May 10, Big M area

[Bill Babler]

Buster Loving was out yesterday in the Baxter to point 10 area.  Fishing long runnout flat gravel ridges in 15 to 25 feet dragging either a GP Fish Dr. or a GP centipede he just hammered the K's with a few smalljaws.  Said he and his client had about 20 keepers and about 1/2 that many short fish.  Some were spawned out but most with really heavy bellies.

Lots of these fish were 17 plus inches.

There is a ton of flats between Baxter and Point 10, on both sides.  Look for the ridges on those flats in conjunction with the bigger spawning coves.  Once you find them pull the boat into about a depth of 10 to 15 feet and start slowly strolling out the ridge, dragging either a tube, ned or a split shot do nothing bait. They will also eat a GPO jig in the 3/8 to 1/2 oz. size   I'm either using a smally beaver or a small 2" Keitech creature bait as the trailer and just kind of dragging hopping it back.. If I'm fishing the tube or the ned, I'm fishing it on as much slack line as possible.  I prefer the ned as they don't swallow it like they will the tube.  Kind of twitch or bounce the bait and then pick up slack to the bait and they will be there.  On the split shot just dragging the 1/4 to 3/8th. oz. weight will create the slack.  If you lose the weight of the bait or the sinker, set the hook.  I'm using 8lb. test maxima completely to the hook on the pegged split shot rig and a size 1/0 Arron Martin Gama Worm Hook.

Buster said there were not do overs and they were not on every ridge so fish it and move on even if you catch several, keep moving and catching fresh fish.  

If your dragging this out a ridge drag to at least your boat in 35 ft. as you have to remember your bait is still probably only in 20 to 25 ft.  If you start seeing fish, you can switch if you wish and swim a small swim bait of your choice to them.  Let it fall to the bottom and then rather than reel, pull it back slowly picking up the slack as you do so keeping it in the same section of the water column as the fish you are seeing on the graph.  Casting distance is really important as with a long cast you can keep the bait in the desired depth a much longer period of time.

When fishing a swim bait one of the biggest problems for my clients are short casts.  A short cast and a fast retrieve does not allow your bait to preform at the level it needs to for the maximum amount of time to cover as much water as possible.  The longer your bait is in the same water column as the fish the better chance you have.

If I have a lady in the back and cast for her she will just smoke her husband that is in the front of the boat, simply because he is not casting far enough to keep his bait down in 15 plus feet of water and most usually reeling way to fast.  Especially if she is a 1/2 dozen fish up on him.  Guys will start reeling it like a coffee grinder and it just gets worse from there.

Ladies will do as you ask them 99.9% of the time if your not their husband.  Guys will follow instructions about 1/2 the time.

The best way to achieve distance in casting a spinning rod is not not look at the water. Look to the horizon or top of a tree line and use a 7' or plus rod spooled with no heaver than 6lb line regardless if it is carbon, mono or braid.  Fish the rod two handed and launch the cast at the horizon holding the rod in place pointing it's tip directly at the bait till the bait hits the water.  Pick up the loose slack and allow the bait to fall on a simi tight line till it either reaches the bottom or the desired depth you wish to present the lure.  Swim or work it slowly back to the boat rinse and repeat.

Tons of boats running in front of the Lodge this morning in the rain and cold.   Vernon and I ain't that mad at em.

Good Luck

[vernon]

Dang - that’s good stuff Bill. Thanks for such a detailed game plan! 

Gonna probably have to wait till tomorrow for us though as I don’t have an enclosed and heated cabin on the Ranger!

Man, it’s nasty out there!

Thanks again. 

[Quillback]

17 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

 

If I have a lady in the back and cast for her she will just smoke her husband that is in the front of the boat, simply because he is not casting far enough to keep his bait down in 15 plus feet of water and most usually reeling way to fast.  Especially if she is a 1/2 dozen fish up on him.  Guys will start reeling it like a coffee grinder and it just gets worse from there.

Ladies will do as you ask them 99.9% of the time if your not their husband.  Guys will follow instructions about 1/2 the time.

 

Great advice Mr. Babler.

Fishing with my buddy Ken last week and he was telling me about a couple of big fish his wife hooked on a Keitech off a gravel point on Beaver.  She was doing just what you said above, letting it fall to bottom and dragging it slooowwwwlly along.  Said she lost a really big bass at the boat and a really nice walleye, mostly due to the fact that she has little fishing experience and tried to lift them straight out of the water.  

 

[Bill Babler]

It's raining sideways and 42 degree here and there are just bass boats running a frenzy out in front of the Lodge.  I'm totally in shock as during some pretty nice weather there was very few out last week at times.

Don't care what kind of tough weather gear you have, your not staying dry out there today in this wind especially running in a bass boat at 50 plus mph.

I had to go put on another pot of coffee and warm up the chili just thinking about being out there.

[vernon]

49 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

It's raining sideways and 42 degree here and there are just bass boats running a frenzy out in front of the Lodge.  I'm totally in shock as during some pretty nice weather there was very few out last week at times.

Don't care what kind of tough weather gear you have, your not staying dry out there today in this wind especially running in a bass boat at 50 plus mph.

I had to go put on another pot of coffee and warm up the chili just thinking about being out there.

Between the rain, fog and blowing mist visibility is so bad we can’t even see um’ from here but them’s some tuff ol’ boys if you ask me. 

This “spring” trip is a highlight of our year and we’re dying to get out there but there just ain’t no way in this stuff. 

Hopefully, the remaining three days will enable us to salvage what’s left!

[vernon]

Kinda hard to get my head wrapped around the fact it’s supposed to be 75 and sunny twenty four hours from now! 🤞

[Quillback]

Yes, I am hoping this is the end of 50 degree 'highs' for a few months.  This time of year a guy should be able to step out onto his boat wearing nothing but flip-flops and a Speedo and be comfortable all day.

[liphunter]

Next week, if the forecast holds to some degree. Will be the polar opposite of this week. I am so ready for it. Should have the panoptix ready for it's maiden voyage. Looking forward to working with it. Been a busy spring with a lot of unfavorable weather. Haven't got out for a couple of weeks and we are out of fish. Ready to go!!!

[Basfis]

With the slime and so many fish on beds and cruising, my son and I did a little experiment. 
 

we put a small willow leaf on a swivel and an owner screw lock. Fought it into the tail of a z-man trd and fitted onto a light (less than 1/16?) head. He caught zero on a “normal” ned and umpteen on what we are calling a spinnerbutt. That light lazy thing got a lot of action. 
 

I’m sure it’s on here somewhere else, just a thought for you Vernon.