Kim City - Feb 2, 2026 Swimbait around visible trees

[Dock-in-it]

With all the cold weather it has been a while since getting on the water. I did not know what to expect this morning but I was pleasantly surprised with what the fish were doing. I started on the main lake in 80ft with trees and limited shad. I found some suspended fish  schooled up in 80ft  (down about 50ft) but they were near impossible to catch with a vertical presentation. Then I noticed some loons working a stretch of bank with visible trees and the best trees were setting in 20-35ft. So I positioned my boat in 35ft and cast to the trees with a 2.8 Keitech and the fish were postured very near the surface. There were several LM in these trees and I would let the SB drop about 5-10ft down. These fish were postured just right for a jerkbait but I stayed with the SB. For me, the jerkbait is too time consuming --- you have to be extremely careful in unhooking the fish & net, so you waste a lot of valuable time in the short bite window. 

I did not see fish using the 20-35 FOW range prior to the extened cold snap. With the lake being down at least 6ft, I thought the fish would just stay over deep water.

Caught about 10 keeper LM and several nice K's.

I was around a lot of fish between 7-8:30AM, then by 9AM it was looking pretty empty. 

WT 45.3 to 45.6

 

 

[Bill Babler]

Nice I was wondering about the surface temps.  
thanks.