Saturday's Upper End Report

[rps]

Because of the fog, I fished South of 86 this morning. Took 13 total on my spook, mixed LM and Spots. If even half of the fish that slapped at the bait had hooked up and stayed on, the total would be double. As it was, many of those I landed were barely hooked. Took some pictures. The first two fish were the largest off the spook. 17 and 18 inches. They came on consecutive casts from opposite ends of a sunken tree.

Around 9:30 I began to troll. The first fish I caught is the third bass picture. 19 inches.

I wound up catching two large crappie and a 20 inch walleye trolling.

All the trolling fish hit a silver diver at 18 feet in 18 to 22 feet of water.

[Mart]

Hey RPS,

You have got to be as close to a Spook expert as there is. Couple of questions for you on using the Spook on TR if I can. Do you prefer the full size Spook or the smaller Super Spook Jr, or any other model? Do you generally walk it quick and tight or slow and loose? Any patterns you prefer?

I have had most of my success this year in the Dam area on the Super Spook Jr and the Sammy, but interested in how others work the bait.

[rps]

I hardly consider myself an expert. I am merely addicted and persistent.

I prefer what the fish want. I do not mean to make fun of the question. I am serious. I usually guess what to try first based on past experience, reports, and intuition. Then I keep trying until I find something that works. One year seems to differ from another. Four or five years ago I fished all June and part of July with a Super Spook. Lots of big fish that year. The next summer, I couldn't buy a bite on any spook and wound up walking poppers. No it isn't easy, but yes you can do it.

In my kit right now, I have eight or nine spooks. They are about half and half originals and super spook juniors. They are all silver or white with accent colors. I lost my clear spook last month and haven't replaced it yet, but I will. If you look at the picture you will notice the silver/blue super spook junior. Also notice that the hooks are not original and I have added white and red feathers to the tail hook. I do that to all my spooks. I also often add gill slashes with red nail polish. I do the feathers and paint to make the bait different from what they see all the time. I do the hooks from superstition.

This year, I have had greater success with the junior. I think that is because of the great shad spawn last year and this. There are beau coup 3 inch shad in the lake.

I usually start each day with a cast, let it sit, twitch once or twice, and then start a medium steady retrieve. I add pauses, cadence changes, and speed changes until I find a pattern. The last couple of trips have been steady retrieve patterns for me, but I have had a number of hits on the first move after the cast.

The above is a long version of "that depends" and vagueness. Sorry, it is difficult to explain what I do with a spook. What is funny, I have fished with others and they do things very differently with great success.

Good luck.

[Mart]

Rps,

Thanks for the great response. I have really only started to work the Spook / Sammy hard this year and it is addicting. Also tiring. My forearms and wrist feel it after a full morning. You made the comment about other peoples style with the retrieve. A buddy and I went out with Eric Prey earlier this spring and he worked the spook very tight and fast. Carl and I commented afterwards that neither one of us felt we were coordinated enough to keep up the pace Eric had.

Hopefully I'll have some nice net shots from the lower end to post this weekend.

Thanks again.