Need replies to Mid-summer bass

[RandyFish]

Hey All,

With Largemouth in mid-summer patterns, what is everyone's approach. I will be trying to pull Carolina rigs along deep Milfoil edges, so any suggestions for color/style of plastics?

Also, does anyone ever use a thermometer to locate the thermocline, or major temp changes, and if so how you do fish it? Slip Bobbers?

Thanks for everyone's advice. Let's pull them out of the heat!

[Guest]

Randyfish,

There are so many possibilities for catching bass in summer. In reality you can fish em' on just about any lake from 4 inches of slop to 20+ feet, and everybody will give you a different opinion as to what works best, so here's mine...
I have had one of the greatest summers of fishing so far this year, since I moved here ten years ago. I have had to force myself to learn to fish deep water. I have spent the majority of this summer fishing water no shallower than ten feet. I keep a log book, and so far this year I have returned to the water 32-5lb fish, 18-6lb fish, and for the first time in ten years 1-8lb fish. 8,2oz to be exact. I have caught 85% of these in water deeper than 10 ft.
I fish with plastic 85% of the time. I throw only Culprit worms, and I stay mostly in the 6 and 7.5 inch sizes. I throw jigs when I know I'm on a solid bite or big fish, and when I'm really bored I'll throw a crank bait. Cranks are super baits, but I am strong with the plastics, so I stick with what I'm good at. I have also been throwing a lot of Zoom brush hogs this year. Mostly texas rigged due to weed growth, but I will always throw a mushroom head jigworm when I can. Carolina rigs are awesome as well, and I often throw them when it gets really windy.
Don't forget about Deep docks, or docks close to deep water either, these will hold a few good bass all summer long. This is a texas rigged worm or Jig situation for me as well.
I probably haven't told you anything that you didn't already know, but I thought that I would share what's working for me.
The only advice thatI could give to anyone fishing anylake, Minnesota for Bass, is this...(especially with plastics)...when you think your fishing slow enough--slow down.
and when you've slowed down--slow down some more. Deadsticking your plastic baits will net you more fish when it gets hot than anything I know.

Good Luck and God Bless

[This message has been edited by BigBassman (edited 07-10-2002).]

[RandyFish]

Wow!
Thanks for your help and enthusiasm.
Any colors that you use?
Tahnks and keep having a good year.

[Guest]

Either BigBassman's name is right on or he is a Bigliar.

Sorry BigBassman but I find your claims to be a bit increadible. I follow MN bass tournament results and 6lb fish taking big bass honors is extremely rare. Many a tournament with outstanding fisherman on outstanding big fish waters such as Clearwater and Tonka do not even see the big bass reach the 5lb mark. I do not accept the notion that tournament anglers do not catch the "real lunkers" because they are focusing on numbers? I think those who posit such notions have no creadibility.

What lakes are you finding all these big fish on? How do you measure them? Or do you use a scale? For goodness sakes an 8lb,2oz fish is the state record with a large sucker minnow or sunfish for breakfast.

Sorry to pick on you , but I think you need to get your ruler or scales checked. Then I think you need to sign up for Bassin Magazines Big Bass Contest. You would win the state by a landslide and thereby have a shot at big money for 1 big bass.

If your claims are true please share some lake names!

[Rippinlip]

I have to throw my 2 cents in also.
I have to agree with Basspastor.
I fish in a couple of different clubs, and so far this year out of all the tournaments I have competed in, only recorded 1 bass over the 5 lb. mark. In fact only 2 tournaments has the big bass weighed in over 4 lb's. please show me your big bass tactics, and then please tell us where these hot spots are!!! I just posted in the South Central Forum this same question???

[basser]

Maybe this guy isnt in Minnesota, I could believe catches like that in Florida. I have caught 1 fish this year that went 6#, its also the only fish that size I have caught in MN. Ihave no doubts that there is a 10# swimming in our waters somewhere. But I just cant believe catches like that here. I'm with you guys- lets hear where and how- cause I'm goin'!!!!!

[Guest]

I've been fishing bass tournaments for five years now, and I don't think I've caught sixty bass over five pounds in my whole life!!

I guess that's where the saying "I fish therefore I lie" comes from!!

P.S. I run a print shop, and I had a guy come in to color copy a picture of a bass he caught off his dock. 25" he said, he was holding it up next to his granddaughter. She was four, the fish was almost as long as she was!! I asked him if he knew that he had just let the next state record go. He said he didn't know what it was and didn't want to kill this beautiful fish!! So I know there are bigger fish swimming around in our state.

[This message has been edited by Fishin'Bemidji (edited 07-10-2002).]

[Guest]

WOW,
What a warm welcome I recieved from you nice bunch of guy's.
Randyfish, thanks--and if you want to know what colors I'm using send me a direct e-mail off of my profile, because it has been making a difference.
For the rest of you I will say this. I don't have to lie about my fishing, and I did not tell any lies. I have been Bass fishing since the age of five. I grew up fishing in Georgia, and spent quite a bit of time fishing in Florida as well. I moved here to Minnesota ten years ago, and have been Bass fishing since I got here. I only fish for Bass, and I spend the majority of my time looking and fishing for big bass. I promise you , that I don't fish like the rest of you guys do on any standard day, and that is why I catch more big fish. In a day, you will fish a lake--I will fish a point. You will throw to a dock 3-4 times, I will throw to it and skip baits under as many as 30 times.
I gave each of you the secret to catching more and bigger fish in that e-mail, maybe instead of being skeptical you should be thinking about it. There are many things that I do differently and because of that I tend to catch bigger fish. I don't catch big fish every time I go out, but it is a rare day that I dont catch at least one five pounder. I use both a Shimano Spring scale, and a Normark digital scale. But for most of my fish I simply place them on the ruler.
It only takes a twenty inch fish to weigh five lbs. My 8-2oz was measured at 23 and 7/8 and weighed on both scales. Had she been full of eggs--ubetchurass she would have been a state record. I hope to catch her early next year.
As far as the numbers that I posted, I have been keeping a log book for three years now. Last year I finished with 29-5lbs, and 13-6lbs. The year before 27-5lbs, and 5-6lbs.
For the tournament watcher--the reason that most tournaments don't have a lot of big bass caught, is based on the fact that most guys are looking for numbers of fish, and therefore are fishing too fast to coerce the big girls into biting. Now to contradict myself, maybe you should pay a little closer attention, because most of the tournaments won on Minnetonka and Prior are won by the guys bringing in four to five pound averages. (Mark Raveling last week at the Kfan held a five lb average for three days to win a brand new Ranger)
I fished the first half of the Extream bass series last year, but left due to the birth of my little girl, and also because honestly I didn't like the lakes that they were fishing. The lakes that they were fishing were requiring a lot of really deep water fishing and I just wasn't that good at it. I took the end of last year and all of this year so far to learn to fish deeper water and it is paying off handsomely. I will go back into fishing the larger tourneys next year. I will be fishing the Denny's super 30, The ABA's, and I will also be joining a Federation team. I do fish a Sunday night league now, but its pretty small. I really don't know what else to tell y'all. If you don't believe me that's fine, I don't know you and you don't know me, but I never told a single lie.
My father flew up from Texas three weeks ago, and we were on a small 260 acre METRO lake, and we were fishing a deep weed line, when My dad pulled up a 20&1/2" fish, Within 30 minutes we pulled 18 fish from that one spot that all measured over twenty inches. I have never in my life found a school of big fish like that and I may never again, but it happened. We caught 62 Bass that day and 21 of them were over 5 lbs.
Try that one on for size FISHINGBEMIDGI. Minnetonka is one of the greatest lakes I have ever fished. I grew up fishing lakes like Westpoint, Santee Cooper, Toho, Weiss, Lanier, okechobee, and Stick Marsh, but fishing in Minnetonka is like fishing in a barrel compared to those lakes. It's just that Bass get bigger down south. There is no comparison when it comes to numbers.
Prior Lake, Lake Sarah, Minnewashta, Bavaria, Clearwater, Sugar, Ida, Cedar--is this enough of my big fish lakes or do I need to send everyone maps as well. Lake Sarah contains more big bass per square foot of water than any lake I have ever fished in my life, but it will take you no less than ten trips to figure out how to catch them.
Well--I've spoke my mind, and like I said, it doesn't bother me that you don't believe me. I know what is true, and that is that I catch a lot of big fish, and if your not...Your doing something wrong
Good Luck
PS. the next time your in the Minnetonka Gander Mountain--ask for Wayne and ask him if his friend Tom catches a lot of big Bass.

[wastewaterguru]

BigBassman,

I live within 5 minutes of the Prior Access and fish that lake 2 to 3 times a week all year except during ice-on and ice-off.

It's obvious to me that those who have criticized you in the this thread are either not trying to catch big fish, simply don't know how to catch big fish, or have an infantile inferiority complex and can't accept that someone else is more successful than they are. (probably a combination of the latter two options)

I have only been fishing Prior for four years and I have photos of 4 fish over 23 inches and I can not remember a trip where I haven't caught at least one over 18".

The three times I've been to Minnewashta this year I have caught numerous five pound plus fish.

If you fish as often as I do, I for one have no problem believing those numbers.

------------------
I fish.....Therefore I grovel.

Here....Fisheeeeeeee!!

[Guest]

Bigbassman

Welcome to the forum, sorry about questioning your success!! Don't take it so personal, people will question results like this and then let it go. "I fish therefore I lie" is only a cliche' "lie" is a harsh word and I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I was mearly stating a cliche' Accept my apology!!

[Guest]

F.B.
Thank you for the apology, I did not mean to attack you at all either. Send me an e-mail if your ever coming down this way, maybe we could work out a fishing trip.

W.W.G.
I spend an enormous amount of time on prior lake as I live in Cologne and it is reasonably close for me to fish. I only work four days a week--I fish the other three. This year since the middle of may until last week I only worked three days a week. I have spent 4 days a week fishing for the last two months. Thanks to a loving grandma, and a hell of a wife who never complains about the days that I spend fishing. I typically fish from sunup until late afternoon, so I have an incredible amount of time on the water. Before the baby was born I towed my boat to work everyday and fished pretty much seven days a week.
You can be looking for me to be on Prior lake all day Friday the 26th as I will be prefishing for the next Sunday night tourney on the 28th. I took first place there last week and I would like to do it again.
Gold / Maroon Ranger 373V with a white Johnson V4.
See ya around
PS. the name BigBassman was not to indicate the size of fish I catch--It was because the four names I tried were all taken, and I am a BIG man.

[Guest]

F.B.
Thank you for the apology, I did not mean to attack you at all either. Send me an e-mail if your ever coming down this way, maybe we could work out a fishing trip.

W.W.G.
I spend an enormous amount of time on prior lake as I live in Cologne and it is reasonably close for me to fish. I only work four days a week--I fish the other three. This year since the middle of may until last week I only worked three days a week. I have spent 4 days a week fishing for the last two months. Thanks to a loving grandma, and a hell of a wife who never complains about the days that I spend fishing. I typically fish from sunup until late afternoon, so I have an incredible amount of time on the water. Before the baby was born I towed my boat to work everyday and fished pretty much seven days a week.
You can be looking for me to be on Prior lake all day Friday the 26th as I will be prefishing for the next Sunday night tourney on the 28th. I took first place there last week and I would like to do it again.
Gold / Maroon Ranger 373V with a white Johnson V4.
See ya around
PS. the name BigBassman was not to indicate the size of fish I catch--It was because the four names I tried were all taken, and I am a BIG man.

[Guest]

Bigbassman

Do you fish in a B.A.S.S. club? If you do which one? I was the president of the Bemidji chapter for three years and regional director for a year. We maybe have even seen each other.

Take care and good fishing!!

[MJR]

BigBassman, any tips for fishing Minnetonka bass? I have fished in a couple of Dennys Wed niters on Tonka and you need over 20lbs on 5 fish to win. I did not fish it yesterday but 3 teams had over 20lbs, and the team that one it had 3 bass over 5lbs, I have no doubt in what you stated you have caught this year.

[Guest]

I was just checking some tourny results for this year and it looks like it has been an exceptional year for big fish. Many tourny's with 5lbers for the Big Bass. There were even two with 6lbers for big bass, but one of those was from Iowa and the other from Tonka. From the results it looks as if Tonka is smoking with Big Bass this year. I have been out there once this year and have never really fished it much. I landed a 19 and 1/2 that was a behemoth for a fish of that length with huge head, body, and gut. I wish I would have had a camera because this fish had the appearance of a 6lb fish but at that length I don't think there is any way it was even close, maybe a low to mid 5#. I caught two of similar length last year out there and I swear one of them might not have even made 4#.

This year I seem to be catching more large fish (19 inch plus). Last year it seems I hardly caught any.

One thing I do know, The lake you fish plays a huge role on the likelyhood of getting big fish and once you find those lakes and the key area's you can rock some monsters. I was just skeptical of BigBassman, but I think I believe him.

Hey Bassman want to hook up on Sarah sometime. I've only fished the lake for crappies in the spring, but have driven past it a million times. I work 3rd shift and can get away for a few hours in the morning during weekdays.

[Guest]

F.B.
I will be joining a federation team next year. I made the decision a few years ago to not pursue those aspirations until I really felt that I was not only ready, but confident that I could hang with the big dawgs. I feel that I have used my time wisely over the past couple years and I'm ready to run with the likes of Raveling, Capra, Moyinah, and Lieferman. These guys are great fisherman. Can I go toe to toe with em'? We'll see, but I feel confident that I'm ready to try. I hope to have made a name for myself and be fully sponsored by the end of the 2004 season.

MJR
Fished Tonka Saturday morning. caught around fifteen fish on Howard's point four of which were solid four pounders. Sitting in eighteen feet throwing as far to the point as i could. Fish seemed to be right at the base of the weedline in about 14 ft.
black&red Zoom Brush hogs. Caught a couple of three pounders also on locke point, but the boat traffic was insane, so I looked for some quieter water. The docks in smithtown also gave up a few 2lb fish.

Good Luck

[Guest]

Basspastor,
I will be on Sarah saturday morning by 6am. Will be there till about 11am. Gold Ranger 373V with a white Johnson. Say hey
if you see me.

Good Luck

[wastewaterguru]

bigbassman,

Are they hiring chemical engineers where you work.......

I need a job like that.

I'll be out tonight with a couple of friends/coworkers that are novice anglers at best. I'll try a few things for big fish, but will likely target active fish on shoreline structure. I need to make sure I get enough numbers to keep everyone happy.

I haven't fished any tourneys but next year may be different. I'm feeling pretty good about my skills at this point and could use some humble pie.......

I need to fish with some better anglers so I can bump the knowledge curve up a notch or two.

------------------
I fish.....Therefore I grovel.

Here....Fisheeeeeeee!!

[RandyFish]

Wow....
Lies, fish and lack of video tape.

I post a message, reply to a reply, and return a few days laster to find a battle royale.

BassPastor, hang in there, and I do believe in your catch weights and appreciate you sharing the advice.

To all of the other non-believers, I say this....even if BP is fibbing, I love the fib and want to think there are some big ones waiting to be had.

I can honestly say I have never, ever seen such a great, enthusiastic exchange of fish love and lore on this page before.

Sometimes these pages become haunted by the regulars to the point where they are trying to line up people to help them move rather discuss fishing.

I come here to talk fishing. And, by gar, that's what happend. Thanks to all. (By the way, non-believers...what is your summer, deep water techniques.)

[RandyFish]

woops...
I meant my last message for BigBassMan....by the way, I could not locate the e-mail on your profile to ask directly about color.

[cwmn]

I got a couple of ideas why we are seeing more big Bass. Catch and release is really catching on.
Managment, the DNR is doing a good job IMHO of managing the Bass lakes, there are a couple of lakes in the east metro I fish that are catch and release only and I have seen the average size grow in the last five years.
Mild winters, we havn't had a bone chillin winter in a few years and the wrmer the water stays the more active and growing the Bass will be.
These are just my opinions and if you want to take me to task then just yell at the mirror and pretend it me, only more handsome, LOL.
I too have caught 5 and 6 pound Bass, not nearly the number but I have a few, and I believe thet we have reached a real high point in Minnesota Bass fishing, hopefully we will only go up.

[CANOPY SAM]

BigBass,
If your in Cologne your only minutes from a premier bass lake. I've only fished bass in Waconia a couple times, but each time I've landed fish between 5 and 6 lbs. They're all over the place in this lake!
Give me a ring at the hospital lab here sometime and we'll hit the lake some evening. My boat isn't even in the same league as yours, but the fish don't care.
By the way, I have no problem believing your numbers - bass aren't particularly smart fish, and I'm convinced a lot of fish are just passed over (like you said) because people just aren't taking the time to target the big fish!
Congrats on the 8 lber. That is truly a giant!

[Guest]

I not only beleive it...I applaud it!

Minnesota has the BEST BASS FISHING IN THE WORLD...period.

These fish carry a much greater girth compared to "southern" bass, are certainly more plentiful, and best of all...under-pressured! I'm from Iowa, but have BASS fished over 60 lakes in this wonderful state during the past couple of decades, many of which I'm very familiar with. On most occasions, I'm the only person on any given body of water that is even targeting bass. There are some real piggies out there, too!

FLB

[Guest]

Just an added note for a first time reply,I 'cut my teeth' on largemouths during my teenage years fishing Medicine Lake in Plymouth. 20 some years back, I caught several fish in the 5-6 lb. class, and saw an 8 lb. fish come out of there as well.There has to be some big'uns still in there today,so I'm not suprised by any guys claim to catching lunkers in any of the lakes in our area. Remember, it wasn't too many years ago,(5?) when an older Laotian man caught a largemouth estimated at near 10 lbs. out of O'Dowd lake by shakopee. We really do have a great bass fishery in our neck of the woods.

[Guest]

Randyfish

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