After a long time away, I finally found my way back to my favorite Minnesota bass hole, just a stones throw from bustling downtown Aitkin, but miles away from the four walled office that has held me captive for the entire summer. By the end of August in the Heartland, bass are still clinging to their mid-summer patterns; tearing up the shallows at dawn and dusk, only to venture on to deeper surroundings mid-day, clinging to outside weed edges and cruising the veggie flats. It was this deep water action that I was looking for this past weekend, and that is exactly what I found. Plastics and cranks were the recipe for success, with size and numbers running hand and hand.
On Saturday I vowed to probe the abyss with plastics, and only plastics. To me, finesse plastics fishing is an exercise of minimization. Light rods, line, and weight is the way I rock it when on the prowl for weed line lunkers. My best presentation for the day was a 4” Lake Fork Ring Fry, 2/10 Power Pro with a 18 inch 14# Vanish splice, 3/0 Owner offset worm hook, and a 1/16 once bullet sinker pegged about 12 inches up from the hook. Essentially it is an ultra light Carolina Rig, or a beefed up split shot set up, either way it works perfect when weeds you are fishing completely cover the bottom both dead and alive. The stiffer fluorocarbon slows the drop of the tube, stick worm, or ribworm that you may be fishing, and the light bullet barely penetrates the matted weeds, keeping the rig snag free. Both of the “Big Fish” for the weekend, a 21.5” and a 20.5” came on the Chartreuse/Fire Ring Fry in about 13 feet of water.
With Sunday came the wind, and an opportunity to put down the plastics and pick up the cranks. When the wind blows the first thought that goes through my mind is finding the weed edge or point that is taking the brunt of the wave action. Do that, and you will typically find the most active fish on the lake. Got a chance to break in a couple of the new Glass Fat Raps, a wide wobbler that dives to that perfect weed edge depth of 8’-11’ with a medium retrieve. The white or pearl, #7 was the ticket, boating me 43 bass in just over 3 hours. I always run my cranks with a #1 Berkley Cross-Lok Snap, no split ring, and 2/10 Power Pro. I picked up the G-Loomis CBR903 this year, a 7’6” medium action cranking rod that I have absolutely fallen in love with. Trolling or casting this rod’s sensitivity and action has put a lot of fish in the boat for me, well worth the dough.
That’s about all I have to say I guess. I haven’t written a bass report in so long I kind of forgot how they go. I am definitely looking forward to turnover and am quite sure I will be back up at least once more in September and October. If any of you bass nuts on this site would care for a day trip, let me know, I would like to see what other ideas would work on this lake. I drew a bear tag this year so Bemidji here I come, hope to get out and Musky fish while I’m up, Plantan and Lake Bemidji are tops on the list. Don’t forget that the Muskies Inc. Frank Schneider Tourney is next weekend, a great event on some amazing water. One last shot, the sunset on Saturday, I almost forgot how beautiful a day on the lake can be.
See you all on the water…
BIG GUY=BIG BASS
It looks like I missed out on some nice fish…..wedding 
Good to see you out of the office and on the water for a change.
Nice report Dan!
I enjoy the pics, and really like to hear of others having success going light. I’m not much of a bass fisher, or anything else for that matter, but enjoy my light equipment most.
dave
Dan,
What lake were you fishing on?
I CAN’T TELL YOU, BUT I WILL TAKE YOU THERE.
Are you going to make him wear a blindfold too
My boat or yours? Just kidding, I know how a man wants to protect a fishery he has worked hard to find.
BTW, BOB BOWMAN, I JUST READ A POST WHERE YOU LIVE IN OTSEGO. HOW CAN YOU LIVE SO CLOSE TO A GREAT SMALLIE FISHERY AND NOT BE ON THE RIVER EVERYDAY
two words—-WIFE-KID- I just moved up there last march and I have yet to get out there. I don’t want to put the Ranger in river, that would just lead to very bad things
. I would love to make a trip with you if you know that strech. Dan is the bass man, I love going out with him, but he always ends up kickin my 
Depends, how shallow of an access can you get into. Its earthen, and pretty skinny water. I don’t have trouble with my 17′ Alumacraft Competitor, but it takes some doing.
nice repo Dan.
my favorite way to fish also. Light and on the edges
I can understand that, too!
John
The truth is, the lake is private. No public. And when I said I will take you there, I meant it. If anyone is interested in going bass fishing on probably one of the best small bass lakes in the state, PM me and we can probably figure a day out.
I never found this lake, my parents have had a place there over twenty years. I guess the water was handed down to me, something to cherish, and more importantly conserve.
Dan, I appreciate that position 110%. Good for you to have your secret honey-hole!
John
I think I need to take you two fishing together. I will supply the beer
I think you better get a keg and one or two of those fart suppressors
. Say did you get that new boat?
Bowman,
Do they sell a heavy-duty model?
They make such a thing as a “fart suppressor”? Dude, now I know what I can get you for Christmas! Your wind has been known to bring tears to a few peoples eyes.
Mike from Forest Lake
Dan,
Have you ever fished a small lake a short distance to the north and west Aitkin called Ross Lake? An old co-worker of mine said that he would do very well on the largies on that lake.
Easy Mike
We need to talk about some dates for hunting in October. Good to see you on here man, welcome. Dan is up bear hunting up in bemidji, he had a few bears come in last night to the pit, 1 big mamma with a few cubs, the cubs were playing in the pit and climbing the trees but no shots were taken last night. He said he got some great video of them, can’t wait to see it. Hey Mike have you had in action in the chair in the backyard 
Dan,
Great report-fun read and very detailed. I really like your presentation with the light weight carolina rig. Questions for you. The metro area lakes I fish are full of milfoil, will this presentation work on deep milfoil edges and what kind of knot are you using to splice your mono to the power pro? Thanks!
Bob,
I’ll be out in South Dakota for the pheasant opener this year. Looks like Wednesday shots will work out the best this year. How does the 28th of October sound? Possibly stay over the night and hunt till mid-afternoon the 29th. Check with the boss and we’ll make plans. Speaking of your boss, how is your wife? Speak at you later, Mike
Not too much going down in the chair lately but that headboard sure is getting a workout.