Trip 11/25

[James Prisk]

Launched from Cedar Ridge ~8 and headed north. Fished Maze creek and wind was strong enough we couldn't fish anything slow so we worked crankbaits and spinners. No fish on spinners 2 blacks on SR5. Moved to cove across lake from state park marina ~9. Had 12 keeper blacks, 3 good whites, 3 14" browns, and 10 short blacks. All caught 1'-6' and most less than 3' deep. White belly with green back. white/Chart, baby bass, lime... SR5, flicker shad, fat free fry, bandit... any crainkbait worked just as well as the other but for some reason they only wanted white belly and greenish back. Dang, no walleye.

Have to say that Mottled Sculpin, you are not alone when having to deal with jerks. After our 4th fish in 2 min and about 100 yards from the point we were working towards, a guy blasts in from main lake to the same bank and wakes the point. He lowers the trolling motor and starts our way. Not sure how you have the amazing ability to keep composed but I couldn't. After reading your post, I was on the fence about the right thing and not letting someone treat others like they did you. Needless to say, he turned his boat around and headed the other way and blasted off after 2 or 3 min. I'm not sure why one would think its ok to try and root anyone else out of a place they are fishing (there is an entire lake with 25K acres to fish!), but I let it be known that I am not ok with it. Would've handled the situation completely different had the guy slowly motored up to us and asked what we were using and if we minded if he came in to fish behind us. Heck, I would've given the guy one of our baits and told him where we caught others... After this, we caught 2 limits of blacks with no more problems from guys like that. It was a great day!

[HYDE]

the only problem i got is with some of the bass tourny guys...i am one also but i/we never cut any one off or crowd some one... some of these guys think they own the lake whether they are prefishing or fishing a tourny. i have run into this many times i.e. right after take off times or an hour before weight in. since dad and grandpa were hard core tourny guys back in the 90s i generaly just give these guys there room, let them fish through cuz they aint going to be there long and they aint crappie fishing. i do get pissed enough to say something is when i do the right thing and then they set up and fish right beside you and then ask can you back off WE dont need the fish disturbed in OUR spot. guys need to learn if they come to a spot and someone else in to just move one...the problem is they dont have enough spots with fish and they become rude. i have also learned that you have to become territorial during the spring spawn also after afew good keeper crappie if your not careful you wont even have room to cast. rant over

[straw hat]

You guys are right on. You talk about your family members who were tourney guys...well, I fish my first tourney in the late 60's out of one of the old bathtub shaped Rangers. lol By the mid-70's the tourneys were so crowded that cutting people off and crowding them was common. They had rules against fishing within 100' of another boat but the rules weren't enforced. I gave up fishing them at that time.

The wife and I have become pros at hiding our fish when we catch them. Like HYDE said, if people see you catching fish you will not be alone long.

I think I just saw a few flakes of snow. Depressing.

[Walcrabass]

Launched from Cedar Ridge ~8 and headed north. Fished Maze creek and wind was strong enough we couldn't fish anything slow so we worked crankbaits and spinners. No fish on spinners 2 blacks on SR5. Moved to cove across lake from state park marina ~9. Had 12 keeper blacks, 3 good whites, 3 14" browns, and 10 short blacks. All caught 1'-6' and most less than 3' deep. White belly with green back. white/Chart, baby bass, lime... SR5, flicker shad, fat free fry, bandit... any crainkbait worked just as well as the other but for some reason they only wanted white belly and greenish back. Dang, no walleye.

Have to say that Mottled Sculpin, you are not alone when having to deal with jerks. After our 4th fish in 2 min and about 100 yards from the point we were working towards, a guy blasts in from main lake to the same bank and wakes the point. He lowers the trolling motor and starts our way. Not sure how you have the amazing ability to keep composed but I couldn't. After reading your post, I was on the fence about the right thing and not letting someone treat others like they did you. Needless to say, he turned his boat around and headed the other way and blasted off after 2 or 3 min. I'm not sure why one would think its ok to try and root anyone else out of a place they are fishing (there is an entire lake with 25K acres to fish!), but I let it be known that I am not ok with it. Would've handled the situation completely different had the guy slowly motored up to us and asked what we were using and if we minded if he came in to fish behind us. Heck, I would've given the guy one of our baits and told him where we caught others... After this, we caught 2 limits of blacks with no more problems from guys like that. It was a great day!

[Walcrabass]

Glad to hear you did well. We went the other way and did not do so well. Fished with Suspending Rogues and Jigs. Caught a few on skirted Jigs and Craws and a few with Bare Heads and Craws. Did not get a hit on the Rogues. Tried twitching, pulling, and slow retrieve. Had white bellies but must have been too big. Wanted to fish the timber under 245 bridge but the wind was too much for us. All our fish were on wood. Congratulations on your trip, sorry you had to deal with BOZO BASSER!!!!