The cooler weather has finally rolled in, and along with it came the wind and rain. The rivers are up again, pumping chocolate milk into the lake, and muddying things up, but it didn't seem to discourage the bass any.
A fellow club member gave me a call yesterday morning saying he was heading to Larabee's that afternoon, and offered up a seat in his boat. What a great guy, I thought! Come to find out later in the day, I was the 7th, or 8th, or 9th person he called. Thanks Jim!
All kidding aside, Jim and I have made a point of fishing together late in the fall (November last year) and we had plans to do so again this year, but this was a last minute, impromptu invite. I was just happy to get out on the water! Our "late in the fall trip" will still be coming up, and maybe more than one.
We met mid-afternoon, and only had a few hours to get bit. With a stiff southwest wind pumelling the lake at 30mph, there weren't alot of places to fish out of the wind. We ended up fishing a long stretch of shore that was pretty windy, but had a great mixture of rock, hard bottom, and scattered milfoil clumps.
Dragging jigs was the ticket again. Jim alternated between a black and blue jig and dragging a Craw Pappy, and I alternated between a Venom Better Beever on a TitleShot jig head (green pumpkin) and a Venom Butt Kicker (black and chartreuse) with a green pumpkin Venom Dream Craw trailer. I did pick up a crankbait occasionally, but the fish wanted nothing to do with it.
Bites were hard to detect, especially with the lines billowing in the wind. Had to keep tight to the jig with the rod tips low, and drag your bait on the bottom. Occasionally, you'd just feel a slightly different "tick" and you'd reel down and swing and prepare to duck, because if it wasn't a fish, then your jig was coming right back at you.
We managed maybe 15 bass over the few hours we fished. They were fat Fat FAT! Best was maybe 3.5 lbs to 3.75 lbs.
Still 6 more weeks of bass season, boys!
The obligatory "double shot".
October 16 - Larabee's (more jig fish, baby!)
Re: October 16 - Larabee's (more jig fish, baby!)
We fished a tournament yesterday out of South Bay. We were up that way as well. Yes, those winds were kicking at times yesterday. We had 8 fish for the tournament for 23 and change. The winners came in with 33 plus. We grabbed two that went over 5 pounds ourselves. Lunker for the day was a 5.94. Worked a chatterbait and squarebill crank to get our fish.
Re: October 16 - Larabee's (more jig fish, baby!)
Thanks for the neat avatar photo as well Shawn!
Re: October 16 - Larabee's (more jig fish, baby!)
Well. That's it. I'm going to have to dump Brian and fish with you guys.
That is unfishable weather up here in the North. You did well in a short time. Thanks for the report and pics.
Bob
That is unfishable weather up here in the North. You did well in a short time. Thanks for the report and pics.
Bob
- Champlainbaits
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:34 pm
- Species: Bass - Pike - Bowfin
Re: October 16 - Larabee's (more jig fish, baby!)
I LOVE jig fishing. There was a season or two not long ago that I fished them almost exclusively. I actually don't fish them much on Champlain but I think you guys have properly motivated me to change that in a hurry.
I love all colors of jig as long as it's black and blue with the biggest chunk I can find.
Nice fish and I'm looking forward to seeing a few more reports before the season is over.
I love all colors of jig as long as it's black and blue with the biggest chunk I can find.
Nice fish and I'm looking forward to seeing a few more reports before the season is over.
For some people it's "one more drink" or "one more bet" for me the lie is "just one more cast"