Date: April 13, 2017
Body of Water: Reeds Lake
Boat: Numenon
With: DC (partial)
Target: CIR Largemouth Bass
Time: 3:30 PM - 8 PM
Conditions: Overcast, with east winds 10-15 mph; 50 degrees F. Water was very high and cloudy, with about 2.5 feet of visibility. Water temps were up to 49.8 degrees F, but not rising today!
I arrived early, intent on searching new water with new tactics while waiting for friend, DC, to join me. A different crank-bait and a black/blue chatter-bait fished slowly through the productive types of weeds, from 5 to 10 feet of water produced nothing. I tucked tight to some reeds, thinking the warm, high and murky water might bring some fish into heavy cover; I soon pulled a chunky, 19.5-inch four-plus-pounder from less than 2 feet of water. I spent the next 45 minutes or so exploring some shallows in which Numenon has never before ventured. These waters showed some potential (lots of flipping targets!), but I didn't encounter any fish.
Having picked up DC from the dock (now installed!), we went directly to what has been my best area. While DC threw a spinnerbait or a chatter-bait, I worked my WarPig through the expected strike zone. We encountered nothing!
Now feeling some pressure from the clock, we went back to fishing some shallow cover. DC scored a smallish pike on an X-Rap jerk-bait, and he temporarily hooked up with a large bass. She got off, but she had revealed herself to be immediately adjacent to shoreline cover.
Continuing to concentrate on such targets, DC caught another smallish pike, and I caught another 19-inch bass on a parrot-colored Rapala crank (which is perhaps an old DT-6?)
I arrived early, intent on searching new water with new tactics while waiting for friend, DC, to join me. A different crank-bait and a black/blue chatter-bait fished slowly through the productive types of weeds, from 5 to 10 feet of water produced nothing. I tucked tight to some reeds, thinking the warm, high and murky water might bring some fish into heavy cover; I soon pulled a chunky, 19.5-inch four-plus-pounder from less than 2 feet of water. I spent the next 45 minutes or so exploring some shallows in which Numenon has never before ventured. These waters showed some potential (lots of flipping targets!), but I didn't encounter any fish.
 |
| A black and blue chatter-bait, crawled along reeds and adjacent cover in less than two feet of high, stained water, produced the day's biggest bass; 19.5 inches and over four pounds. |
Having picked up DC from the dock (now installed!), we went directly to what has been my best area. While DC threw a spinnerbait or a chatter-bait, I worked my WarPig through the expected strike zone. We encountered nothing!
Now feeling some pressure from the clock, we went back to fishing some shallow cover. DC scored a smallish pike on an X-Rap jerk-bait, and he temporarily hooked up with a large bass. She got off, but she had revealed herself to be immediately adjacent to shoreline cover.
Continuing to concentrate on such targets, DC caught another smallish pike, and I caught another 19-inch bass on a parrot-colored Rapala crank (which is perhaps an old DT-6?)
 |
| A couple of different baits stepped up to produce this day's bass. |
What do I have to say about this?
What a difference each trip makes! Reeds fished like a totally different lake under the conditions presented. Another pattern emerged for me; this will increase my confidence in throwing chatter-baits, especially in cold water. And this is useful; the Z-Man chatter-bait seemed to be immune to the filamentous algae; it glided through the slime with no ill effect. Finally, I am fairly amazed at the high average quality of the bass I've caught to date this season. I hope to continue riding this horse and learning how to keep catching them with some consistency.
What a difference each trip makes! Reeds fished like a totally different lake under the conditions presented. Another pattern emerged for me; this will increase my confidence in throwing chatter-baits, especially in cold water. And this is useful; the Z-Man chatter-bait seemed to be immune to the filamentous algae; it glided through the slime with no ill effect. Finally, I am fairly amazed at the high average quality of the bass I've caught to date this season. I hope to continue riding this horse and learning how to keep catching them with some consistency.
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