MCTFisher9120

I'm with smithy97 try a nice 3/8-1/2oz chatter bait with a Zako or paddle tail style trailer. My personal favourite for off the bank grass is a Swim Jig. Same size 3/8-1/2oz but this takes a spinnerbait eliminates the blades and increases the weedlessness(new word) of the bait you can throw them a mile stick to white, white chartreuse and add a 3.5-4" Boot Tail style trailer on the back. I find spinnerbait's work but swim jig's can work better on tough days. Try them thru the grass, Punisher & The Perfect Jig make a nice selection. I get cheap $3.99 ones from TackleWarehouse each fall.

Pretty epic trip and read what a trip!

I don't have a I-Pilot setup but I do run a pair of Humminbird Helix 7's and am quite happy. I have a Helix 7 SI GPS at the back of the boat on it's 3rd season & a Helix 7 G2 DI GPS at the front of the boat that's on it's second season.Very happy with these unit's!

Great report and pictures thanks for sharing!

Thanks for checking it out enjoy your summer! Thanks man it sure was! Can't wait to find some 4 & 5lbr's maybe bigger next month on the deep weed going to be fun! Just saw your report nice job and thanks for the kudos bass crazy I am haha!

Nice stuff buddy saw one nice green fish that would of made the trip for me! Good luck the rest of the season!

I did a quick weight on a tank in September of 2016 when I first got onto these fish and with a quick weight in my bass net my biggest would be between 12-13lbs. We caught some that were build like small salmon. The average is 2-6lb's. I had one that wouldn't release back last summer and she was weighed at a little over 7. 2-6 is the average but when fall approaches the bigger Lake Trout showed up. Thanks for the reply's everybody trip was a blast can't wait to head on another hunt come August with my friend. Some day trips to Rice thru July fingers crossed!

Wicked stuff beautiful fish!

Thanks guys always nice reflecting back and putting the report together.

Good morning OFC! Kind of lost touch with the forum over the winter and spring going to try and keep in touch again with the crew answer some questions and stay a little active again. I was able to take a few days off work and go away for bass opening week with my dad and uncle. We went up a day early so I could get my lake trout fix doing some trolling around with my Lead Core and Bottom Bouncer rig's I was successful and on fish quickly. Weather was cool in the evenings ranging from 10-15 degrees at night. Our afternoons were 18-25 through the week with water temps ranging from 67-74. Weed growth was about 2 weeks behind, mind you I found amazing weed beds and grass matts the traditional slop wasn't productive where fresh cut grass that blew in with winds on main lake spot's was key. This June was better for me than most openers, more fish and bigger fish all around. Smallmouth were tough and I'm not one to break out spinning gear to catch 3-4lbr's personally I would rather fish for largemouth in that size with the big rods as I'm more confident that way. The week started off fairly slow with no fish over 3lb's for me on opener and the following Sunday. Once Monday rolled in I got a nice high 4lbr from shallow cover, more quality fish then the next day I came across two high 4lbr's a few hours apart followed by a 5lbr that evening basically a 20-21lb day of green fish too bad there wasn't a clubby going on haha. Regardless I had 3 really good days and 4 days where the big bite's were just not there however catching 2.5-3.5lbr's was a blast and making the braided line squeal the entire day was satisfying First Lake Trout My Uncle's First Trout of 2018 Dad's turn My turn again YouTube Video (My Rod/Reels Tackle) That cover's Friday and my playing around with the Lake Trout. On with some bass pictures and my opening week video edit! Low 4lbr from the junk. 1oz Tungsten, Punch Skirt, 3/0 Straight Shank Hook and my go to Bully Grass Devil! Another solid fish Looking for brown fish finding suspending bucket's I'll take em! Punching Matt's again 3lbr's nothing special lot's of pictures with these, it's the battle that makes these fish fun! Couple nice fish on the Frog Off shore fishing with the Texas-Rig Jig on deeper weed, no tanks but some fat fish and a bonus small jaw! Big fish of the trip came after dinner around 6:30-7pm roughly. I was working my Dog-X Speed Slide (Fancy Spook) outside lilly pads over deep water 14-25' and this fish busted a move behind the plug, walked it maybe 3 times as this bait has a unique head it walks on the spot better than any other spook I've fished, long story short she ate and the battle was on. This fish cleared the surface like a tarpon and gave me the scare of my life haha. 15lb Mono and a 6'10M the fight was on! Video is 10minutes long so grab a seat and check out what I put together from my trip! Filmed half the time pretty much so got lot's of nice fish on the GoPro! Thanks for reading everybody hope summer is off to a great start for all of you, I'm certainly happy and ready to find some more big fish on the next few trips! Tightlines MTBF

Looks like you all had a fun opener! Good to see the kids fishing we all have those memories from being kids ourselves fishing memories last forever Thanks for sharing!

Looks like you got a few tanks nice buddy!

Wicked adventure and fish looks like a hell of a trip! Thanks for sharing

Great bait to learn bass with Senko's are, but for me I catch too many small fish on them and big fish are just not consistent enough for the bait to be a player in the arsenal for me anymore so we don't even own a stick bait. I'd much rather fish quickly with tungsten texas-rigged plastic craws or lead flipping jig's and downsize the skirt, chunk and fall rate to adapt with poor fishing conditions. For a rod a good 6'8-7'1M spinning or casting rod. Run light braid to a fluorocarbon leader. 15-10 or 20-12 would be perfect depending on the water clarity and cover.

I've used Hog Tonic Garlic 1-2 times a day every day for the last 3 or 4 years now. Has made a huge difference for me. Always when I'm pitching jigs/craw's I make sure when I tie on the bait is soaked. Hog Tonic has amino acids in it so if you give the plastic 5-10 minutes it will soak it in and last all day. We soak our hollow belly frog's, swimbait's/swim jigs etc with scent also, it never draw's a strike but I believe keeps a fish holding onto the bait for a extra few seconds while let the fish take the bait. I believe in scent and will continue to use it.