Dam 5/10

[Alex Heitman]

Fished Friday with my dad. We caught around 30 with maybe half being keepers. I really thought it would be better. No topwater for us. Maybe the cold front knocked them down. I really thought we would hammer them and catch around 50 or more. We could not get on the smallmouth. We tried a little be deeper with Ned and Neko rig but no love. Most of them came shallow less than 10 and a bunch in the bushes. We tried all our go to smallmouth spots and ended up catching LM or spots in those locations. Caught some nice 2 1/2 lb fish but nothing really over 3 lbs. We still had a great day on the water but not what I was expecting. Morning bite was good but then we had a lull where the fish would just pick it up and drop it. Probably on beds but we would set the hook and they would come right unbuttoned. After the sun came out the bite picked up and we started just fishing flooded willows and bushes and produced a lot better. Most likely would have had a better day if we started doing that from the get go. No love on swimbait just a couple bumps. Here is a beautiful colored smallmouth my dad caught. This spot is usually stacked with them but only caught this one. 

[Quillback]

That is a really beautiful fish.  

[Champ188]

Alex, only a LM hammer like you would grumble about a 30-fish day with 15 keeps. I feel really bad for you. You must just be inconsolable. 😂😆

Look on the bright side … your deep crank bait bite is just around the corner, provided the lake level drops appropriately. 

[Bill Babler]

Most of the reason that there are not multiples on locations is just pressure.  Most everything, even secret spots has seen lots of attention, with the thousands of tournament boats we have had the last month.  I cannot remember the lake receiving this much attention on a continuing basis.

On another note I'd take that trip any day.

thanks

[Smithvillesteve]

Oh come on Bill!! There is guys on here that think all the pressure on this lake isnt hurting a dang thing!!

[Alex Heitman]

Don't get me wrong Champ and Bill, it was a great day on the water. Usually this time of year there is a window where you can flat catch 50-100 fish in a day and that's what we were expecting. For the last few years anyway we go about this exact time and hammer the smallmouth on the Ned and senkos with topwater. It just didn't happen this year. Those days we planned on fishing until from daylight until about 4 or 5 and stayed on the water until dark because they were biting so good. My dads back would hurt for a week haha. It was still a great day on Friday. Maybe like Bill said with so much pressure lately a lot of these fish are seeing lots of baits and being caught. 

I thought about busting out the deep crank this time but the bushes were just too good to pass up. It won't be long if they are not already starting on it. Maybe the MLF guys will try it but I think it will be hard for them to do with a lot of fish still up.