Need a little help from the Bass Guys.

Every fall a group of us get together for what we call our Fish and Chips tourney. It is 5 hr’s of bass fishing followed by a Texas holdem tourney. This year we are fishing on a different lake than normal and I have never been on the lake. The lake is Riley near Chanhassen. I am fishing it as a non-boater. Between my Canada trip and other things I have only been on the water Bass fishing once in the last 3 weeks. I’m planning on bringing 4 or 5 rods and have little idea of what to have rigged. Any info. you have for the lake or current techniques that seem to be working would be much appreciated. If you prefer feel free to private message me.

I can’t specifically help you with Lake Riley.

I have been bass (and muskie) fishing regularly in the greater metro area though. Fishing has slowed considerably since about Labor Day for me personally. I am still catching a fish here or there, but they are definitely not as big or as common as they were in August.

Last Friday in the rain I caught 8 bass. The biggest was 17.5 inches. The most consistent bite seemed to be mid-depth with a crank bait or near thick weeds with a spinner bait. Pike are on the rampage. I caught 3 or 4 of those for every 1 bass. Mostly the small, slimy, aggressive type that get annoying after a few too.

I think we are kind of caught in between a summer and fall pattern. The calendar says fall, but the weather is still very summer-like. The water temp last Friday was 68 degrees.

Numbers or weight format?

Never can go wrong with a Beetle Spin and white split tail grub. Be sure to use a steel leader, Pike love ’em also.

Can’t help with that lake but as others have said it has been rough bass fishing. This weekend was out on 3 lakes total of 15 bass and slow. However they wanted reaction lures did best on small bass cranks and spinnerbaits as Dutchboy said was using a 1/4 once beetle spin with a curly tail grub had some action and Texas rigged creature baits. For me it seemed like they wanted a smaller compact package with some flash but not gaudy Hope it helps some they have really been off usually I would be throwing 3/4 once spinnerbaits and big cranks by now

Riley is a lake I used to fish often. The exs parents lived on it. Ill pm u

Dutchboy wrote:

Numbers or weight format?

Never can go wrong with a Beetle Spin and white split tail grub. Be sure to use a steel leader, <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Pike love ’em also.

Weight. It is a 4 fish per team limit.

I know a lot will depend on what the boater I draw likes to fish. There are some really good fishermen on the boater side so I should be in the right areas – Just need to do my share and help catch fish – hopefully big fish !!!

There is a pot for the Bass tourney, for the poker, and a combined payout. Hope to get myself a good start in the combined with a good finish in the bass part.

Maybe I missed it but when is it?

If it was me this is what I’d have tied on a 5 rod set up.

-Medium depth crank (8-10 ft depth)
-Ned Rig (deeper weedlines or offshore structure)
-Texas Rigged craw or worm (pitching docks and shoreline cover)
-Jerkbait (over the tops of weed beds near deeper water)
-Topwater (walking bait like a spook, a buzzbait, or frog)

The cooler it gets move to a squarebill crankbait in place of the deeper crank.

I’ve fished it a few times…there are some big bass in there.

Check out the lake maps….lots of weedlines with deep and shallow edges. Also some steep shoreline breaks. I’m not a big bass guy but I’ve had good luck out there working structure and weeds. A good bass fisherman should be able to pick that lake apart.

mahtofire14 wrote:

Maybe I missed it but when is it?

If it was me this is what I’d have tied on a 5 rod set up.

-Medium depth crank (8-10 ft depth)
-Ned Rig (deeper weedlines or offshore structure)
-Texas Rigged craw or worm (pitching docks and shoreline cover)
-Jerkbait (over the tops of weed beds near deeper water)
-Topwater (walking bait like a spook, a buzzbait, or frog)

The cooler it gets move to a squarebill crankbait in place of the deeper crank.

The tourney is this Sat. Fishing from 9-2.

Right now here is what I’m thinking for setups.
A jig and pig
A spinnerbait
A buzzbait or whopper popper
A dropshot
A wacky rigged stickworm – nail weighted for deeper water. Remove the weight for shallow or skipping docks.

A few things I’m going to have handy to switch to quickly are a rattletrap or baby 1 minus crankbait and probably a swim jig. I’m not really much of a crankbait guy but will have plenty with just in case.

My most productive baits lately have been my stand by, a 3/8oz compact style skirted jig w/ a twin tail menace grub and a 1/4 or 3/8oz guppy head jig with a 3.5″ impulse paddle tail. I think the basic jig and paddle tail and it’s versatility get overlooked and produce bites for me when other things won’t. Especially on heavily pressured fish.

I like the crankbait right now (especially in tourneys) because this time of year it can generate some big fish AND allows you to cover a lot of water quickly. Spinnerbait will do that as well though. Swim jig should serve you well also.

grubson wrote:

My most productive baits lately have been my stand by, a 3/8oz compact style skirted jig w/ a twin tail menace grub and a 1/4 or 3/8oz guppy head jig with a 3.5″ impulse paddle tail. I think the basic jig and paddle tail and it’s versatility get overlooked and produce bites for me when other things won’t. Especially on heavily pressured fish.

That impulse has been doing work