Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm almost addicted to this website and youtube looking at all the fishing videos and reports that I can find. However, when I try to put this knowledge to good use... nothing. If my life was dependant on catching fish for food... I would've been long dead by now. What's the deal? I have a few floating minnows, a couple of Rapala Wiggle Warts, a crawfish crank, several spinners, a few spinnerbaits, and a bunch of soft plastics. I'm trying to fish around the lily pads, downed trees, and any other sort of cover. All I can catch are the lilly pads and weeds. Any good lakes to fish around Kitsap County to where I can finally land my first respectable Largemouth?

Ya gotta keep trying. NOBODY gets it their first trip/try, unless they hire a guide, or are lucky. I even get lucky now and then.

Old blind sow [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... /shock.gif]d[/img]

Well the first two are good, but the sow part [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... s/eeek.gif]w[/img]


[img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... s/haha.gif]l[/img]

I have a small inflatable boat. No trolling motor... just a couple of oars. I have an improvised anchor too... a 10lb weight on some rope. Should I try fishing the middle of the lake? I've read that bass tend to go deeper when it starts getting to the end of summer into autumn.

arniejl wrote:

Amx wrote:Old blind sow [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... /shock.gif]d[/img]

Well the first two are good, but the sow part [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... s/eeek.gif]w[/img]


[img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... s/haha.gif]l[/img]

Old blind boar:cheers: ???

Once again, sorry, I don't even know you, but, you post on here a lot and you seem like a great guy. I could not pass it up.

Boar. Ok, that's good. Goes along with 'Grumpy'. "Grumpy Old Boar" I LIKE it. [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... boogie.gif]d[/img]


And no worries, I joke around a bit, and even joke about myself.

I totally get where you are coming from. This is my first year too and I have been getting a little bit discouraged but I figure if I bang my head on it long enough, eventually I'll figure it out. Once I figure it out it'll be worth it fer sure.

arniejl-You don't like fishing crankbaits? they're like the easiest thing for me to use!lol i'd love to have some success with plastics tho...

This is my first year on the bass too. I was just wondering if anyone will give some good advise on fishing senkos texas rigged?????? How should I be working it. Also how should I be working a jig and pig?????

Any advise will help all of us new timers I'm sure.

Keep at it guys. Summer can be a bugger for largies especially bright sunny days. Best to try early mornings or late evenings. Topwaters can be lethal in low light times. Try throwing plastics (senkos, creature baits, 10-inch worms) when the sun comes out or in the evenings. Typically largies will go to first deep ledge of the lake, but if you have deeper pads they'll hang out there all day and love froggy fishing in the middle of the day.

To use a standard jig n pig you pitch it in some type of hole in heavy cover, when it hits the water let it free spool until it hits the bottom (it needs to have a vertical drop), 90% of the time they hit on the initial drop. Sometimes you'll feel a big thump or your line will stop midway of the drop or your line starts darting around. Set the hook on it pretty hard, you need to penetrate a big hook past a weed guard and into the hook (if you lose some fish, try trimming the weed guards to it). If no hit on the first drop, jig it a couple more times and try a new hole. Change your cadences around for the jigging, small hops, jerks or a crawl to see what might trigger them to hit.

I typically use crankbaits or spinnerbaits when conditions changes, cloudy weather, rain, high winds. Something to trigger the fish to more aggressive state.

Most of the battle with bass fishing is learning what to use when certain conditions develop.

DONT GIVE UP! It took me like 3 years before I hooked into my first one, patients is a virtue. and always always remember " A bad day of fishin beats a good day of anything else

abtdrummer,
Are you saying that you have not even caught any dinks? Or that you just can't tie into a respectable largie? What lakes in Kitsap are you fishing? I have fished Kistap lake before, and seen some nice largies pulled out of there. Not to mention after the spawn I remember seeing huge schools of baby bass in the shallows. Give it a try, also Long lake produces for some people also. You got plenty of good advice given already, especially from Kzoo. You might also try dropshotting. I say stick with the structures like your doing, and forget about the middle of the lake like you considered, but anybody feel free to shoot me down if need be. Let us know how it goes.

I've caught several 4-5 inch Largemouth but nothing bigger than that. I mainly fish out of Horseshoe. I tried Long Lake yesterday but the wind was blowing my inflatable all over the place, even with my anchor down. It sucks too cause I'm just using oars so I can't get to alot of different places on a lake that big. I can catch Bluegill all day long with simulated salmon eggs and a small hook but let's face it, they lose their fun fast unless they are of decent size.

Crankbaits catch big fish also. Aug. 29th, '09 I caught a 6.4lb Largie on a crankbait. This past Aug. 22 I caught a 5lb-11oz Largie on a jitterbug, which is a form of crankbait/idiot bait - same same.

Back in May of 94 I caught a 10 pound Largie on a small crankbait, so don't just write them off as no good or no fun. The BEST hits you'll EVER get are on a crankbait or spinnerbait or topwater = VICIOUSE most of the time.

Try different sizes and colors/patterns, that's the challenge of crankbaiting, and spinnerbaits. Use different sizes, colors, and weird places to fish/cast them. Do something different.

Those who don't use idiot baits aren't really fishing.

Try Spencer Lake in Mason County. Or if you dont like it there, go right across the street and fish Philips Lake, both hold HUGE Largies.

I caught so many Lillies and milfoil that I am gonna learn new recipes for them and not the fish. Like you Idve starved to death by now if I ate what I caught to stay alive. As it is I might move into Matts or Curados place soon to eat real fish....

Amx wrote:Ya gotta keep trying. NOBODY gets it their first trip/try, unless they hire a guide, or are lucky. I even get lucky now and then.

Yeppers, I was one of the lucky ones. It took me a bunch of long distance trips though to finally get a HOT bite on. I still know nothing about bass fishing, relatively speaking. All I can do is recommend you keep at it till you "Git Er Dun!" You'll appreciate it all the more!

So many types of fish to catch, I can't choose just one!

Hey atb,

Definitely don't get discouraged. There is so much to learn in bass fishing. Try your best to enjoy the journey and learning process. Bass fishing is extremely humbling, but try to focus on all the small successes, as trivial as they may seem at the time. If your main goals are to have as much fun as possible and learn something every trip, the bites will come....and eventually the big bites will come. Everyone has to pay their dues.

Hit me up with questions any time.

Good luck!