The Big M 01/26/2014

[Quillback]

Drug the tube around for a while today, still slow, caught 5 bass, a couple of 17" fish were my big ones. Wind started blowing pretty hard early in the afternoon and it was making it hard for me to drag that tube deep and keep it in contact with the bottom. Tried inside a few calm coves, but just can't get a bite on that water right now. The few I'm getting are still coming off steep chunk rock banks and deep timber.

Surface temps were 38 -42. Saw an air temp of 67 on my way out - that won't last for long.

This bass looks like someone dropped some black paint on his head.

Chunky spot

[dtrs5kprs]

Nicely done. And home in time to log some Tackle Warehouse time.

[Quillback]

Nicely done. And home in time to log some Tackle Warehouse time.

Yeah, I've been eyeballing those Lucky Craft Smash swim baits....must......resist......urge.......to .......purchase......

[Bill Babler]

Way better than me today. I just could not find them in the dam area. On the water at 7 off at 11. 1 big blue gill for me was the only bite I had. U G L Y

Main lake surface temp at 44.5 coves and creeks at 42. Saw a few dead shad floating, but no birds or fish around them.

Did see 17 deer swim the lake. Should have taken a pic, but they were really motoring.

[jay bird]

Had one on jerk bait and zero on a rig. Did see where someone had cleaned three bass with one decent one at the dock. Big m 2 to 5 today, may have even got a sunburn.

[Sore Thumbs]

Do you guys think that it's the cold water slowing the bite or the abundance of easy meals provided by the shad die off? I would think it's the later. If that's true, what techniques would work?

[fishingaddiction]

Thanks for the report QB. You had a good day. I haven't had a good day fishing in quiet some time. Keep draging that tube, you might smack that big one!

Thumbs: I don't have a clue why the fishing is so slow other than the cold water temps. I think you just have to be on the water at the right place, right time and the right technique/bait.

[Quillback]

Had one on jerk bait and zero on a rig. Did see where someone had cleaned three bass with one decent one at the dock. Big m 2 to 5 today, may have even got a sunburn.

I must have just missed you. I left right around 2 PM. Those filleted out fish have been there for over a week now.

[Quillback]

Do you guys think that it's the cold water slowing the bite or the abundance of easy meals provided by the shad die off? I would think it's the later. If that's true, what techniques would work?

I didn't see any shad, alive or dead, around the Big M. Didn't see any shad balls on the finder either. I did not go out and ping the deep water, it could be that's where the shad are.

[Sore Thumbs]

Man. I fished Beaver on Saturday and caught a 3lb LM. That was the only bite I got. I was not happy with just one fish. Guess I should have been thankful after seeing how tough it was on everyone else. I caught mine on a steep secondary point close to main lake on a DD Pointer. There are birds and baitfish all over the Prairie Creek area. No luck in there though.