Big M area, 5/10

[Quillback]

 

Out early on the lake again today, the bass aren't in as thick in the top water spot as they were the last couple of trips.  More of a sporadic, scattered bite, spent some time moving around on the trolling motor and moving to a couple of different locations.  Did get some top water fish, and one of the was a 4.5 lb. LM on the Havana.  Caught a few on the buck tail jig, threw the buck tail around when the fish would stop busting top water shad.  Fish are just scattered over deep water, when you can get on them they'll bite, but they keep moving so it is tough to stay on them.

Caught some Ned fish, c-rig fish, and one on a wobblehead.  Never could get a good thin going on anything, just kept fishing different stuff and I'd pick one up here and there.

Hooked a walleye that got off at the boat on a 5XD.  He was a good one, 5lbs. maybe.  Hooked what looked to be about a 3lb. smallie on the Havana, he jumped about 3 feet in the air and threw it.  When I looked at the lure, that fish had somehow managed to detach the front treble and take it with him.   Lost a good spot at the boat that I bet would've gone at least 3 lbs.  He went airborn and threw the buck tail.  One of those days.

 

The daily mean mouth:

 

[Bill Babler]

Quite a day up there Jeff.  Glad you did well.  Would have came over, but thought you might have had a top water deal going and did  not want to run thru any fish.

I started out of the Knob at 6 AM on the dot and did have a good top water bite for about an hour.  Kind of went dead for 30 minutes and then they blew up right in the middle of the lake.  I told my clients they were White's, but got to looking and they were all LM, K's and Jaws.  They stayed up in 150 ft. of water for about 30 minutes, just stayed and stayed.  We caught them great on a small WP and cannot tell you how many that blew up and we missed, or they jumped it off.  We had some fish jump 4 times, it was super crazy.  While the clients were casting at the chasers, I was using a white war eagle jigging spoon when I could and was catching them right under the boat.  Charlene caught a 4.5 pound LM and a 3.5 Jaw, right in the friggin middle of the lake.  Mike had a huge LM spit the plopper right back at him.  We guessed over 5 as we saw it on 3 jumps before it shook out the bait.

Lots of these fish were just full of eggs, some had spawned but most were just now getting ready to get started.  Surface temp at Shell Knob was 65 to 68 degree and really a very nice color with visibility to approx. 8 to 10 ft.

Question.  Is Viney open?  The guard shack has its motor home, the park is mowed and there is a ground crew running around in golf carts.  I was down there early last week, and the grass was unmowed and there was no one around.

What ever the deal, the White River is fishing pretty good.  We only threw top water and swam 3.2 to 3.8 inch Keitech's and really outside the 30 minutes of quiet time early never went but a few minutes without a nip.

 

[dtrs5kprs]

Out of curiosity... Is anyone seeing brown fish chasing in the guts of the pockets? I've always used that as a sort of spawn progression marker. Haven't heard a thing about it yet.

[Bill Babler]

There is a pretty nice size pocket up the White that I'm catching some super brown fish out of.  They have been in there for at least 3 weeks.  I am setting my boat at the mouth of the pocket and rocket casting a 3.8 inch Kietech in GP, just launching it up the middle of the pocket.  It never hits the bottom, and I'm guessing its 15' in the middle.  Usually can catch 6 to 10 out of it and they all look like they are about to explode.  Have not seen them chasing, but they were there again today.  I threw way up there for my lady today and she caught 3 out of it up to 3 pounds, all the same deal, prespawn.

I'm fishing a 2500 Stradic spooled with 6 pound Maxi on a 7' Falcon CS-4-17M.  When you throw a 3.8 Keitech with a 1/4 oz. head you can launch it so far you can see the spool threw the line and I have these reels spooled completely full to the max.  Don't know the distance, but it is truly amazing.  My client today said he has never seen a cast thrown that far.  As soon as I throw it I pick up all the slack to the bait and let it drop on a tight line.  They seem to catch it at about a 6 to 10 count. Then, with all that line out we see how good you are at keeping them on.

Its a real tester.

Good Luck

[Quillback]

I have not put a brown fish in the boat lately.  Had a couple come off that I think were brown.

[Bill Babler]

7 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I have not put a brown fish in the boat lately.  Had a couple come off that I think were brown.

Your fishing the wrong water.  Move the boat out to 150' and throw top water in front of the cove mouths when they start blowing shad.

[dtrs5kprs]

You need a 7'6" spin stick so you can get all the way to the knot. .

[Quillback]

I sure would like to get out there again tomorrow, but I have to take the dog to the vet, Thursday I have a dentist apt, so I hope to get out there again Friday.  Hopefully Babler hasn't sore mouthed them all by then.

[Bill Babler]

Beck is going to help me tomorrow  so there will be a war zone.  All locals and any low flying aircraft should beware, there will be hardware in the breeze.

Not really, every boat we saw besides Quill today was dragging their skag in the rocks.  We had a surreal number today and I could never have landed a bait within at least 5 throws of the bank besides fishing that SM pocket.  Even when they were not blowing we were fishing WAY OUT.

Lots and lots of fish setting at 15' to 20 ft. off the cove mouths over 50' to 70'.  These fish are staging waiting to either move in or out.  It is a complete mix of pre and post spawn.

Good Luck, try something New tomorrow.

[merc1997 Bo]

2 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Your fishing the wrong water.  Move the boat out to 150' and throw top water in front of the cove mouths when they start blowing shad.

bill

quill might have a bit of a problem finding 150 ft. of water around big m.  you are not trying to lead him astray are you??.

bo