November Bass?

[jefflake]

As soon as my buddy sends me the pictures off his camera I will put them up......if I remember how.

I also like the fact that there is very little boat traffic this time of year. It can be pretty miserable with cold fingers and all but it's well worth it.

[kt]

You guys gotta realize, at least for me, I get the luxury of fishing some great bodies of water that don't have a ton of pressure. Which makes it a lot easier to catch big fish and #'s of big fish. All those pressured lakes down by the cities can be great, but at times they can be downright brutal as well. There are very few times, at least on most of the lakes I fish, where I have to compete for spots, or fish "burned" water.

I'll give you a prime example. My "best lake" this year for size has produced a 6lb 7oz, 6 lb 5oz, two 5 lb 8oz, two 5 lb 5oz, and two just over 5, along with numerous between 4 and 5. I've probably fished that lake 8 times this year and in those 8 times i have seen one other boat out there fishing for bass. Big fish + little to no pressure = lights out fishing. I know of only a couple other people who know about the big fish in this lake and I know their lips are sealed, as well as mine are. A wise old timer once told me "loose lips sink ships". I think that holds especially true in this internet era.

[grab the net]

KT Please tell me I know that Lake.

[kt]

You most definitely do. I believe you fished it a couple weeks ago. It's been a lot tougher this fall though. However I might make one last trip out their this coming weekend, depending on the wind.

[jefflake]

I live on the lake I fish.

I fish it from opening until I can't get on it anymore. I have pulled the boat and now I am doing some wading after work, but that really limits where I can fish. I can't get to the big fish spot on the lake. I hope to get out this weekend and then I will have the boat winterized.

This lake is very heavily fished with lots of tournaments. I always get followed around the lake and usually try not to get in my favorite spots until there isn't anyone around or watching me. That's why I like this time of year...less boat traffic and nobody to cut me off.

[Baitchaser]

I fished this morning from 6-7:30 before work on a north metro lake. Tried cranks, jigs, spinnerbait, and topwater. Managed only two largemouth both under 2lbs. Broke off on something bigger on a jig/swimbait combo that I think was a pike.

Question to others out there that fish jigs in November. What type of a retrieve do you find works best? I tried swiming it back, crawled along bottom, and twitch..pause..twitch..pause methods. Haven't had much luck this year on the jig.

[jefflake]

I vary my jig retrieve. I find the bass can change every day on what type of retrieve will get them to bite.

This time of year I mostly drag the jig and then let it sit a few seconds before I drag it again. Sometimes I hop it off the bottom and let it fall back. They hit it when it is falling. As the water continues to cool down I will get away from hopping and just drag it.....slowly.

I experiment alot to see what type of retrieve will get bites. It also helps to find any green weeds that are still left in the lake.

[bassfshin24]

I also have not cleared the 6lb mark. Quite a few 5lbers. My PB is 5lbs 10oz. I just started fishing MN lakes 3 years ago so I know I'll start learning these lakes and eventually get my 6lber. But for jig retrieval I vary it as well. The colder the water the slower the presentation for me. I'll also start downsizing the colder it gets. I'm probably going to head out of the last time on Friday.

[Juan Grande]

I hear ya kt, definitely better fishing in greater MN. Especially since most fishermen in your neck of the woods spend their time fishing walleye.

I think Mille Lacs is probably my best best for a 6.

[MN BassFisher]

Yeah. it can be tough on these metro lakes. But I love the fall because there is no body on the lakes it seems, which is refreshing. I've topped the 6lb mark once on a metro lake but that was 9 years ago, and I fish more now than ever!

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

I just found my favorite metro lake. Been on the lake over 12 times since August and seen two boats and one canoeist. Biggest from that lake was a 5.7 from my friend and my PB was a 5.6. Caught a bunch of 4lberss and 3lbers.

[MN BassFisher]

Here's the video from Monday's adventure. A couple over 4.

[th64]

Finally a good Nov. outing-Got about 10 fish largest about 17''

Not great but for me this time of year it was very good (I usually get 3 or less in Nov.)

One more week and it will be time to store the boat for me.

[grab the net]

It is always nice to end on a good outing and this past friday was my last bass fishing trip of the 2011 season.. Water temp was a balmy 41 degrees,the air at about 54, with a light SW breeze. Got the boat in the water at 10:30. Contacted two fish pretty quickly, both in the 2.5 lb range. It slowed down after that with just a fish here and there, nothing concentrated. I had seven fish by 12:30, biggest a 4-6.

Then found a school of active fish, even saw a small bass chasing minnows in some old weeds close to shore. It was a very non-descript 75 yards of shoreline but held very nice fish. They were in 5-10 feet with a weedline at about 6 feet with some scattered wood. Contact a piece of wood in deeper water it was almost an automatic when your jig popped free.

Total for the day was 28 fish, with five over 4lbs and one at just over 5lb. Presentation was just slowly draggging a 1/4 oz jig, black with a pork trailer along the bottom. Throwing it on a 7ft MH spinning rod, 10lb Fireline. Got bit off by a few pike and while re-tying I would throw out a senko on a wacky jig, let it dead stick, watch the line for movement or a tick and set the hook. They were choking the jig, most fish you could not see the jig until they were in the boat. Every fish had a pot belly on it, with a couple still having a tail sticking out of its gullet, Think they were feeding on small perch. After I was done, I used the HB SI and could clearly see the scattered weed line and a few key pieces of wood that held the nicer fish. Great way to end the bass season.

[kt]

Might have been my last set of open water outings this weekend, if so, 2011 bass fishing went out with a bang. Ended up fishing 3 different lakes. On friday afternoon, we went after smallies for a couple hours and ended up with 14 with 2 right at 4 lbs. Heaviest five weighed in at just over 18 lbs.

Saturday we hit two different lakes, and the big largemouth were biting well. First lake we hit in the morning and ended up with 8 fish over 4 lbs including one at 5.35. Our heaviest 5 fish weighed in at 23.45 lbs. Also picked up another ten or so in the 3-4 lb range. We hit a different lake in the afternoon and did very well again, ended up with 2 over 4 on this lake and 15 others between 3 and 4 lbs. Biggest two on this lake weighed in at 4.96 and 4.85. Heaviest five fish on this lake weighed in at just over 21 lbs.

Made it out again today by myself for a couple hours this evening. Fished the same lake that i fished on saturday morning. The bite wasn't as hot this evening. Only ended up with 3 tonight but they were nice fish. (5.15, 4.25, and 3.2)

Found most of the largemouth relating to the edge of the deep weedline or just out off the edge. Smallies were relating to sand/gravel/boulder transitions.

On saturday morning he had an hour and a half flurry on a two hundred yard stretch of deep weedline. We caught all of our fish on that lake in that time period and then they absolutely shut down. No other fish in the next two hours. Tried several different tactics in the same area and similar areas to no avail. Also during that flurry, we probably missed at least 10 fish due to short strikes. It was interesting to say the least.

[Juan Grande]

Great reports guys. Looks like I should have kept the boat out a little longer.

[jefflake]

My final trip, with my boat, was Saturday. I fished 6 hours and had only 15 bass, but that isn't to bad for the time of year.

My five biggest went 24-0.

6-0

5-8

4-8

4-0

4-0

If the place I store my boat at wasn't almost full, I would not put it away yet. I wish I had my own place to store it but I don't. I took it in to get winterized and will now be putting it away. It's a sad day when I have to put my boat away. Just wading for me now.

[MN BassFisher]

Heck of a day!!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

My final trip, with my boat, was Saturday. I fished 6 hours and had only 15 bass, but that isn't to bad for the time of year.

My five biggest went 24-0.

6-0

5-8

4-8

4-0

4-0

Man, you sure do catch a lot of piggies!

Made my final trip, hit Mille Lacs against my better judgement, I knew I should have went to a smaller lake. Ended up getting my first skunk on the last trip of the year, also managed to put a ding in my prop.

[kt]

Grab the net,

Were you fishing a lake north of your place a little ways that has a lot of timber in it?

[grab the net]

North and west. Up towards the Rockets. I am guessing you were South. 200 yards of mid lake weed line? That must have been fun. When they are snapping on that weedline it really is lights out, you can just about call your shot. We really do have to get together for a trip next season.

[kt]

You know the lake I was on.

Im pretty sure I fished the lake you fished on friday on saturday afternoon. We didn't find any concentrations out there just one here, two there kind of thing. Spent most of out time along the south shore and entrance to the west bay.

Did you get after the smallies much this fall? We'll definitely have to find a time to share a boat next year.

[Gekhang]

anyone still fishing? planning on hitting stieger lake tomorrow and see what i can get.

[TonkaBass]

good luck Gekhang!

[Larson15]

I will be out for one last time this weekend. Goodluck.