Last weekend and next.

[Garry2Rs]

I got out for Musky on my home lake last Saturday.

It was the morning after my 65th birthday party, so we didn't launch until noon!

 

We covered all the known hot spots and caught two fish.

One good one and one Dink.

I also landed a very good SMBass off a rock field of pumpkin size boulders that ran off of a shoal.

My bait for both fish was a six inch Castaic Rainbow Trout swimbait.

 

As for the Opening, I will probably be on a lake, just east of here. Obviously I will be trying shoals and rock piles again.

Since I will be in the Kawartha Highlands, I will check every place where cliffs have broken up and boulders litter the water, especially if the rock field leads to deep water.

 

Any shallow weedy area should hold LMBass, but in many rocky lakes, like mine, there are deep weed beds where LMBass set up because there aren't many shallow weeds.

 

For bait I'll try Senko's if it's not too windy and tubes if it is.

In the wind I might Wacky Worm my Senko's using small jigs...This was a hot technique down south last winter.

 

I will also be throwing my Swimbaits and some crankbaits in the open and plastic toads and Flukes in and around any surface weeds, just because I like them.

However, I expect that Senko worms will be the best bait for both LM&SM Bass.

 

I believe that a Reddish Brown/Rootbeer colour is the best around these rocky lakes.

When I see them, I try to get worms with some copper fleck because the crayfish up here have Orange highlights.

Another plus is they also mimic Rockbass, an important forage fish up here.

 

I use Watermelon with red, black or silver fleck, and a lighter more Chartreuse colour with gold fleck, that Cabela's calls Baby Bass, around weeds.

I'm trying to match small Bass and Perch.

 

If you're not sure about the forage, the basic rule-of-thumb is to match the bottom colour.

The bait fish will always camouflage themselves to blend into their background...

Good Luck!

Garry2R's

[ehg]

Nice musky!

Lots of great tips in the write up.

Thanks for posting this.

[Pigeontroller]

Happy Birthday Garry!

[Syn]

Good to see you enjoying life! Happy birthday. Good color tips too. Can't wait to try my swim baits too.

[JohnF]

You old fart! And here I thought I was older than you. You just made my day.

 

Happy birthday, brother

 

JF

[splashhopper]

thanks for the tips about worm and tube colours..

 

I always appreciate your posts

[Garry2Rs]

Thanks for the good wishes;

 

Here some bonus swimbait info ...The Castaic swimbait, in the picture, doesn't use a paddle tail like most of the Storm or the hollow bodies do. There is no lip either, the action comes from the head shape and the segments in the body. It has a very realist "S" shaped swimming action.

 

This Spring I read Bill Siemental's book Big Bass Zone. One thing Bill mentioned, that has helped me, is that a slow steady retrieve, letting the bait do the work, is generally best. Since I stopped trying to "fish" the bait, I've caught several Pike, the small Musky and several oos SMBass in the 5-6 pound range. These were all on 5-6 inch swimbaits, some soft some hard, but all on the slow retrieve.

 

With the season opening Saturday I'm looking forward to actually targeting Bass with these baits. My project this year is to learn as much as I can about these big baits. They are still sort of a California thing. I guess we all find it hard to think of Bass and 8 and 10 inch lures at the same time...But to tell the truth, I now wish I had brought some of those big Southern-Cal baits home with me...GRIN.

Good Luck

Garry2R's

Fishing is my favourite form of loafing

Edited June 23, 2010 by garry2rs

[Rattletrap2]

Congratulations on turning 65 Garry! Happy belated Birthday!

Say high to Andy K next time you meet up! looks like a good one he is holding.

[misfish]

That is one great report and reply thread Garry.

 

Just one thing,tell Andy to shed the visor.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Terry]

Happy Birthday

 

 

good info in that report

 

and AndyK....there is a name from the past