Northern Wisconsin - 7/18 - 22, 2004 - report & photos

[Jig'nMinnow]

7/18/04

Stats
Temps - 79degs
water temps - high 70's
wind - 5-10mph


Current notes

- Weedbeds are fully grown in their usual spots (pondweed)

- Bass were found near any shoreline structure (not as many were found in the shallows unlike June) Also many were found on drop-offs and weed pockets.

- Bass are in their summer patterns.

- Hot baits for the day were 3" YUM Dingers and Berkley Power Minnows on a Drop-shot rig.

- All fish came on artificials (plastics). Was stubborn to use live-bait.


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I fished from 3-9pm. While on the way up, I read an In-Fisherman article on how to drop-shot for Bass in the weeds. I decided "what the hell" and went for it. This was my first time ever playing w/ the Drop-shot and it worked! 3 chunky Bass were found in the weeds, at around 15" apiece.

A few Bass were somehow gut-hooked on 2.3" worm hooks & YUM dingers. Out of two gut-hookings, one survived, so I had to keep the 14" that was bleeding everywhere. He obviously didn't make it.

My New Shimano Symetre reel works sweet and is "sexy".

The fishing from 3-6pm was action-packed. Lots of fish were found near shallow structure on small plastics and jigworms. The crappies were tough as I only managed one. Then from 6-9, action was a bit tougher, but was still getting a few bites.




- all fish here were in the 14-16" range

Alkso, right as I was about to head in for the night, I see a huge snapping turtle come up to my boat. This is the first time in 15yrs in WI that I've seen a snapper in my lake......Very weird!




this guy was maybe 10-15lbs and looked ancient.




Totals

25 Largemouth Bass (1 -17", 2 -16", 5- 14-16" 10- 10-13")
1 Crappie


All fish caught were released except for the one gut-hooked Bass



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7/19/04

Stats

weather - high 80's - humid
wind - 5-10mph




- I started at 10am and fished til 4pm. I was fishing with the wind and was picking off Bass up to 14" on white Strike king spinnerbaits casted w/ the wind. I also picked up a few nice ones on small plastic reapers under a jig.

I also saw another snapping turtle. It might have been the same one as before.........



Other than that, the action throughout the day was slow.


- Then went back from 7-10pm. I started at a fallen tree going after Panfish. I finally found the Crappies mixed w/ a few bull gills and they were feeding like crazy for about an hour. Was getting them on almost every cast in a small 1" chart twister and 1/32oz head. I found them up to 12" with several year-classes mixed in. I got about 25 total from this lone spot.



Then went back to the bay where the cabin is located at. Fishing was super-slow so then I decided to go all topwater till the mosquitos started raping me.

All I used was a Rapala Skitter pop (clown) and managed Bass near shallow structure (docks, lillies) Biggest one was 15". It attacked the popper but was somehow hooked in the tail. (weird!)





I also had a much bigger splash but it never found the fishes mouth.


Totals


30 Crappie (4 at 12")
20 Largemouth Bass (16" , 3 at 14" , 1 at 15")
5 Bull Gills


all fish caught were released

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7/20/04

stats

weather - high 80's, hot, humid, sunny
wind - 5-10mph


- Started at 10am and fished at various times till 3pm. Action throughout the day as usual was slow. I only picked up 8 Largemouth and a few small crappie on a Matzuo Nano Minnow.

- Went out once again at 6:30pm. Action was fast from the Largemouth. Most went on small 1/32oz chart jigs w/ minnows. Also nailed a few crappie on small jigs w/ twisters.

- All fish came at fallen trees, and while slow trolling/ drifting over 12" of water. Biggest bass at 17" came on a jig & minnow.






Then played w/ topwaters again when the wind went away. I was 0 for 6 on hook-ups. I had 2 monster hits on the skitterpop and was then Pissed!........



Totals

30 Largemouth Bass (1 at 17", 5 at 15-16", 7 at 13-14")
7 Crappie
5 Gills


All fish caught were released


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7/21/04

stats

weather - low 80's, cloudy, light drizzle & rain
wind - 10-15mph


- I was planned to go to the Wisconsin river in the morning, but I over-slept so I went out on the "lago casa". It was an excellent idea and choice.

Started at 6:15am and fished till 10:30. Bass started hot on jigs w/ minnows and eventually went on 1/4oz Strike King spinnerbaits and my Chartreuse Maribou jug spin w/ minnow.

Jigs w/ minnows or leeches would work for the entire morning, but jerkbaits and spinnerbaits picked up better-quality fish.

All fish were caught near shoreline structure (docks, trees, cribs, weeds)








- Then went out again in the afternoon. Bass were chasing white/ chart 1/4oz Spinnerbaits over weedbeds while drifting with the wind.

I was also getting Bass on drop-offs w/ jigs and minnows and continued getting action from the BULL gills all day.




Then went out from 6:30 till 9:30. The rain came pouring down on me in my boat for about 10mins, but was armed and ready w/ my rainsuit and lasted through it. The crappies were off, but the Big Boys weren't!


I caught myself some 2-4" small bluegills to use for "trophy Bass bait". There were hundreds of them near my dock. Is this ethical or not??....lol.....I say no, but flathead catfishermen use even bigger gills for bait. I was after trophy fish w/ my spinning rod flippin'stick and reel w/ 10lb line provided by Quantum.

I pitched the gills under a split-shot deep into fallen trees and it worked! I got my biggest bass of the trip 18" on this, along with fish in the 15-17" range. I still haven't gotten a single one over 20" but I'll take action from the 15-17" fish all day. Topwater was off for tonight.







Biggest one - 18" - live bluegill





Totals

50 Largemouth Bass (1 at 18", 3 at 16-17", 15 at 14-15")
20 Bluegill (all bulls 7-8")
3 Crappie


All fish caught were released


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7/22/04

stats

weather - high 60's, sunny
wind - 0-5mph


I woke up early, and only got 2hrs of fishing in before I had to leave for home.

It was slow. I only managed 3 Bass at 14-16" on the live gills pitched into trees. Since the sun was in the photo, it wasn't worth taking a photo since the shots wouldn't turn out.

Action was slow unlike the previous day.


I won't be back till the 2nd week of August for a week of fishing, and then I'll be back for 8 days before school starts again :sad: :sad: :Twisted:


Totals for the trip

128 Largemouth Bass
41 Crappie
35 Bluegill


204 fish



JIG

[FishSlayer]

LOL...most of you pictures look like "mugshots" because you dont smile...nice fish though.

[Wahoo!]

Thanks for the report. Looks like you had a good trip!