Keep the fishing reports coming!

[fishinchicks]

Tried to get my family out on a little lake this afternoon, and it started to pour - again! We have had so much rain down here that we haven't been able to do much outside, so we have been living vicariously through your reports!

[riverrat56]

I've fished for bass 2 time this year, both times on Lake Sleepyeye, I've been doing ok, first night i boated 2, second afternoon 5, ranging from 10-16 inchs, all fish caught on countdowns or fat raps. Looking to get some X-raps soon, i think they would be the ticket.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Just got back from a weekend on the Whitefish chain... Holy lots of bass batman!!!!

Lots of smaller male fish shallow, not on beds yet, but hungry!!!! They hit just about anything you threw at them!

[fishinchicks]

Is there a fishing pier on Sleepy Eye? We are not terribly far away - however, no boat. My daughter and I argued about our X-Raps so much, I bought one for her, too. If an 11 year old loves it and can fish it, then I should be able to as well!

Thanks for the report!

[waltinader]

the bite has been slower than usually. All my great spots are ok all my ok spots suck.

[riverrat56]

Yes there is a pier, however it has been very weedy around there as it is on the windblown side of the lake. There are still sunnies to be caught there, drop your jigs into pockets in the weeds, the sunnies are think. Maybe some bass on topwaters would be possible off the docks. In all I think there are 5 docks you can fish from, and a few nice shore spots.

[basssmasher*]

fished johanna yesterday north of willmar.. talk about FUN!!! i bet i caught and released 25-30 fish with lotz in the 2-3 lb range.. my biggest was a 5.11 lber!! 4 fish limit of 14.6 lbs and still didnt take 1st in my club tourney.. lol oh well it was fun!!

[st.crioxfishin]

Here in the south metro on most of the smaller lakes near me the male bass are on the beds and chasing the bluegills. Hard for them to pay any attention to your bait. Did manage one decent sized one on a fluke, but that was it. Hopefully in a week or two the bite should start to heat up again once they move off the beds and onto the braklines or into the thick stuff

[fishinchicks]

Finally got a bass yesterday! It really slammed my buzzbait, too...for only being 8.75 inches! Was out on a 28 acre lake near where I live.

[delmuts]

if that little lake has lots of weeds; get yourself a scum frog or rat or something in that order that you can dance accross the surface and on top of the weeds. one doesn't have to catch big fish to have fun!

[fishinchicks]

Yes, there are a lot of weeds. I have a couple different types of frogs, one with a double hook, and one with a treble. Would the one with the treble still work well if I removed one of the hooks? What if I crimped the barbs? My daughters like to use those, but their casting skills are sometimes a little scary.

[Griggs]

I'm also in the south metro, and I've caught just a few scattered fishd the last few days. The water temp was up to nearly 74 degrees. Are the fish out deeper? I've been fishing docks and tight cover up on shorelines and haven't found much.

[delmuts]

i've only used the type that has the double hook( with the barbs turned up) but if you can fish either effectively great! one nice thing about working weeds is that you don't always have to be accurrate when casting.just warn her about exsplosive atacks with one of those lures.( we have had fish blow holes through heavy weeds coming up after a frog) scares the daylights out of a person!!( it's great!!) and TRY not to set the hook til you feel the weight of the fish.hook up ratios are not the best with thses lures, but still a riot to fish.

[st.crioxfishin]

Griggs,

I was out again yesterday just for a little bit from shore, and the bass on this S. metro lake have now moved off the beds. Next time I'm out I'm going to try the weed edges or the really thick stuff. IMO I think they are just starting to move into summertime areas in the S. metro. The bite should really start to pick up in about a week. Although they are always there and you can make them bite!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Got out today(thursday) and fish are still in post spawn blues. I did manage about 20 fish with 5 over 4lbs.. the big girls are just now pulling to the deep stuff. I caught the 4 lb fish in about 10 feet of water on top of an off shore hump.

[ikeslayer]

hey deitz i was wondering what some of post spawn patterns are. I know they would very with weather, lake, and temp. But i was just wondering if you have some goto lures when fish are in that post spawn blues. thanks for your help ike

[Deitz Dittrich]

ike- if the bass are truely in the "Post Spawn Blues" they can be very difficult to catch. I fished all "do nothing " baits...(Senko type , I was fishing the Exude Comida) The bigger fish came on what I call a Stupid rig. However, that is just my name for a split shot rig. Painfully slow fishing, try and keep in contact with the bottom on outside weed edges. I have found that if you can find sand and rock so that the outside weed edge is shallower you will usually find post spawn bass. I caught most my fish today in 10 feet of water on a weed edge, however the main weed edge was in about 16 feet.

Good luck ike!

[Superduty]

Often times there is no definite pattern during a tough postspawn bite. Some of my more successful days when this happens is to simply keep covering water-usually shallow. It is sometimes referred to as "junk" fishing. Keep the trolling motor in the water and just fish the next piece of cover you come across. I normally use a jig/pig and a senko type bait when targeting shallow cover this time of year.