The last few trips out have been BRUTAL for me. I think we are in between patterns as I can’t seem to catch more than one bass in the same type of area lately. Some deep, some shallow, some in between.
I also haven’t been getting out much which doesn’t help either.
The answer is ALWAYS to get out more
From shore 9/14 :
Today was good for me. Texas rigged worm is working again after being totally ineffective last week. Used unweighted and #BB weighted Yum Dinger. Caught 3 bass. Then switched over to a small crankbait. Caught 2 northerns. Tried a spoon for a while but no luck.
But I’m catching the bass in slightly different areas than usual. Also one of my favorite spots no longer has its weed bed. Nothing doing there. I think the end is nearing for shore fishing bass. Soon I’ll need to concentrate on northerns.
The answer is ALWAYS to get out more
Not easy to do when you have a renovation going and a new baby coming in a week and a half! I’m just enjoying the time I do get out. Well sort of, would be better if I caught more fish also.
Yesterday was a tough day for me as well until I started experimenting. Once in a while I have to resort to walleye tactics for bass. I was fishing spots where I know the fish are. I could see them on the graph at times, but couldn’t get bit on multiple different stereotypical bass presentations.
Finally figured out how to trigger a strike by getting very aggressive with my retrieve.
I used a 1/4oz jig with a 3.5 impulse paddle tail and started pop/ rip/ snap jigging that jig like I would while walleye fishing and it was instantly apparent that was the deal. The more aggressively I worked it, the faster it got eaten. Ended up having a great day with 3 over 18″ and many smaller fish. It was a blast on a medium light with 8lb test.
The fish were hanging on hard bottom points just outside the weedline in 7-10 ft.
Sometimes when you know they are there it pays to think outside the box and to keep trying different presentations especially on heavily pressured water like most of the lakes I fish. Give them something they don’t see everyday.
Just being a smart aleck 14-know its hard to get out sometimes, my fishing time got cut by 3/4 and I had my trailer bearings just went out. When you have only a little time it really sucks when the bite really sucks-This bite should get good soon.
Good Luck
There is a new moon later this week and the days surrounding it are often very good. Fishing at night time has been an extremely effective strategy (thanks Steve) so that option is on the table for this guy.
Excellent week coming up for the combo of weather and moon phase… let’s post some findings! Water temp, depth, lures, etc. Lot of stuff changing up right now ~
Excellent week coming up for the combo of weather and moon phase… let’s post some findings! Water temp, depth, lures, etc. Lot of stuff changing up right now ~
65 degree water temps for me in the NE metro over the weekend.
Miss/Rum confluence 63 degrees. Not a lot of fish but a couple 20’s… caught on hard and soft jerkbaits… nothing on plastics, Chatterbaits, etc. yet.
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Solid! Finally a brown bass report…
Weather sucks, Up and Down weather and lake turning over, just stucks right now lol.
Gimruis-I would go out around dusk-is their a lag between that bite and dark or does it just keep going?
Gimruis-I would go out around dusk-is their a lag between that bite and dark or does it just keep going?
I usually start about an hour before dark because I find it beneficial to establish a route or productive fishing area before it gets dark. After it gets dark then I simply follow the GPS track I have made. The latest I have fished this season is about 11pm but I found that there generally isn’t a lull when it transitions from dusk to dark. My most productive night fishing trip this season was during the July new moon period which peaks this week on Thursday and Friday.
Well lets hope everything aligns for my trip to the river tomorrow morning!
Well i fished chisago this evening which is my go to lake. I can always find fish.
Tonight, not a fish. I had one hit qt the boat when I was just pulling my rod up for another cast. I wasn’t ready and lost it as fast as it hit. It was a tough bite. Tried deeper weeds shallow weeds sand rock points, wind blown points and bays. Got on the lake at 4 and just getting off. Was kinda sad my hands don’t have the bass stink they usually do.
Hope this transition happens fast.
63 water temp and 66 in the channel
Found the bass to be up in shallow cabbage flats this evening in the Brainerd area, in the thicker patches rather than near the weed edges. Water temp was 64-65. Black chatterbait was the hot bait, even though I started with a shallow running crankbait that only got a small northern. The bountiful number of hammer handles were mostly on the weed edges.
Ive hit the Mississippi lately, too. It’s not fast and furious, but to not see another boat for 4 hrs is pretty cool. Been getting a few on DT-10’s on shallow boulders. Caught a catfish ona crankbait. That was pretty cool. It will get really good on lakes and rivers soon. I usually struggle in September for some reason. Good luck.
Looks like another few days of cooler temps and then it warms right back up to almost 80 again next week. The rollercoaster continues!
It was a little slow today on the Miss up at Monti. Caught 5 total and only one solid fish. I was getting pecked every cast by panfish sized smallies but couldn’t find any big ones. Still fun and they fight so much harder in the river. The fish pictured below made about four jumps that were 3 ft out of the water. It was great.
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Water temp 64 degrees I totally bombed tonight 2 different lakes on one got 5 bass smaller than 8 inches on cranks and spinnerbaits the next lake a big 0 tried anything I could think of. They seem to be right in the weeds but hard to fish it really bombing this fall I hope it does get better or the boats are going to be put away soon 
Anybody else finding them deep yet?
Hit a Wright County lake this aft/eve. 63 degree water temps. Bass are not on the mid-depth flats like they were last couple years this time… Chatterbaits, Spinnerbaits, swim jigs yielded one fish. Went to the docks and skipped the new Neko Rig and was on fire. Caught 30+ fish in 4 hours between 15-19 inches. Crazy year continues..
WOW! awesome FryDog. Can I ask when you fish the docks are they real weedy? I only ask because even with my trolling motor it’s a ball of weeds in minutes or are you finding the docks to be near real deep water. Most of the lakes I have been on are just loaded with slim green weeds I think I better find some different lakes.
WOW! awesome FryDog. Can I ask when you fish the docks are they real weedy? I only ask because even with my trolling motor it’s a ball of weeds in minutes or are you finding the docks to be near real deep water. Most of the lakes I have been on are just loaded with slim green weeds I think I better find some different lakes.
Best docks are the deeper ones without many weeds. The lake I fished, only a month ago a lot of the docks were too weedy to fish. Yesterday they were mostly clear as we are seeing weeds recede this time of year.
Key was to fish them when the sun is directly on them, the fish take cover underneath… and yesterday they were bunched up. I could even see them swirling/feeding at times and then it was easy pickin’
As the shadows got longer, I just stayed away from any dock that wasn’t in complete sun. One of the better feeding frenzies I’ve seen in awhile and there was not one single boat or cabin owner on the water, beach, docks, etc… Had to pinch myself!
Oh I know what tactic I’ll be doing again this week. Dock skipping time!
Oh I know what tactic I’ll be doing again this week. Dock skipping time!
Chisago area, docks have been on fire all day today
Went out this morning. 6 am to 11. Docks and shallows were hot.
Re launched at 4 and fished till 7. Tougher bite. Nothing on docks. Tried deeper weeds a few but all small. Tried everything in between and couldn’t find much for bass. Lots of pike though. My nephew caught a 25 inch walleye by surprise on a night crawler on slip bobber in 6 ft of water while I was driving the truck down to grab the boat. Walleyes are starting to hit a fall feed i assume
Bass and pike were very active for me shallow, spinners got most for me, nothing on plastics or cranks, froggie got a couple small fish. Fished a lake that gets very little pressure.
This weekend’s report did a little better did the dock thing went to Lake Sylvia in Wright county. I normally do not divulge where but usually you can get the bass on there well not Saturday many people I spoke with said they had a hard time as well. Got a few on Friday I believe my biggest issue I just can’t get very close to the docks on the lakes I have been on they are just choked with weeds.
Just a shout out how grateful I am for the help and advice on this thread. We all go through times of not the best fishing but It’s fun to know some are doing good some not so good. It just puts it in perspective Thanks again! 
Shore fishing 9/21
Only out for 90 minutes because I lost my pliers carelessly. They slipped into the water between two rocks. See below why that matters.
Started with senko and no action at all, even when throwing to swirls and bass I saw jumping. Then switched to a jointed minnow. Quickly caught one bass and one small northern. Then switched to a small crankbait and quickly caught another northern.
The northerns inhaled the lures. I lost the pliers after using them to get the jointed minnow out of the first one. I tried to flick some junk off of them and they flew out of my hand and into the water.
Soon after, I caught the second northern. I couldn’t get the lure out without the pliers despite my best efforts. So I cut the line and kept the fish. Thankfully it was legal size at 21.5″, just under the slot. But my day was done because I didn’t want to risk another unhooking fisaco. At least I get a dinner out of it.
Anyone know what the law is if the northern were in the slot and I couldn’t get the lure out? Are you supposed to throw it back with the lure inside it?
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