what are you using?

[Guest]

What is everyone going to be using for early season buckets? Do you fish deep, shallow, all over?

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Happy Fishn

[Guest]

The area I will be fishing, the bass will be in just about any part of the spawn (prespawn, spawn and postspawn). I am going to pretty much target mid-depth flats with some weed cover in areas where the bass will be bedding.
For lures, jig-n-pigs, various Texas rigged Bass Candy plastics (worms, lizards, shads), and Millennium Lures spinnerbaits will be my top choices.

If I can't find any shallow fish, I will fish points, drops, or humps adjacent to the spawning areas. Carolina rigged plastics, or crankbaits are good choices for these areas.

It won't be long now until the real fishing opener. I can't wait to fish for those bucketmouths!

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Adam Johnson
www.adamjohnsonfishing.com

[This message has been edited by Adam Johnson (edited 05-07-2002).]

[Guest]

Adam,
Hey, thanks for the info. I checked out your HSOforum, COOL I thought it was so cool I put it in my favorite places. I will be up on Vermillion for the Real opener, so I will have to try for some Smallies. I live in the cities so I have a lot of great bucket mouth lakes right around me. I am sure I will be picking your brain quite often.

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Happy Fishn

[Guest]

I like to start shallow and then move a little deeper.

[wastewaterguru]

Hey Adam,

Have you done much "wacky wormin" for shallow water fish. This is a deadly technique on the metro lakes almost all season. What are your favorite presentations for this spring summer transition?

I prefer the worm presentations cause I'm a fisherman whose lazy by nature and like the long pauses during the retrieve.

I haven't had many good topwater days since moving to Minnesota. Anyone know of a good metro lake to hit for topwater and what time of year is it the most active?

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John K., a.k.a. wastewaterguru
Prior Lake, Minnesota

[Guest]

John
What is "Wacky Wormin"? I have done the standard wormin, which I have had pretty good success with, but the only type I do is a bullet weight sliding above a bait hook with a 7" power bait. I am interested in some other types of "wormin". Thanks in advance for any help.

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Happy Fishn

[wastewaterguru]

"wacky" wormin is a finesse technique used by tournament fisherman for finicky fish. I have used it with success in all shallow water fishing...especially docks, and shore structure.

You tie a hook with a spring weed guard to your line (No Weight).

The you hook your worm through the rear part of the egg sac. (center of mass of the worm).

The best worms for this presentation are the Zoom trick worm and the Yamamoto Senko worm.

The nuetral buoyancy of the worm and hook allows the bait to fall slowly and horizontally through the water.

The weed guard and lack of weight allows you to throw this into the heaviest cover and the worm can be skipped under docks, between moored boats, under pontoons, rafts, etc.

You throw it, let it sit and lay you're line on the water. If you see the line move, pick up the slack and lightly feel for the fish then drill it. Don't put any tension with the line on the worm until it has fallen to the bottom then do a retrieve similar to the Texas rig (bullet weight). 90% of your strikes will occur during the initial fall at the point of entry so you need to cast right where the fish are.

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John K., a.k.a. wastewaterguru
Prior Lake, Minnesota

[Guest]

shouldbefishn, thanks for checking out the site, I'm still a little behind in updating everything but it should be fully up and ready soon. By the way, I'm always up for a little brain picking!

wastewaterguru, I have used wacky rigged worms a little. I really like the action they put out, it really seems to make inactive fish want to bite (might not be a bad technique for opener, hint hint). I usually rig it with a standerd 3/0 or 4/0 wormhook without the weedguard. You can actually work it in some pretty thick cover. If it is to bad, you can stick the hook through once like you would normally do, then come back around and stick the hook halfway through again, that makes it weedless, but it does take away from the action a little.

For topwater lakes, just about any bass lake you can catch fish on top. If you are fishing a lake with a lot of slop, try a scum frog or similar topwater. Scattered pads and bullrushes or docks or wood, it's hard to beat a buzzbait. Open water weedflats or weedlines, poppers, propbaits, or spooks work great.
Any time of the year can be good for topwaters, but I think the best is late June through early July around here.

Only 5 more days! Good luck!

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Adam Johnson
www.adamjohnsonfishing.com

[Guest]

Hey John,

Thanks for the help. It sounds like I am going to need some practice with my new baitcaster. I would like it if we could get together next month so you could show me your finesse and spots on Prior. My brother showed me how to Texas rig, but I am a rookie as far as other presentations go. I know there are some other ways to boat the buckets. Good luck fishn and maybe I can catch up with you guys on Vermilion.

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Happy Fishn
Mike

[Guest]

This Saturday when the Real Opener opens it doesn't get any better than fishing "top water" lures! Good luck to all.

[wastewaterguru]

Adam,

Let me know if you ever need someone for tournaments or prefishing. I'd love to go out with ya.

Shouldbefishin2002,

From now till October, I'll be bassin 2 or 3 days a week on local lakes. Just let me know. I had four friends in high school (Indiana) that I grew up fishing with and all 4 of them fish professionally now. We were always a little obsessive. I'm the one that lives in Minnesota...what was I thinking actually getting a "real" job.

That's alright. I even own a "walleye boat" because my wife wanted something she could ski and tube behind. I don't care for walleye fishin much.....good thing I can still fish for bass out of it.

I MUST FISH NOW

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John K., a.k.a. wastewaterguru
Prior Lake, Minnesota

[wastewaterguru]

I'm not going to the V.....must be someone else.

That was a good one about the skiing!!!!

[Guest]

Hey John,
That sounds great. My first love is Bass fishing, there's nothing like it. The rest of this month is full, I might get over to see you guys on the V. I printed out your post so I can figuire this wormn out with directions and not memory.

P.S. The fish don't care whether they ski behind the boat or not. (ref another post in the Open Water Forum.)

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Happy Fishn
Mike

[kt]

Fished alexandria area last weekend. Found some fish on the beds, but most of the bigger ones were scattered and roaming. Caught and released around 70 bass, 4 over 19 inches and several in the 17 and 18 inch range. Most of the fish were caught on tubes and spinnerbaits. It was a great weekend for fishing.

Good luck everyone
kt

[cjnelson]

The lure we have been having tons of luck with this year is (dont laugh) dare devils. We have got a ton of bass this year from 3-4# and one that was 7 lb - 9 oz with devils. I didnt ever fish with them until this year when nothing I had was putting fish in the boat while my buds were catching bass every 5 casts. I couldnt believe it. Bright colors are hot!!! Try 'em and see how it works. If I knew how to post pics I would show the 7+#er we got with a devil.