Date: 6-9-17
Body of Water: Crystal Lake (Benzie County)
Boat: Numenon
With: BL
Target: Smallmouth Bass
Time: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Conditions: Water was 63 degrees F and very clear. Weather was overcast, calm and 60 but becoming clear, bright windy and 85 degrees F. This was the day of the Full Moon and the bass were in full spawn mode.
My Cabela's buddy, DS, had been fishing this lake for a couple of days prior, and based on his reports, I arrived at the ramp with high expectations. We all convened at the ramp and DS advised me to start on the north side of the Lake. With BL aboard, we crossed the lake and went directly (fortuitously, although accidentally) to the finest collection of spawning bass on the lake, or that we would encounter for the rest of the weekend. A couple of dozen brown bass to trophy size offered an initially slow bite, but when I got the first one to eat a Canadian Craw Ned Rig after 10 minutes or so, this area offered an excellent bite. We had five legal-sized bass (all between 16 and 18.5 inches) landed before 9:25 AM. The largest bass were not interested in eating, and we saw many pairs of bass, some of which were actively spawning. This was a very cool experience!
After a few more fish, we went down the shoreline and hooked up with DS. He jumped a dandy bass while his son landed his part of the double. There were small groups of bedding bass scattered down the shoreline in about 3.5 feet of water. With these conditions, they and their beds stood out like sore thumbs. Most occupied beds coughed up a bite and a chance at a very decent bass.
When the beds petered out to the east, we went back to our original spot. Rested and possibly replenished, we had to work harder for bites, but got rewarded with the biggest smallie of our trip (BL), while I had to settle for a mere 18.75-inches as my largest bass of the day. We also caught an individual bass again, recognized from the morning by a conspicuous scar, just proving the value of catch and release fishing!
From here, we started to expand and explore. The rock reef just to the east of Railroad Point looked awesome, and it did provide a couple of bass as well as a few Rock Bass (one of which was monstrous.) There was no sign of bedding here, but there were plenty of hiding spots, and working Ned through the glacial striations between the piles of rocks revealed these fish.
We crossed the lake and went to the conspicuous point and bay where M-22 veers to the north. I knew this area was rocky from previous trout-fishing experiences, and while the bite here was slow, we caught a couple of larger bass, and BL got broken off by a possible lunker.
We found our last group of fish in very shallow water (less than 3 feet), associated with docks and strewn logs. This got us to 19 bass for the day, and of course we wanted 20! We collectively missed a few chances, but I finally got her with another relocation and a nice cast right next to an isolated, shallow log.
The last couple of hours had been a grind, and DS had long given up for the day; this fish was a nice way to end a long day. Plus, we had a bit of a drive to our accommodations on our way towards Douglas Lake.
All fish were released, of course, but our largest 5 would have weighed over 15 pounds, and maybe as much as 17 pounds.
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| My former C's co-worker, DS, had a fine fishing report from the day before, as shown above. |
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| Numenon's first splash at this new-ish launch on Crystal Lake; conditions are looking good! |
My Cabela's buddy, DS, had been fishing this lake for a couple of days prior, and based on his reports, I arrived at the ramp with high expectations. We all convened at the ramp and DS advised me to start on the north side of the Lake. With BL aboard, we crossed the lake and went directly (fortuitously, although accidentally) to the finest collection of spawning bass on the lake, or that we would encounter for the rest of the weekend. A couple of dozen brown bass to trophy size offered an initially slow bite, but when I got the first one to eat a Canadian Craw Ned Rig after 10 minutes or so, this area offered an excellent bite. We had five legal-sized bass (all between 16 and 18.5 inches) landed before 9:25 AM. The largest bass were not interested in eating, and we saw many pairs of bass, some of which were actively spawning. This was a very cool experience!
 |
| First Fish to the Net for the Weekend! |
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| More sight-fishing action |
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| Love their phenotypic variety! That might be a bass bed just off my right shoulder. |
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| BL started to score with a PB&J Ned Rig. |
After a few more fish, we went down the shoreline and hooked up with DS. He jumped a dandy bass while his son landed his part of the double. There were small groups of bedding bass scattered down the shoreline in about 3.5 feet of water. With these conditions, they and their beds stood out like sore thumbs. Most occupied beds coughed up a bite and a chance at a very decent bass.
When the beds petered out to the east, we went back to our original spot. Rested and possibly replenished, we had to work harder for bites, but got rewarded with the biggest smallie of our trip (BL), while I had to settle for a mere 18.75-inches as my largest bass of the day. We also caught an individual bass again, recognized from the morning by a conspicuous scar, just proving the value of catch and release fishing!
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| BL caught our largest bass of the day and the biggest smallmouth (over 19 inches and about 4.5 pounds) of our trip. |
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| My largest smallie of the day was 18.75 inches and fat; she ate a white, Neko-rigged Senko after ignoring several other baits. |
From here, we started to expand and explore. The rock reef just to the east of Railroad Point looked awesome, and it did provide a couple of bass as well as a few Rock Bass (one of which was monstrous.) There was no sign of bedding here, but there were plenty of hiding spots, and working Ned through the glacial striations between the piles of rocks revealed these fish.
We crossed the lake and went to the conspicuous point and bay where M-22 veers to the north. I knew this area was rocky from previous trout-fishing experiences, and while the bite here was slow, we caught a couple of larger bass, and BL got broken off by a possible lunker.
We found our last group of fish in very shallow water (less than 3 feet), associated with docks and strewn logs. This got us to 19 bass for the day, and of course we wanted 20! We collectively missed a few chances, but I finally got her with another relocation and a nice cast right next to an isolated, shallow log.
The last couple of hours had been a grind, and DS had long given up for the day; this fish was a nice way to end a long day. Plus, we had a bit of a drive to our accommodations on our way towards Douglas Lake.
All fish were released, of course, but our largest 5 would have weighed over 15 pounds, and maybe as much as 17 pounds.
***
NumenOn the Water
Date: 6-10-17
Body of Water: Douglas Lake
Boat: Numenon
With: BL
Target: Smallmouth Bass
Time: 8 AM - 4 PM
Conditions: Water was 70 degrees F and clear, but naturally stained brown. Weather was overcast, calm and 65 but becoming clear, bright, super windy (well over 20 mph, from the south) and 90 degrees F.
We chose to go to Douglas for a few of reasons: I had been so impressed by it last Fall; I expected it to be fairly quiet and wind-resistant compared to many of the other, larger and more populated lakes; and it's above the 45th Parallel, so I thought perhaps the spawn would not be quite as advanced.
I was pretty much acquitted on all counts, but stage of spawn was confusing. We arrived to 70-degree water, much warmer than expected. That said, it is a tannic, stained lake that obviously absorbs and holds available heat. We didn't encounter any occupied beds for the day, and those we did see seemed either old, abandoned or under construction. Still, I thought our starting point for the day was a solid choice; the south edge of a massive flat that plunges into the lake's deepest water. Plus, I'd caught some fine fish there last year, and I just knew that the weeds along the edge could hold bass of either color in any stage of the spawn.
BL started with a grub or Ned, while I chose to run through a variety of presentations, including a top-water, a jerk-bait and cranks (both shallow and deep.) I enjoyed some pretty quick action on a crank just off the deep weed edge, but these were small brown bass, certainly not the size we were looking for. After 45 minutes or so, having not seen any indication of pre-spawn or spawning fish, I switched to a post-spawn favorite, a perch-colored F11 Rapala. After a few small misses, a fish took it confidently off the top (above the very inside weed edge), and I was super-pleased to land this unique, pre-spawn specimen:
A couple of strange things about the day to note; I swear that a couple of largies pulled the bait-and-switch ploy on me, and one can never assume what one has hooked. With one keeper to our credit in the day, we switched locations and I chose to slow-roll a spinner-bait through some thick cabbage. On an early cast with this bait, I detected a faint tick and swung the rod; it loaded heavily and I carefully played the fish towards the boat. While BL readied the net, what seemed to be a very large bass came up, jumped, looked at us, landed and seemed to throw the lure. After expressing a moment of frustration, I reeled in my slack, but a fish was still there! The bass we landed (16 inches) did NOT seem to the bass that I'd been fighting. Had it picked up the bait after the apparently larger bass had thrown it?
Finally, I lost a dandy largemouth near the end of the day as I reeled in what I thought was a small bass; there was just no fight to it! This bass and I saw each other at the same moment as it approached the boat, and then it took off! It peeled off considerable line against my drag before the hook pulled. I'd been sloppy and I'd paid this price. I'd have loved to have landed that fish!
We chose to go to Douglas for a few of reasons: I had been so impressed by it last Fall; I expected it to be fairly quiet and wind-resistant compared to many of the other, larger and more populated lakes; and it's above the 45th Parallel, so I thought perhaps the spawn would not be quite as advanced.
I was pretty much acquitted on all counts, but stage of spawn was confusing. We arrived to 70-degree water, much warmer than expected. That said, it is a tannic, stained lake that obviously absorbs and holds available heat. We didn't encounter any occupied beds for the day, and those we did see seemed either old, abandoned or under construction. Still, I thought our starting point for the day was a solid choice; the south edge of a massive flat that plunges into the lake's deepest water. Plus, I'd caught some fine fish there last year, and I just knew that the weeds along the edge could hold bass of either color in any stage of the spawn.
BL started with a grub or Ned, while I chose to run through a variety of presentations, including a top-water, a jerk-bait and cranks (both shallow and deep.) I enjoyed some pretty quick action on a crank just off the deep weed edge, but these were small brown bass, certainly not the size we were looking for. After 45 minutes or so, having not seen any indication of pre-spawn or spawning fish, I switched to a post-spawn favorite, a perch-colored F11 Rapala. After a few small misses, a fish took it confidently off the top (above the very inside weed edge), and I was super-pleased to land this unique, pre-spawn specimen:
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| This 16-incher might be the most memorable fish of the weekend. She was almost too fat to move, but she managed to explode on a floating, perch-like Rapala. |
We never got into a hot groove of catching, but all of our success focused on various inside weed edges in a few feet of water. I caught additional, keeper largemouths (both 16+ inches) on a slow-rolled spinner-bait and a bluegill-colored chatter-bait. Smallish pike kept us busy between bass bites, but by Noon, we were struggling and the wind was really building.
We went back to our original starting spot; I had the most confidence here. I also switched to a Texas-rigged Senko, which I felt I could fish slowly and deliberately in our most successful contact zone. This proved to be a solid choice, because I quickly scored a 13.99-inch smallmouth, filled by a solid 16-inch smallie and then our biggest fish of the day, this 19-inch bucket-mouth:
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| My biggest bass of the day sucked in a weightless, Texas-rigged Senko along an inside weed-edge. With that attentive eye, she looks like she's taking names and writing them down! |
Whew! We had our virtual limit (probably between 14 and 15 pounds), and when these fish petered out, we decided to explore some new parts of the lake.
The wind was now blowing over 20 mph, and we chose our spots as much based on potential boat control as anything. But BL started to hit his stride and caught all the fish of consequence for the rest of the day. He had no problems dragging Ned and a Big TRD through the weeds, while I continued with my weightless, weedless Senko.
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| BL fought through the wind and landed his first bass of the day in a new area for us. |
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| Another nice, inside-edge Green Bass to end the day |
A couple of strange things about the day to note; I swear that a couple of largies pulled the bait-and-switch ploy on me, and one can never assume what one has hooked. With one keeper to our credit in the day, we switched locations and I chose to slow-roll a spinner-bait through some thick cabbage. On an early cast with this bait, I detected a faint tick and swung the rod; it loaded heavily and I carefully played the fish towards the boat. While BL readied the net, what seemed to be a very large bass came up, jumped, looked at us, landed and seemed to throw the lure. After expressing a moment of frustration, I reeled in my slack, but a fish was still there! The bass we landed (16 inches) did NOT seem to the bass that I'd been fighting. Had it picked up the bait after the apparently larger bass had thrown it?
Finally, I lost a dandy largemouth near the end of the day as I reeled in what I thought was a small bass; there was just no fight to it! This bass and I saw each other at the same moment as it approached the boat, and then it took off! It peeled off considerable line against my drag before the hook pulled. I'd been sloppy and I'd paid this price. I'd have loved to have landed that fish!
***
NumenOn the Water
Date: 6-11-17
Body of Water: Crystal Lake (Benzie County)
Boat: Numenon
With: Alone
Target: Smallmouth Bass
Time: 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Conditions: Water was still 63 degrees F and very clear. Weather was clear and about 75, with southerly winds diminishing from about 20 to 10 mph; temperatures rising to about 90 degrees F.
I would fish alone this day, and the wind was still the biggest factor in how to approach the day. There was no way I could control the boat or effectively look for beds on the lake's north side, so I thought I would prospect for some aggressive bass in the beautiful rock reef off Railroad Point.
I had just enough success to keep me there too long. After marking the two ends of the reef with marker buoys, I used the wind and the electric motor to repeatedly control-drift over and around the reef. I gave baits two drifts to produce; more, if they produced a bass. I did catch a smallie on a Shadow Rap jerk-bait; this fish provided a visual chase and I tricked it into a cool, boat-side strike. Other than that, though, the reef produced nothing but rock bass. They managed to eat chatter-baits, spinner-baits, jerk-baits, tubes, and their apparent favorite, a 1/4-ounce gold and yellow Rooster Tail French spinner.
I spent some time searching the south side of the lake for beds, spawners or cruisers. Any dark spot or visible rock edge produced more rock bass, but I found no bass.
By 11 or 11:30 AM, I thought the wind had died down enough to try the lake's north side. Nobody was home (at all) at Friday's best spot, but I did manage to find and catch a few, scattered bed-guarding males further to the east. I used the marker buoys to good effect to stay on these fish and help me present my bait (PB&J Ned.)
I would fish alone this day, and the wind was still the biggest factor in how to approach the day. There was no way I could control the boat or effectively look for beds on the lake's north side, so I thought I would prospect for some aggressive bass in the beautiful rock reef off Railroad Point.
I had just enough success to keep me there too long. After marking the two ends of the reef with marker buoys, I used the wind and the electric motor to repeatedly control-drift over and around the reef. I gave baits two drifts to produce; more, if they produced a bass. I did catch a smallie on a Shadow Rap jerk-bait; this fish provided a visual chase and I tricked it into a cool, boat-side strike. Other than that, though, the reef produced nothing but rock bass. They managed to eat chatter-baits, spinner-baits, jerk-baits, tubes, and their apparent favorite, a 1/4-ounce gold and yellow Rooster Tail French spinner.
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| No. 1 for the day hit a jerk bait over a rock reef. My hat's on backwards to help prevent the wind from catching it and taking it away. |
I spent some time searching the south side of the lake for beds, spawners or cruisers. Any dark spot or visible rock edge produced more rock bass, but I found no bass.
By 11 or 11:30 AM, I thought the wind had died down enough to try the lake's north side. Nobody was home (at all) at Friday's best spot, but I did manage to find and catch a few, scattered bed-guarding males further to the east. I used the marker buoys to good effect to stay on these fish and help me present my bait (PB&J Ned.)
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| After a lengthy hiatus from the bass, I ventured to the north side and found a few spawners. This is No. 2 for the day. The buoy marker (right background) key to me being able to relocate these fish and present a bait to them successfully. |
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| No. 3 |
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| No. 4; I could feel a "limit" coming on. But I never found No. 5. |
Hot, tired, but satisfied, I pulled the boat and headed home.
What do I have to say about this weekend?
A couple of good buddies; good accommodations; no problems; lots of fish; proximity to some very large fish; loons, deer, eagles; some quite, undeveloped shoreline; and fishing challenges met with pretty decent execution; all add up to a great long weekend!
Perhaps next year I shall focus on the few days preceding the Full Moon, or sneak in another weekday prior to the weekend. But, I know that I will take what's available given weather and schedules.
A note on the Alba-Elmira area: you're not going to be on the water, but whether you choose to drive 30, 60 or 90 minutes, you can be on your choice of trophy smallmouth water. Not a bad option to have in one's back pocket!
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| I know these guys catch a lot of nice fish, and so I was pleased to see that they were selecting the same body of water this day as I had. I'm pretty sure I saw their boat on Friday, too. |
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