For the Week Ending Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017

Monday, Aug. 28 (from Ron)...Hard to believe, but I actually was cold for a change. Launched Milldam about 1630 into a howling wind. Figured there would be some relief on certain bends, and I was correct. Gauge was super low (1.45 at launch, 1.30 at recovery), and that may have helped. Wanted panfish and found a bunch, but they were all too small for the stringer. Casting a beetlespin on ultra lite in the wind was tricky, to say the least. Caught several small bass to 1-4 on that set up...was really fun. Combination of baits produced a total of 17 bass, including a 1-3, 1-4, 1-10, 2-0, and 2-4, with the rest dinks. Also managed five small white perch, three small yellow perch, one crappie, and the highlight of the evening...a pole-bending 27-inch, 6-lb. 7-oz. bowfin. The latter and the bigger bass were attacking the Whopper Plopper. Even though it was heavy, casting it along grass lines was very tough, given all the wind. After the rain got me wet, it got pretty chilly. Just had to get out there, because it looks like tomorrow will be a blow out, but never say never!

Wednesday, Aug. 30 (from Charlie)...Went to Back Bay today, even though I figured the water would be very low, muddy, and I'd have problems with the wind. I guessed wrong. The water was clear, a little low, and 75 degrees. Once again, the bass were in a hungry mode. I fished undercut banks where it dropped off to deep water, 6 to 8 feet, with SwimSenkos and ran crankbaits parallel to the drop. Also tried a monster wakebait (3/4 oz. Strike King 4-inch Wake Shad) and had a good-sized bass on, but he spit the hook--a portent of things to come. In one 10-minute period, I lost two on big swimbaits right at the boat after a long battle. Both jumped and spit the hook as I reached for them, and both went well over 3 pounds. RATS! I'll be going back there on future trips. Still had a great day, with 22 bass boated, one big yellow perch, and a slew of small white perch. Top five bass went 1-11, 2-0, 2-1, 2-6, and 2-7, for a total of 10 lbs. 9 ozs. It'll be back to the grass beds with the fly rod tomorrow.

Thursday, Aug. 31 (from Ron)...Fished Milldam yesterday. Only found three fish: a small crappie, white perch and sunfish. No bass. Water was very murky. Went to Blackwater today and only caught three dink bass. Weekend isn't looking very good.

Thursday, Aug. 31 (from Jim)...Wasn't the kind of day every bass fisherman hopes for. Launched before 7 a.m. and fished until 5 p.m., catching only one dink bass all day on the old reliable worm. I had two good strikes on the worm, but both fish buried me in stumps/brush. Fished topwaters, cranks and two different worms. My nephew missed a couple short strikes on topwaters, and I had a miss on the Pop ShadZ. Decided to see if we could find some crappie. Caught probably a dozen dinks between us. My nephew had a wicked strike on the fly rod that busted the leader and popped a repair patch. Am guessing it was a striper.

Sunday, Sept. 3 (from Charlie)...Went to Back Bay again today. Tried a new cove I found on Google Earth that had plenty of grass but couldn’t find a bite. Moved to another cove that had clean water (the Bay was like mud) and finally found some fish. Tried hollow bodied frogs, SwimSenkos, Skinny Dipper swimbait, and Johnson Silver Minnow. I sat in the middle of the cove on the grass beds, anchored, and cast each bait 360° around the kayak. If no strikes, then moved 50 feet or so and repeated. Only got five today, but a couple of quality bass were in the mix. Ended the day with two dinks, a 1-5, a 2-8, and a 3-8, so no complaints.