Cabin fever challenge

  • Thread starter Rich D [IMG]http://www.zjstech.net/~library/1644/l
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Rich D

Rich D

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O.k. boys and girls, since cabin fever is running rampant, I borrowed an idea from another board to keep everyone sharp.



Below is a jpeg of a reservoir I frequent for Muskie. It also contains walleye, yellow perch, crappie and a small population of bass. For this exercise, let's assume the bass population is good.



There are sparse weeds in the main lake, with the predominant weed growth in the eastern bay and a beach area dead center of the southern shore. Clarity is normally 3-4 feet.



Let's say it is July, 3rd day of a high pressure system, blue skies, 85 degrees air temp, no wind and water temp of 78 degrees.



Where are the fish?
lake.jpg
 
That's too easy.



In the water silly. :)



The 20 foot hole by the auto bridge.
 
I'm guessing you have a tourney there that day and need some help???
 
south and east of the middle of the lake right in the weeds your describe, I see there is a drop off 30 to 20 feet their . I could see muskies hanging in the area to warmup and chase bait fish.



Choice of bait a rapala jointed float the biggest on hj-13 with a bucktail on it, or rapala husky jerk with a bucktail on it and last a mepps muskie tail..
 
I'm gonna start in the 3 coves with sharp drop-offs. One on the north side just east of the damn; the second is immediately across the lake on the south side; third is on the south side just west of the bridge.



I'll use deep diving cranks, c-rigged worms/lizards or heavy spinners and fish the edges and into the deep drop-offs.
 
and my real response:



first place I would look would be the weedbeds and bluff walls.



Since the water temp is not to high, I would also look for submerged timber.



Lastly, since it is mid summer, and a high pressure (blue bird you said), I would probably look for the fish in low light (dusk/dawn/overnite) and if I were fishing during the day, I would think the afternoon/evening bite would be better.
 
Hey David...you stole my thunder.



Actually I agree, they would be in the water and not in my boat...someone else might find them left (west?) of the bridge on the downward slope between the 20-30' marks.
 
With no wind,I would take advantage of it and flip/pitch the thick weeds in the eastern bay.Maybe a tube with a 1/2 weight to get it down quick.No messing around,pitch it in,look for a reaction strike and move to the next spot.I like to cover alot of water when the bite is tough,I don't have the patience to sit on top of a fish till I get bit.

High noon on bright sunny days,I have also have had good days with a buzz bait.They can get a good reaction when the fish are shut down.



I may also come home without a single bite.



Steve
 
To clear this up, I mostly muskie fish and rarely fish for bass especially on this lake. It has too small a population of bass for any tournament. Just an exercise to keep us sharp and share opinions.



Rich D
 
Sorry Steve,



They wouldn't be in my boat either.



Where would muskies be? Do they go deep in summer?
 
Being July with sunny skies and 85 degrees,the place to fish might be near the beach.

If the fishin' stinks,at least give yourself something pretty to look at.
 
Norther shore on the Western end of the lake where the major creek appears to dump into the lake. It's summer, and there is a great drop that buffers between the large flat, and deeper water. It's the summertime, so they should be in deeper water, with good shallow water feeding access nearby.



I'm going to fish the drop/ledge actively (looking for where they might be stacked up), while I probe the shallows also, when they come up to feed. Dropshot along the ledge, and shallow running crankbait in the shallows. Throw a finesse worm to any standing cover.



Since it's summer, and it's really shallow on the eastern end of the lake, don't think they will really be there.



Tex
 
In similar conditions I have caught muskies suspended over the sharp breaks along the north shore either by trolling or casting shallow and bringing the bait down the drop.
 
Easy, South East cove out from dam with sharp drop, looks like fresh water source and weeds nearby. That's where I'd start. Then I'd work my way up the drop and get a depth...Then I'd go looking for cover near drops and/or weeds (cover is cover)...David, you gotta wean yourself off those bridge pilings man.....You been fishin the canals tooooo long!!LOL



TOXIC



Oh, yeah, I'd probably get me some of those muskie with that pattern too.
 
Do Muskies act like pike? I've caught a few on a lake in RI. They were always in the weeds about 3inches from shore in 3 inches of water. I'd twitch a floating rapala and they would come BLASTING out of the weeds at the lure. (I needed more than a Toxic Freedom Pad for those episodes!)



Toxic, I am too green of a bass fisherman. I catch just about all of my big ones just off the dock. Opps! I gave away my honey hole! You will have to take me out and show me how to fish for the big ones.



david......
 
Dave,



Pike and muskies behave completely different. Small to medium pike are fairly easy to catch all summer long, they stick to good weed cover and will stay shallow. Big Pike go deep in summer.



Rich D
 
I would fish the weeds with a plastic worm. If i could find weeds with other cover like rocks or a drop off in them id bet the bass would be there.
 
Fish are in school during the day....how easy is that.
 
ok, i have learned do not fish where me! does because i will end up with dinks.



i do have a question about fishing deeper with something like a husky jerk. alot of lures are rated 6 to 8 feet. even the big lips are usually 10 to 12 maybe. if i wanted to fish a husky jerk or a jointed rapala in 20-30 feet of water in a specific spot, how the heck do you get the lure down there?
 
Don't fish with jerks...it makes for a long day.



Especially the husy ones..
 
Teri,



You can catch smallmouths with jerkbaits near the surface in water depths to 40 feet. I never would have known that had I not fished with Rob for smallies on Champlain one day. The smallies were coming up and nailing our jerkbaits - hard and soft. Have never caught largemouths though using the same methods.



Bob G.
 
A buddy and I were catching smallies over 35 feet of water one day by using a senko like a jerkbait just under the surface.It made for some pretty impressive strikes seeing them come up from the deep and hammer the bait.



Come on SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Ok, take Rat-L-Traps for instance. You cast them out and let them fall (I usually count, 1 second per foot). By the time is reaches the depth you want, isn't it practically under the boat and you would just reel is straight up??? As you can tell, I do most of my fishing in 10-15 or less cause I just aint figured it out. I tried Rat-L-Traps and 1/2 ounce spinners (as suggested) and tried to let them sink and never got a bite.
 
Teri -



At our first rally in 2001, Rich gave me a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap..... Since then, that style has become one of my favorite baits in deeper water and sharp/verticle drop offs.
 
Based on the time of the year and cond. you give, Im going to go to the main lake points that have a shrpe drop off and have grass and submerged structer (logs, branches,ect. ect). I would fish a top water early then go to the carolina rig when the fish start to feed, if the bite is tough and the fish are hanging close too the structer then i would pitch a jig. I am basing this on a lot of pressure because of the date

forgive the spelling, look at the time and you will understand why
 
If you want to get a husky jerk deeper than 15 ft, make sure it is a deep down husky jerk; and second purchase a weight kit for stick baits I got my last one as BSP. Adding a small weight under the lip can easily add an extra 3-5 ft.

Thanks

X



BSP Sell the Suspendots
 
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