoid the crowds and rain this weekend. Trolling was slow. Had two crappie and a few short bass. Nothing spectacular, for sure not as good as it has been. Worked a jig and crawler for a little while and caught a couple of big drum, and a 14" walleye. There was a lot of debris back in coves, but the water was still pretty clear in the main lake. Crabtree is open, they have pulled the dock and the ramp is totally underwater, but you can still float a boat there. Water temps still high 60s.

I don't really fish for them, just catch a few here and there on accident, so I'm not the one to ask. I believe the fish that are seen hitting the surface are whites. I imagine casting a jerkbait, swimbait, roostertail, etc. would work pretty well. Letting out half as much line with the same baits you use for crappie would probably work just about as good, so they run around 10' deep.

From what I've seen, they are higher up in the water column, from the surface to 8 feet down or so. I'm usually trolling 15-17 feet down. I have caught them on cranks, but it's usually while making a turn, retrieving, or doing something else to make my baits run higher up.

Anyone know where to access ramp closures?

Do you ever see these fish on the graph, or is it just a try and see approach?

I have only used them one afternoon, so I cannot say if they work any better than solids. Only that they do indeed catch fish. I will say that the Pro series with holographic slick patterns have been working better.

Went tonight, caught a half limit of nice 11-13" crappie. Two short walleyes, a few whites, and a largemouth. The flicker shad pro series, and jointed in slick firetiger have been working the best for me, although regular firetiger was working as well.

I don't know, I've been catching females that are still packed with orange eggs, and males that are pretty black. Some females with no eggs as well. With water temps creeping into the 70s, I'd say the spawn has to be about over with. They may have only been spawning at night, or deeper than normal because of the clear water. I have not seen many reports that showed a shallow bite, nor have I caught any shallow.

I was wondering if this had something to do with it. Been pretty bright at night, with a full moon coming on the 18th.

20ft in the back of coves. Walleye were the same, but they sure weren't in the same places that they were on Sunday. My cranks were running 15-17ft down.

It's not unusual for a 2 stroke to drool a little bit of oil. But I've only ever seen it drip out of the lower unit, or through the prop hub. Usually it'll be blue, or whatever color the oil is.

Had a couple spare hours so I went down over to Crabtree for a couple hours. Crappie were cooperating. Firetiger was the ticket once again. No walleyes though, not sure where they went.

Try going 50ft ahead of the bait. Unless you're trolling in >50 fow, you should be able to pull up enough line to unclip the weight and use a plug knocker. I don't have much experience with them, the clips that I have are a terrible design, but I followed the 50/50 method, let 50 feet of line out, attach weight, let out another 50 feet. I'm going to get some better snaps, in hopes that it'll be a little less aggravating than lead core.

I usually have the best luck from now till mid October. Once the water dips below 60 it's pretty well over with.

1.5-2.5 mph typically. Speed has a much greater impact on depth if you are using weights of any kind, be it lead core, snap weights, etc. In that case, the slower you go, the deeper. Otherwise, within the speed window above, depth will not change much. I also use metered Fireline or braid, with a short mono leader.

Every once in a while I would run through a cluster like that, and maybe pull a crappie out of it. Once the cloud cover went away in the afternoon, the crappie bite seemed to diminish.