Dam Area Weekend Report

[abkeenan]

Was able to get down and wet a line for two days in the mornings. Fish were surprisingly shallow. Caught fish from 1 foot out to around 17ish. Had committed myself to cranking ONLY this trip and only took 5 rods out: 3 crankers of various depths, 1 dub plop and a jig. Brother popped 2 smallies right off the bat on Sat morning on the jig in about 5 feet on a gravel flat. Proceeded to catch handful on a crank and bro with the occasional jig fish. I caught one dink on the dub plop on quite a few casts with it. Tried the DP back in a pocket on a secondary point loaded with timber. Weaved it in and out of the wood and didn't get a sniff. Figured I might call one up....no dice. Fished until noon or so with a lot of 10-14 smallies. Only had 2 keepers with one nice 3lb largie that came on a deep crank.

Had I burned more gas and fished all day could have caught a BUNCH cranking but had to get back to the house for family time on the toon the rest of the day.  Couldn't get much love deeper on the gravel stuff. Not much on ledge rock either. Mixed chunk rock 45 degree'ish banks seemed to be best. Main lake was better than back in pockets or creeks for us.

Fished Sat night only for about 90 min from 1130pm-1am with a jig. Only mustered 1 dink and swung and missed on a nice "thump" jig bite.

Sunday morning took my wife, dad and 3 year old fishing and caught a bunch of the same dink smallies. Couple on the ned. Couple dragging a crawler. Nothing too exciting. Caught a bunch of "black perch" (green sunfish) up shallow on a tiny spinner/tube combo with quite a few 6-12 inch smallie mixed in. Good trip all in all. Weather was glorious.

They want moving stuff right now IMO. Champ...where ya at? Didn't try a fluke, keitech or that kinda stuff up shallow but I'm sure it would work rather well. Like I said I just committed to grinding the lips off a crank. Had a good time doing it.

Lot's of fishing boats out there and just about every main lake point was covered up. Had 2 jerks just completely cut me off going down banks. I guess it's just standard procedure going forward and seems to get worse ever year.

 

Bro with a couple of nice small jaws

 

Crank Fish

 

Black Perch on Black Perch crime

 

[Quillback]

I am going to start doing that this fall, only have some cranking stuff in the boat and force myself to fish cranks. 

[m&m]

Abk, thanks for the report. I was down this past weekend but had too many projects to do so I did not get out. I did manage to set up my rods for next weekend though. Deep crank, square bill and a bone colored deep jerk bait.  I too think it will be cranking time soon.  I also have the usual go to things tied on. 2 kinds of Ned, fb jig, db WP, frog. 

I will be around the dam area too. Hopefully I can get bit. 

Mike

[Champ188]

Good job, abk. Nice to hear the winding bite is picking up. With the lake low and the fish more accessible, it may be a prime fall for cranking and blading.

I saw some pretty poor behavior uplake this weekend and have a hunch some of it came from the OMTT boys. And you're right, it's only going to get worse ... especially if everyone just shakes their head and goes on without calling their hand on it.

[abkeenan]

12 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

Good job, abk. Nice to hear the winding bite is picking up. With the lake low and the fish more accessible, it may be a prime fall for cranking and blading.

I saw some pretty poor behavior uplake this weekend and have a hunch some of it came from the OMTT boys. And you're right, it's only going to get worse if everyone just shakes their head and goes on without calling their hand on it.

The first time was 100% tournament guys. Just didn't give a rip. The 2nd instance the idiot followed me back idling to said secondary point with wood on it. I thought surely this guy is going to pull into a slip in one of these 3 docks......there isn't enough room back here for 2 boats. Nope. Moron just starts off 40 yards on the right side of this pocket (the way I had intended to go) and makes his way to me on the small secondary point. Then asks me "You guys having any luck?". I responded NOPE without even turning around to look at them 15 feet behind my boat. Brother after they had passed had the great idea that we should have our butt cheeks hanging out as they trolled by us. Squandered opportunity.

[abkeenan]

43 minutes ago, m&m said:

Abk, thanks for the report. I was down this past weekend but had too many projects to do so I did not get out. I did manage to set up my rods for next weekend though. Deep crank, square bill and a bone colored deep jerk bait.  I too think it will be cranking time soon.  I also have the usual go to things tied on. 2 kinds of Ned, fb jig, db WP, frog. 

I will be around the dam area too. Hopefully I can get bit. 

Mike

You should do well on those 3.

[176champion]

Thanks for the report....

[Nitro 750]

Abk thanks for the report, nice fish

[Codywskeeter1521]

Thanks for the report and pictures. 

[bobby b.]

11 hours ago, abkeenan said:

The first time was 100% tournament guys. Just didn't give a rip. The 2nd instance the idiot followed me back idling to said secondary point with wood on it. I thought surely this guy is going to pull into a slip in one of these 3 docks......there isn't enough room back here for 2 boats. Nope. Moron just starts off 40 yards on the right side of this pocket (the way I had intended to go) and makes his way to me on the small secondary point. Then asks me "You guys having any luck?". I responded NOPE without even turning around to look at them 15 feet behind my boat. Brother after they had passed had the great idea that we should have our butt cheeks hanging out as they trolled by us. Squandered opportunity.

I tell them how I feel about it - if I don't they will never know - my wife thinks I'm rude when I do that and some day I'll get my old butt kicked - I don't expect a behavior change but just maybe some day if they hear it enough, the light bulb will go on but either way I've expressed myself.