For the Week Ending Sunday, April 16, 2017

A Double Oohrah! for this Marine

When one big bass, weighing 5-13, doesn't satisfy you...

The logical thing to do is to go catch one the same day this size: 7-2.








That's exactly what Mike S. did last Sunday. The only catch here is that I've been sworn to secrecy about where Mike caught these two hawgs. He also didn't tell me what lure(s) he was using, so I reckon that fact, too, will have to remain a mystery.

All I can do is say, "Well done, my friend," and add my own Oohrah! to yours.

Monday, April 10, 2017...Fishing from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Skip ended up catching a total of five fish, with a 3-lb. bass being the biggest. He couldn't find a topwater bite, but they were hitting flukes, paddle baits, and crankbaits.

Monday, April 10, 2017...After seeing that monster yesterday, Ron decided to put the XTS Minnow up for a bit and tied on a Havoc Rage Tail Critter, rigged weightless. He launched at Milldam Creek about 4 p.m., and once he had settled in, threw the Havoc to the base of a cypress tree. He immediately saw a big swirl and watched the line move fast, signalling that the fight was on. His prize was a bass weighing 3-4. Unfortunately, it also turned out to be a first-cast jinx. It was two hours later before he caught a sunfish on a Beetlespin. Said Ron, "I think its time to shift my tactics to plastics." The water was crystal clear, with a bit of surface debris from all the wind.

Monday, April 10, 2017...Had a note from Ray today, saying he fished West Neck. His efforts were rewarded with four perch and five bass, the largest weighing in at 2.66 lbs. "The others were dinks or dinkettes," said Ray, noting that he still hasn't learned how to tell the difference. He reported catching everything on a white spinnerbait with a small swimbait attached. The water temperature today was running a high of 60 to 65 degrees; it also was very clear in spots. The wind proved to be a bit troublesome at times but nothing that Ray couldn't handle.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017...Tonight's email from Ron indicated that he fished No Name Creek this evening. He caught a 9-inch bass while trolling there, and once in the creek, added another 9-inch bass and an 8-inch crappie. On the way out, while trolling a Whopper Plopper, he also hooked a huge gar...easily over 40 inches. Ron said he wasn't able to get hold of the gar before he threw the hook--"probably for the better," he allowed. The water was very high and still flowing in. Clarity was excellent, and there were lots of bugs.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017...My wife had to bowl today, so I decided to celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary by spending the day on the water. With the continuing high water, I went to Albright's. I spent some time searching but finally found two productive stretches and ended up with a total of six bass on the day, including a dink, 1-1, 1-5, 1-7, 1-11, and 1-14. Five of the fish fell for a popper. I fished a modified Senko to catch the one other fish. Missed about five fish overall. There were at least four other boats in Albright's today but only will be getting a fishing report from one of them.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017..."There was no noticeable grass yet and a very slow bite in Lovitt's today," said Ron. Fishing from 4 to 6:30 p.m., he caught a 1-6 and 1-1 bass, as well as an 8-inch crappie--all on the XTS Minnow. He reported trying craws, a Pop R, and the Whopper Plopper...all to no avail. "The water still was pretty high and murky," he added. Everything he caught came from the main creek. He didn't find anything in the feeder creeks.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017...I can't say for sure what lures were productive for Skip today, but I do know I, at one point, saw him tossing a pink fluke to the shoreline. Whatever he was throwing, it's evident the fish wanted it. At day's end, he had caught one more fish than me, and, furthermore, the seven he had boated were better quality than mine. Pictured here are Skip's biggest three, including two 2-5s and a 3-0.

Friday, April 14, 2017...Ray had a good day in Albright's. He ended up with six bass, including a 2.11 (pictured here), 1.21, 1.26, and 3 dinks. He also had five fish break off for some reason. "Poor hookset, I guess," he said. "The bass were on the trees first thing this morning but moved to the banks around 10 o'clock," he continued. A weightless swimbait and finesse worm were his best baits. "Lost a couple on the Pop R, too," he concluded. (I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friend, Ray, for joining my little group of regular contributors to the Fishing Reports here on my blog. It's people like you, who make my job easy, and I appreciate that.)

Friday, April 14, 2017...I split my day between Albright's and West Neck today and caught fish both places. Overall, my totals included five bass (three dinks, a 1-4, and a 2-4). I tried a crankbait, worm, topwater and chatterbait to no avail. My only productive lure was a jerkbait. It was no surprise that I had to run through a series of baits before I found one that would work. The cooler temps today, compared to my trip Wednesday, along with the river gauge showing about a foot less of water today, had me prepared to be flexible.

Saturday, April 15, 2017..."Fished Tecumseh from 0900 to 1400 today," said Ron. The first few hours, according to him, were really nice, but the bite was slow. About 1030, he stumbled onto his one and only bass. About three hours later, he found a pocket of crappie and managed to catch three for the skillet. By 1330, the wind was just brutal on the open lake and the water turned very, very murky. He went on to note that, with the southern shore getting very grassy and the lily pads starting to show new growth, it won't be long before a weedless spoon will be the only lure option. Ron ended his email by saying he plans to fish Pocaty in the morning.

Saturday, April 15, 2017...Skip and Mitch teamed up for some fun time on the water today. Their email reported catching five or six bass, including two keepers. When the wind picked up early morning, the bite slowed down. The fish were hitting several different baits, among them the Whopper Plopper, Flukes, Pop R, crankbaits, and soft plastics. Mitch poses here with a couple of their rewards, while, I assume, Skip uses his cellphone to capture the moment. If this duo stayed with the plan they outlined for me, they came off the water around noon.

Sunday, April 16, 2017...A trip to Pocaty is what Ron forecast in his Saturday email, and a trip to Pocaty it indeed was. He admitted he was a bit surprised how clear Pocaty was at 0730 this morning, when he launched and headed eastward. His baits of choice were the Havoic Pit Boss, Pop R, XTS Minnow, and beetlespins. Ron said he caught a 1-12 bass on the Pop R and a 1-4 on the Berkley Havoc Pit Boss. He also managed a tiny white perch and crappie on the beetlespin, and lost a couple hits on the Pop R and Pit Boss. Said Ron, "The further east I went, the windier and murkier it got." In hindsight, he acknowledged that he should have stayed closer to the wind-protected bridge area. He called it quits about noon.