Early Largemouth....just not Champlain yet

[NY Ranger]

Haven't made it up to Champlain yet. Been hitting the local waters here with this mild winter coming to a close. I pulled this little puppy out of Cossayuna Lake last Sunday before this cool spell set in. Didn't have my cameraman (i.e. Dad) with me. Guess he likes that fair weather fishing! Anyway, did the best I could with the cell phone. She went 5.81 and about 22 inches in length. As you can see I pulled her in on a Yum Money Minnow.

[raz]

"Yum money minnow"...cool name.
Nice LM! Thanks for the look.

[rvq]

Nice fish for that little pond. Fished there with my dad many, many years ago. Night fishing with fly rods and poppers worked well then.

Bob

[schodackbassman]

Nice fish! Haven't fished there in years but plan to this year. I grew up over the hill in West Hebron and used to fish Cossayuna a lot when I was a kid. Making it this year for sure. Hey Bob, you wanna...... When if warms up again that is. My boat is about ready. Just need to start it and load up the rods then boggy to "Little Troy".

Brian

[rvq]

Looks like it won't warm up (temps over 50) until Sat. Apr. 7. Maybe shoot for Apr. 9. I'm ready to go. Want to get out before going to FL at the end of the month (no fishing-just beach).

Bob

[schodackbassman]

Thought of you this morning when watching Bass Masters on the big O. Damn there are some big fish in that

"pond". Yes, let's watch the weather and see what gives. The 9th might work. Be fun to get on that lake again.

[NY Ranger]

......Be fun to get on that lake again.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Now just you two wait one cotton picking second here! What's this talk of invading my new honey hole?

[Brian]

Thought of you this morning when watching Bass Masters on the big O. Damn there are some big fish in that

"pond". Yes, let's watch the weather and see what gives. The 9th might work. Be fun to get on that lake again.

I think Bob sold all of his Money Minnows at a tag sale already .

[rvq]

I didn't sell them Brian, but I sure don't know how to use them, or any other swim bait for that matter. Although from the guys I've talked to I'm in the majority position. I don't know many guys around here catching a lot of bass on them.

Bob

[barn1]

I didn't sell them Brian, but I sure don't know how to use them, or any other swim bait for that matter. Although from the guys I've talked to I'm in the majority position. I don't know many guys around here catching a lot of bass on them.

Bob

I've done VERY well on those types of lures on Champlain in the pre-spawn. The trick I've learned is to nose rig them on a half ounce lead head jig. To fish them I try to find a wind blown point, position myself down wind, cast upwind and let the lure drop straight to the bottom. Once it's on the bottom, snap your rod tip up to hop the lure off the bottom and to get the tail wagging, then slowly real the bait back to you. The trick is to reel slow, so slow that you start to "tick" the weeds. When you feel the lure hit the weeds or become fouled in them, snap your rod up as hard as you can to rip the lure free and then let it drop back down on a tight line until it almost fouls again (this is when most fish will hit so pay attention!), then start the slow realing again. Repeat this process back to the boat.

Give it a try. Sometimes you have to run-and-gun the points until you find a school, but once you do it's an every cast scenario! And remember, cast upwind/upstream or you're basically wasting your time. Oh, and use a white with black back minnow to simulate alewives.

Barn.

[rvq]

Barn, Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Bob

[Champlainbaits]

Barn thanks for the great info. I've not had awesome luck with those but I'll try it the way you are saying and see what happens.

[WildFisherWoman]

Nice fish my friend