Friday Is Fishing Day

[MSUFisherBear]

Well... Seeing as I work the weekend and have the day off, it's time to load up the yak and head to Springfield. Gonna let the sun get out for a while before starting. I'll post results this evening.

[Kee sims]

Good luck!

[MSUFisherBear]

Well, a little late on typing the report, but here's what happened. Started the day throwing a wacky rigged Senko around brush. After failing to even secure a sniff, and judging by the nearly high bluebird skies, I decided to downsize to a two inch swim bait and pull it EXTREMLY slow. Right after switching I caught a chunky little female just outside of the Conservation center area. I ended the day with three. All together not bad considering how slow it was. But... It sure was a pretty day!

[luckycraft]

MSU, were you out the other day fishing with a buddy off Kayaks?

[MSUFisherBear]

Nope, I was a loner.

[WakenLake]

There has to be a better way to manage that lake to increase success rates on catches.

[MSUFisherBear]

There has to be a better way to manage that lake to increase success rates on catches.

Honestly, I usually do pretty good on this lake. Far and above the rates that I catch on Fellows. It would be nice for a little more variation in the fish (i.e. if the MDC would manage a little better for crappie), but there are really two things that I have noticed since I started fishing the lake. One, to be successful, you have to be willing to change it up. This is no-offense to any of the other anglers, and for all I know they do well, but when I see the majority of guys pitching jigs, fishing spinnerbaits or crankbaits, or tugging frogs around the lake, I go to the exact opposite. And I will sometimes change the color to something completely different. This may be just a confidence thing for me, but I do think that fish have a fair memory and do hold on to information like that for an extended period (only the good Lord knows exactly if that's true, and if so how long). The second thing that I have noticed is you have to look for the water in between. I see a lot of guys fish very specific areas, and for good reason. A laydown just underneath the water. A pocket in lilly pads, etc. However, I find that if I can distance myself and get away from where everyone eles has been beating the bank I find a little more success.

I did go out again this morning and did great on the senko again. Different day, different bait. I could go out this coming Sunday and slay 'em on a grub, or maybe a jointed shad-rap, or really have a slow day. I do think that the slow weather changes and the persistance of cool water has really got the fish and fisherman off timing. Typically by this time, I am starting to see more and more bass crusing the flats and shallower water. So far, in 3 trips over the past week, I've counted 5 (and all looked like little bucks). I have a tendancy to believe that we really are in a transition phase, and a good pattern hasn't set in yet.

[WakenLake]

There are crappies in the river. a guy by the screen name winkiedoodles seems to tear them to shreds in the videos he posts on youtube.

Lucky you. Senko fishing only comes second to top water in my book. Where they suckin them down?

[MSUFisherBear]

Yeah. I can't figure out why there aren't more tho. That lake has a healthy population of shad... There should be a LOT more crappie.

Ironically, all my fish on senkos have came towards the river portion. I've been doing well on the channel breaks all the way up and down the lake. The problem is, I can't see a consistent pattern from one day to the next.

[WakenLake]

I think it has A LOT to do with fishing pressure.