Couple Hours Over The Weekend

[catman70]

Got down to LOZ for a bit this past weekend. Had to mostly study for finals, but got out on the water from 5 to dark on Friday and Saturday. Here's what I found:

Bass are in the shallows and possibly on beds in 1 to 7' of water. Caught only one fish under 15" Friday - about 12 total - biggest about 3-4# @ 19". Saturday was not as productive, but I did fish the same water with the same bait. What bait? Well, figuring that out is part of the fun isn't it? I was using a crawdad imitation in a watermelon-seed green - about 5" on a 1/8 oz. jig. That color seemed to be more productive than a couple others I tried, but I think any bait that sticks on the bottom this time of year will at least get a reaction strike out of them. Oh, I was using 6lb line as well. I enjoy the extra fight even if it means retying after every fish.

So, hitting bass on the shore and, when motoring across a dock I'd throw a black and chartreuse 2" crappie jig on a 1/16 oz head. Let it sink for a 10-20 count and then slow-roll it back to the boat. Most of the crappie were under-sized, but did catch 3 nice slabs.

With the baitfish so abundant I took a casting net along with me and, when the opportunity presented itself, caught some shad for catfish bait. Mostly got my bait stole as I had to study most of the day, but did catch a 10# channel and got broke off by a much bigger fish on 20# line.

I'm in a cove off the main channel but very near the Gravois arm.

Hope this helps!

Tim

P.S. I've been advised to keep Kentucky bass as they out-compete the largemouth and don't get as big. Kentuckies have a rough spot on their tongue while largemouth do not. Feedback is welcome.

[405z06]

I fished Friday after the storm blew through, all day Saturday, and until about Noon on Sunday. We fished the coves off the main lake, primarily around the 25 MM (near Tan-Tar-A). I fished with my step father who has fished the lake his entire life and we could not buy a keeper-sized fish. All we could catch were 14 inch male bass.

It just goes to show that on a big lake, the (bigger) fish are biting somewhere. The locals in the area we were at told us that it peaked about 2 weeks ago.

And I'm not sure that the spotted bass is much of a threat to largemouth on a large reservoir as they are in streams in rivers.