Trying to improve on Balsam this year

[Raycaster]

Will be up on Balsam first 2 weeks of August and hoping to improve from past years. This is kind of a greedy post as we do well but there is always room for improvement and new techniques etc.

Every year we try to improve are success and have settled in to throwing spinners and crankbaits in Southbay and Ant Island.

Just wondering what the regular's use for bait etc. and what they target. Truthfully we don't target any species as we always end up with a usual equal number of PIKE/BASS and WALLEYE while occasionally stumbling into a musky.

Not really a dropshot or trolling guy but wondering if that would work in the weedbeds?

I have ventured towards Coboconk and the provincial park and Mitchel Lake but always end up heading back with less success.

 

Any pointers appreciated as I wouldn't mind trying some different techniques and locations.

Thx. ahead.

 

[Reef Runner]

Working South Bay slow (1-1.5mph)  with a worm harness will get you eyes and the incidental musky; depending which way the wind is blowing the bait will stack up in saddles drop-offs.  If you have a graph you can see eyes hugging bottom.  I've done well for pike/musky burning safety pin style spinner baits from the middle of the canal towards shore/islands through Mitchell, chartreuse and white and I usually tie on a stinger hook.  The weeds get thick but they bury themselves and explode through the veg at times.  Remember to figure 8, some of those ski's really like to follow or just appear from under the boat.  Funny enough, my biggest eye from Balsam (29incher) came from trolling a jointed believer.

[riddickulous]

My go to when the bite is tough is a senko. For weeds you either want to wacky rig with a weedless hook or texas-rig with or without weight depending on depth and wind.

[Raycaster]

I take great pride in ripping the cranks thru the weeds but age is telling me the wacky rig might stop my back from barking!

[ROOK]

if you are fishing Ant Isl then you should spend  a bit of time throwing spinnerbaits at the mouth of the canal...you can be rewarded there at times as well ...ROOK

[David Chong]

Balsam Lake is an excellent lake for topwatering for bass. But my favourite presentation has to be jerkbaiting as you can almost every fish species in the lake.

[OhioFisherman]

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Owner-reg-Weighted-TwistLOCK-Hook-with-Centering-Pin-Spring/744447.uts

Never fished the lake, but you could try something like that and swimming a keitech, berkley grass pig, worm or lizard.

[Raycaster]

Big Thank you for all the suggestions.

Just back and Balsam provided a lot of fish again this year.

Due to my slow pontoon 30hp I really can't roam too far so basically South and West Bay provided for the fish fry(s).

Lots of pike/walleye/bass in South Bay and the last few days West Bay gave a few 30"+ pike.

South Bay gave up a few 24"+ walleye and a 4lbs bass.

The weather seemed to really make a difference as the bite would shut off completely for 48hrs and then resume huge.

Had 1 musky follow in South Bay and 1 musky follow in West Bay. (both laughing at my figure-8)

Again, thx for the members tips and special thx to Hank for 24/7 support!

[Reef Runner]

Awesome! Glad to hear the lake produced for ya.

[Hank Jr]

Glad you boated a few . I was happy to help out . Thanks for the report our trip is in about 6  weeks  I post a report  when we get back .