After hearing of a recent stocking effort a few years back i decided it was time to make a short trip. I jumped on the highway and 35 mins later i ended up at a lake i didnt know, fishing a species id never targeted before. Being one of two lakes in SW MN being managed for smallmouths, i quickly strayed into humbling thoughts.
Growing up on a lake and fishing LM bass several nights a week while being no stranger to the walleye scene, i just wasnt quite sure how to go about this whole ordeal. In this fact alone, i decided that i would just go with what i knew. I would fish LM style with what i knew would be SM baits for the first hour n then fish walleye style with SM baits for the last hour.
-((begining LM style)) I took a hot lap around the lake n distinguished what should (strickly on the basis of shoreline material and interpreting what their wash into the lake would surmount to) be the harder bottoms. I quickly determined a sandy shallower shorline loaded with docks would be my starting point. Saving my best thought/spot for lower light penetration i started flipping docks with my last -ancient- Mad Man MooneyeHam’s Craw Tube on a 1/4 jig head (cause of hook size). 4 flips in im on the ladder of a swim raft n my line stops about two foot down. GAME ON! right? not so much, 16″ LM. Being that i didnt know this lake held a population of LMs’ I’m pumped that i dont look like a JA flippin’ docks. Two docks down, outside corner-lift, same deal. Crack the whip n another LM. Now im starting to contemplate the little i know of SM strategy vs. my LM experience n start thinkin wow i really hope i didnt blow all that gas just to catch a few shorts tonight.
A few down, i connect with a pop n loose it half way back. Same goes for the next two bites. So im thinkin,’ either upgrade or down grade hooks n possily baits (thinkin the hook is too far from the point of impact or too big for them to get it). So i go big before i go home n switch up from a 1/4 long shank jig to 1/8 texas rig on a 2/0 which hardly fits my YUM craw tube since the LMs mashed my Mooneyham.
This was the ticket, one adjustment to my original game plan I connected with every fish afterwards. All happened to SM’s. And when i got to the shore line i thought would be money? it payed of with a fish/2 a dock. Nothing spectacular, but all n all a fine outing……. pic attached is among average on the night.
July 28, 2009 at 9:46 am
#1292349
