The last couple weeks have been very busy chasing big bass on Lake Minnetonka. Right now there are 2 main patterns working for the anglers in my boat. The first is fishing heavy Texas rigged Piggs or RT jigs from Outkast. The key is finding the thickest and greenest milfoil you can and dropping your offering down through the canopy. Short flips from the boat are required to get your baits to fall through to the bottom as longer casts will only hang up on the weed tops and not get down to the fish. Hits have not been bone jarring, but instead just weight as you lift up. Any resistance requires a hard an quick hook set before the fish spits the bait. These fish are grouped up in small areas but in good numbers. 6 fish or more is common out of an area the size of your boat.
The second pattern is fishing hard bottoms outside the deep weedlines. These areas are not necessarily rock and gravel, but are sometimes just sand, but the double echo on the Lowrance is what I am looking for. Next add in good green Coontail or milfoil up shallower and you have the makings for the right spot. These next 2 pictures are of a father and son duo from Idaho I took out. They took these fish while drop shotting. Jig worms will work too, but these fish were pressured and I wanted to give them a different look. Again the hits are very subtle and you have to be paying attention. Some of these windy days we have had can make it difficult.
The water temps are still 72, but I would expect to see them to start dropping soon. I have not seen the minnows or blugills up shallow yet but instead are still seeing them out over the off the deep edge of the weeds as well. Once the water starts cooling look for them to move shallow and the bass to follow. For now, look to the deep stuff and good luck.
Another from a recent corporate trip.
One more from a recent corporate trip.
The guide get to catch them too sometimes.
nice fishing Mike, will be heading out that way next sunday.
thanks
shane
Nice report Mike, got to love those 21’s.
Jack..
Well done Mike, I have always wanted to try the whole through the milfoil tactic but have never seen it done up close. I spend enough time chasing other species that I haven’t had the time to really try it out myself, but it looks like a good time. How deep are you when you are fishing like this and how do you keep your trolling motor from getting all fouled up with weeds?
I have been keying on 12-18′ of water and the milfoil only comes up to 3′ from the surface at most so the trolling motor isn’t a problem.