Closing down the lake

[bluebasser86]

Fished Wyandotte County Lake before it closes with Sean Wednesday. Tried for some wipers because Sean and his friend caught some really nice ones last week. I got my hook straightened on my jigging spoon 3 times and had another one pull off when I changed the hooks out. I did catch 3 very healthy, fat smallmouth in the 16 to 17 inch range. When we gave up on the wipers and started fishing for bass they were pretty willing to play. I had 31, all but those 3 smallies on shakyheads or a luck e strike rc stick Jr jerkbait. Right towards the end of the day I had by far my biggest largemouth I've caught out there this year eat my jerkbait right next to the boat and cruise by the boat like a mini sub. Had a long careful fight before Sean got the net under her. 20" and 4.14 pounds, she had great color and was one of the healthiest looking fish I've seen from out there. This lake doesn't produce many 15" keepers so a fish like this is a giant out there.

I got back out there again Thursday with my friend Van. Way slower today, I was afraid we may not catch a thing for a while. Finally got a few bass and whites and one small wiper on jigging spoons. Switched to jerkbaits and it was way slower than yesterday until we got to one bank. It was lights out for about 15 minutes. We fished from 9-3 and probably caught 75% of our bass in that 15 minutes. Right before we left I caught what would be my last keeper bass of the year from Wyandotte, a really healthy 17" fish on a shakyhead. I managed to put a total of 62 bass in the boat over those 2 days, not bad for the last week of November in Kansas

Only 3 more months until it opens back up

[Jrob78]

I don't know how this year rates by your normal yearly standards but just judging by your posts, you've had a great year. You've caught a lot of really nice bass and some good numbers. I've enjoyed reading your reports and seeing your pictures.

I assume you mean that specific lake closes for the winter? Or are you done fishing for the year?

[bluebasser86]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

I don't know how this year rates by your normal yearly standards but just judging by your posts, you've had a great year. You've caught a lot of really nice bass and some good numbers. I've enjoyed reading your reports and seeing your pictures.

I assume you mean that specific lake closes for the winter? Or are you done fishing for the year?

This has been a pretty tough year for me really. The extreme heat kept me from even bass fishing during the day mid june through august. The mild winter did allow me to fish more during the winter but with only one fish over 6 all year so the bigger fish haven't been very kind to me.

Yes it's this lake that closes down the end of November every year and opens back up at the end of February. Even during cold years I still have 2 warm water discharge lakes within an hours drive so I fish soft water all year long.

[kennethdaysale]

Originally Posted by bluebasser86

4.14 pounds, she had great color and was one of the healthiest looking fish I've seen from out there.

Way to go! Speaking of color (and it might just be the lighting?) that first fish has got the "buttery" looking color that the bass down here get this time of year....I like it.

ps....at what point do the fish yall catch from here on out sorta lose their vigor?......when the water gets below 50 around here it seems that a lot of the fish I catch seem weaker than normal

[bluebasser86]

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

Way to go! Speaking of color (and it might just be the lighting?) that first fish has got the "buttery" looking color that the bass down here get this time of year....I like it.

ps....at what point do the fish yall catch from here on out sorta lose their vigor?......when the water gets below 50 around here it seems that a lot of the fish I catch seem weaker than normal

She did have a greenish/yellow tint to her below her lateral line instead of having a white belly, a very good looking fish. The fish have certainly started to lose some of their fight. The bigger ones still give a good fight but it's more of a slow, methodical fight instead of a fast, bulldogging fight you get in the summertime. The smaller fish it's more like you're dragging in a heavy stick that's giving you slow, steady headshakes.