Skunked.

[bassfisher02]

Well, today I decided to do alittle fishing on Lake Lafyette [not so much on, but from the shore ]. I wasnt expecting to really catch much, if anything [due to the fact I'm boatless, and with this lake having some great bassin' the spots are only accessable by boat..], but my main reason for the outting, other than the obvious fact its fishing, is that I recently purchased a new rod and reel, Penn Captiva, and recently spooled it up with some 50lb powerpro that I wanted to get broken in before I do some extreme fishing with it. And let me say, for once in my life, I was dissapointed with the powerpro. Maybe its because I'm used to 20lb PP, and the 50lb was a step up, but since I'm also doing a lot of saltwater fishing with it, I decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. The issue with the PP was the fact I wasnt casting as well as I'm used to, so it was kinda getting on my nerves. Anyways I started out casting off of what they call 'fishing fingers' into the lake, and got nothing using the tiki dipstik in red/watermelon flake. But I was amused with 2 people who had a dog out there, looked liek a father and son, and the dog and son were swimmming in the water and I noted a 4' gator approaching rather swiftly, I made them aware of this and they got out. Then about 5 minutes later after the gator had gone under they allowed the dog to venture back down to the shore line paw deep in the water, not smart. Nothing happened to the dog and they eventually left. Anyways I went on fishing with everything from tikistiks to trick worms to spinnerbaits and topwaters with no avail. Decided to try my luck and tell myself this is my last cast, hoping to nail a hawg on it, but nothing. Not even a nibble. I did scope out a nice cypress tree feild across the lake, that I will be fishing extensively as soon as I get a boat. There are some big bass in this lake, you just need a boat.

[bassfisher02]

By the way, just take a look at the amount of lilly pads on this lake...



and thats only a very small portion. I'd say atleast 80% of the lake is covered with lilly pads. Just to the right of the pictures frame across the lake is a nice cypress feild.. I'll see what all pictures were taken and see if there are any pics with more of the lake in them.

[hackattack]

I absolutely despise pads...

[Super Fluke]

Originally Posted by hackattack

I absolutely despise pads...

I've caught lots of fish in or on the outside edge of the pads.

[bassfisher02]

I love lilly pads. They hold tons of fish down here, especially in the summer when there really isnt deep water for the fish to retreat to, they just settle in under the pads where the shade keeps the water cooler. I throw a lizard right into the middle of them, and retrieve over the pads, let it fall into a gap, and BAM! Ofcourse this didnt happen that day, because I could barely reach the lilly pads from the shore, only smaller, dispersed patches of them. T'is why when I get the boat, I should have some good pictures to report!

[JB]

Indian lake up here is full of pads, the gizit tube type plastic in black and chartreuse tipped worked wonders on catching bass.

[BigBassin144]

Work some topwater frog or such in the pads, try the Spro Bronzeye frog, it may feel light, but even the Jr casts like a rock, for me it dodes anyways.

bb144

[bassfisher02]

A topwater frog would never make it to the pads. A 1/2 oz jig barely made it... I would have caught bass if I could have reached the main pad fields, but thats the key. Need a boat. Something good and sturdy, since I saw atleast 10 gators that day. PLus I think the 50lb PP really dampered my casting ability... deffinitely a bummer.

[BigBassin144]

Maybe it wasn't the PP, maybe it was your new reel... ever think of that? IDK though, it's just a suggestion, I turned the magnetic brake of my Daiwa down form 4.5 to 3 and I can cast soo much farther now.

bb144

[bassfisher02]

I did believe it was my reel at first... but I really dont think so, its a Penn Captiva and is a good reel overall. I'm positive its the heavier pound PP.