Labor Day Weekend

September 3, 2011
Lake Bloomington
6:15AM-9:00AM
High 70's low 80's and sunny
Days high mid 90's
Water Temp: 81F
1 Runt Bass on Shaky head & KVD Finesse Worm in back cove before no wake zone







September 5, 2011
Lake Bloomington
7:00AM-10AM
Low 50's and very windy (major cold front)
Day's high in the high 60's
Water Temp 75F
2 Runt bass one on T-rigged KVD Rodent(mini) and one on swim jig with twin tail grub both in far back creek arm.
Missed keeper sized bass on spinnerbait at first turn past back no wake zone

August 13, 2011

Location: Lake Bloomington

Date: August 13, 2011

Time: 6:00-9:00 AM

Weather: Low 70's and overcast, days highs in mid 80's

Water Temp: 81 F

1 Bass 17.5" on White Strike King bladed swim jig 

The only bass I managed to catch was a super skinny 17.5" fish that I caught in shallow weeds straight across from the boat launch.  The fog rolled in shortly after I caught the fish.  I couldn't manage another bite after the weather changed.

August 7, 2011

Location: Lake Bloomington
Date: August 7, 2011
Time: 1:30-3:00 PM
Weather: High 80's and Sun
Water Temp: 89 F

Shutout

Lost one fish at the boat on a Swim Jig
Super busy on the lake with pleasure boats.

July 14, 2011

Date: July 14, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Time: 4:15-6:15 PM
Weather: Low 80's and sunny with a light breeze
Water Temp: 84F
Result: 2 LM Bass 11" and 14" caught on 1/8 Shaky Head and KVD Finesse Worm

Same 11" fish, had to use
the camera on the phone
my wife had the
camera.

I made a quick trip out to the lake after work.    I thought I would fish boat docks, but I decided to try the football head jig first.  I went to the little point straight out from the boat ramp and threw a 3/4 ounce Jig into 10'-20' of water.  I actually hooked one and got it close to the boat when it jumped and threw the jig.  This seems to be happing pretty frequently this year.  I was happy to hook one out away from the bank though.  The fish looked to be about 13".  Within a few more casts I snagged the jig and had to break it off, this has also been common this year.  I decided to go with the shaky head in closer to the seawall and managed to catch the fish noted above in about 7' to 10' feet of water.  The 14" fish actually followed the shaky head to the boat as I was reeling it in, after I saw it turn I cast back towards it and it almost immediately picked it up.  I did not manage a picture of it because as I was measuring the fish it flipped out of the boat.  I still was not feeling well and I wanted to see the girls so I cut the trip short and was content to catch the 2 fish.                                


Year to date results:  23 Bass, 2 Legal Fish

11''  Caught on Shaky Head

4th of July

Date: July 4, 2011

Location: Lake Bloomington

Time: 5:45-8:00AM

Weather: Low 70's, days high around 85, gradually clearing skies, sunny by 7:00 AM

Water Temp: 81 F

Results:  LM Bass (Runt) 1 SM Bass (Runt)  1 Hybrid Striped Bass (Approx. 16") All caught on Shaky Head and KVD Finesse Worm except the smallmouth was on a Rio Rico Top Water Popper

Redemption

Fish of the day 17.5"
caught on shaky head
and KVD Finesse Worm

Date: June 29, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Time: 6:00-9:30 AM
Weather: High 60's low 70's, days high around 80, sunny and no wind
Water Temp: 75 F
Results: 2 LM Bass (17.5" and 10.5") 1 SM Bass (Runt)  All caught on Shaky Head and KVD Finesse Worm.

Runt Smallmouth on
shaky head.

I decided to take the morning off and fish for a few hours.  My goal was to catch a bass on a football head jig in deeper water.  I did not get it done.  By 8:45 I decided I needed to salvage the day and catch something so I went to the shaky head and caught them on the far back southeast corner seawall at the edge of eastbay.

10.5" LM on Shaky Head
and KVD Finesse Worm

 It was nice to finally get me second decent bass of the the year.  The year is a third of the way over and I have only caught 2 legal bass.  I need 8 more to reach my goal.  I need to step it up.

17.5" on Shaky Head and KVD Finesse Worm

Early Morning

Date: June 25, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Time: 5:15AM-8:00AM
Weather: Sunny and calm with temperatures in the 60's days high mid 70's
Water Temp: 71F
Results: 1 LM Bass 10.5 (Texas Rigged SK Anaconda Worm Watermelon with Red Flake) 1 Crappie and 1 Drum (SK Series 5 Sexy Shad Crankbait)

 I woke up at 3:45 and did not feel too good, I had a splitting headache, but I only get so many chances to go fishing so I decided I better go anyway.  On the water by about 5:15, as usual I struggled to get focused.  By 6 I was doing what I planned on doing and that was throwing the football jig in a deeper water.  After an hour of no success I moved spots.  I ended up catching a drum and a crappie on a SK Series 5 crankbait in about 12 feet of water on the first inside turn of the back no wake zone.  Right before I left I managed to catch a runt bass on a Texas Rigged SK Anaconda worm at the edge of emergent weeds in the same area as above.  All in all it was a rough morning.  I need to get mentally tougher and focus a little better.

Fathers Day

Date: June 19, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Time: 2:00 PM-4:00PM
Weather: Low 80's and overcast with a moderate breeze
Water Temp: 76F
Results: 13" LM Bass  (Shaky Head with 5" KVD finesse worm)

This was the first time that I have taken one of my kids bass fishing with me.  Olivia who is 6 agreed to go out on the boat and watch me bass fish for a couple of hours.  It was a special time getting to spend time on the water with one of my daughters on fathers day.  She was the photographer for the trip.  She needs to come along more often.  The story again was a missed big fish, this time on the shaky head by the sand beach in the far back end.  I also lost a runt bass on a swim jig close to the boat.  Luckily I managed to catch a fish for my daughter on the last cast of the day by my usual seawall across from the boat launch.  Today was a memorable day spent with my daughter.

 

Action photo taken by Olivia

13" LM on a shaky head and finesse
worm in about 8' of water out from
the seawall across from the boat
launch on the last cast of the day.

Frustration

Date: June 12, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Weather:  Low 70's
Water Temp: Mid 70's
Fish: 10.5 LM Bass (KVD 1.5 Sexy Shad)

The story of the evening was lost fish.  It started with a nice smallmouth on a crankbait and progressed to a 5 pound plus largemouth jumping and spitting out my Shaky head worm, along with another 14-15 inch bass spitting out the shaky head.  All fish were hooked along the seawalls and docks along the south east shore.  I may need to set the hook better with the shaky head.  I am used to them catching themselves on the wacky rigged senko with an exposed hook.  I did manage to catch one small one on the square bill crankbait.

runt bass on kvd 1.5 crankbait
caught along a seawall in a
couple of feet of water.

It was still nice to get out on the water after being on vacation with my extended family for an entire week in Branson, MO.  I need to start trying a few new techniques in the next couple of weeks.  I have been using the shaky head a little to much.  I think I will try to catch a few off the bank over the next couple of weeks.  Crankbaits and Football Head Jigs will come into play.

Memorial Day Weekend

Morning with Darrin

Date: May 28, 2011
Location: Lake Bloomington
Weather: Overcast mid 50's (Stormy afternoon high in the low 70's)
Time: 5:45-9:45 AM
Water Temp: Mid 60's
Results: 1 runt largemouth (White Swim Jig) 1 runt smallmouth (SK Series 3 crankbait sexy shad color)

Runt Smallmouth on
SK Series 3 Crankbait

Runt Largemouth on
White Swim Jig

It was nice to get to spend a morning with Darrin I don't get to see my friends very often with all of my family and work responsibilities.  There was not a whole lot of serious fishing going on but that can always wait for another morning.  Darrin was nice enough to bring whole package of deersticks.  I am pretty sure I ate to many of them.  I started off throwing crankbaits  along the seawall across from the boat launch.  I was trying to catch a quick walleye for Darrin to take home for lunch.  No such luck.  I missed numerous fish before I finally hooked up with a runt largemouth on a swim jig, followed by a smallmouth on a crankbait.  I also missed a few fish on a shaky head worm fished along the boat docks on the east side of the lake.  Will finish updating tomorrow.

All told I probably missed four fish but nothing to large.

Memorial Day

Date: May 30, 2011

Location: Lake Bloomington

Weather: Sunny high 70's to mid 80's very windy (High of 90 for the day)

Time: 6:-10:00 AM

Results: 3 largemouth (13" and 2 runts on 1/8 Oz shaky head w/ KVD finesse worm)  2 smallmouth (10.5 on SK Bitsy Jig Blue/Black with Berkley Havoc Deuce Trailer and a runt on the shaky head worm)  14.5" Walleye on SK Series 3 crankbait sexy shad color)

Very windy day focused on Shaky head most of the day by boat docks and seawall across from the boat launch.  Large catfish probably 8 or 9 lbs broke my line fishing with the shaky head.  Lost a sure keeper size largemouth  on the shaky head, but did not get a look at it.   All fish were caught around docks and seawall across from boat launch. 

Will update with more details and pictures tomorrow

Disappointment

I decided to take the afternoon off on Thursday in order to get out on the water.  There was a chance of storms but storms had been call for all week and none of them came to fruition.  Without going into the whole story I managed to only be on the water for an hour and a half before I got off the water and it ended up not even raining at the lake.  In the end better safe than sorry.

In addition to the abbreviated trip I also did some dumb things on the water.  First of all I did not have a plan that I stuck to this causes me to be unfocused and to waste time.  I got the great idea I would try to catch a few crappie to take home before I got serious about fishing.  I ended up catching 2 runt bass a runt walleye and a 15" hybrid striped bass off of a fallen log in the midsection of the lake, I did not bother to take any pictures.  I finally came to my senses and decided I need to get bass fishing.    My problem was I did not know what to do.  I decided to throw my new KVD 1.5  however I went to the shallow flat at the beginning of the back end and ended up hauling in weeds for 15 minutes, I decided to change course and try to throw a shaky head at some docks and seawalls, right when I got in position to start the wind picked up and I noticed a storm was on its way so I started making phone calls.   After numerous phone calls with my dad and wife it was suggested that I get off the water.  I decided to throw the 1.5 at my favorite seawall a couple of times before I left and hooked into a nice walleye,  I was so paranoid about the storm that after I landed the walleye I through my pliers back into the water instead of the fish.  I was so disgusted with myself that I did not bother with a picture of the walleye.  The walleye was about 16".  In summary

Location: Lake Bloomington
Date: 5/12/11
Time: 2PM-3:15 PM
Water Temp: 74F
Weather: Mid 80's and sunny with a small thunderstorm in the area
Fish: 2 runt bass, 1 hybrid striper 15" 2 walleye (runt and 16")  all fish were caught on a 1/16 ounce jig   and a 1 1/2 inch white grub.  the 16" walleye was caught on the KVD 1.5 crankbait

Goal:  80 hours on the water, 50 bass, 10 legal bass
Year to date: 9 hours on the water, 9 bass, 1 legal bass

LAKE BLOOMINGTON PIG !

Date: May 6, 2011
Time: 6:30-11:45 AM
Location: Lake Bloomington
Water Temp: 55-60 F
Weather: Sunny, High 40's-Mid 60's
Fish: 5 Bass (18", 13", 13", 12", 10.5")
Lures: ((2 SK Bitsy Jig) (2 Spro Little John Crankbait)(1 T-Rig Rage Tail Lizard)




Notes:  I was excited Thursday night in anticipation of my first full fishing excursion of the year, however I still have not organized  and performed maintenance on all of my gear yet for the year.  I did have a solid game plan for the trip, the only thing I was going to try for sure was the Texas Rigged lizard in super shallow water.  I have used this technique a few times in early May with some good success, nothing real big but always decent action.  I woke up early ate my breakfast and read the newspaper, I made it to the garage about 5:30 and had the boat hooked up and ready to go by ten till six.  The weather was quite brisk and it had rained the night before.  As usual the day started off slow for me.  I managed to hang lures in trees and I eventually broke the lip off of my favorite silver shallow shad rap.  It was seven by this time and I decided that I needed to get serious about catching fish.  I decided to fish the strike king bitsy jig exclusively until I started catching fish.

First Fish of the day 10.5" on Jig

I started pitching visual wood cover on the south side of the short creek arm.  I managed to get a short fish within fifteen minutes.  I managed to put a monster hook set up on him, and yanked him halfway back to the boat on the hook set  It always loosens things up after the skunk is out of the boat.  After getting things settled back down I continued pitching to the wood.  My bait was pretty messed up when I thought about putting a new Yum Wooly Hawg Craw on, but before I did I pitched to the base of a laydown in a foot of water.  I saw her swirl at the bait right when it hit the water and managed to only get a one handed hookset on her, but it was enough to get this sow to the boat.

Fish of the year so far 18" bloated bass ready to spawn caught on strike king bitsy flip jig

13" on Texas Rigged
 Rage Tail Lizard

Needless to say my heart was racing.  After a few pictures she was back in the water to finish spawning.  I always struggle after I catch a nice fish.  For some reason I loose focus and motivation.  It is like i am satisfied, if I ever want to start tournament fishing I need to maintain focus even after I catch a nice fish.  I stayed with the jig and subsequently missed a fish and finally snagged it and had to break the line.  At his point I decided it was time to start throwing the Rage Tail Lizard which was the lure I planned to use for the day.  I managed one fish on the lizard and missed another.  I fished the lizard in super shallow water along the bank at the back end of the bay on the short creek arm.  I went back to pitching to timber, but had no additional bites by 10 AM and decided it was time to try something different.   I finished the day throwing a Spro Little John Crankbait  and a Spinnerbait on the large flat at the beginning of the back creek arm and around the corner from the flat.  I caught 2 bass on the Crankbait, one on the flat and the other around the corner.  I missed an additional fish on the spinnerbait on the flat.



12" Caught on Spro
 Little John Crankbait

13" Caught on Spro
Little John Crankbait

I ended the day around 11:45 after a 15 minute fight trying to recover an $11 Spro crankbait.  This ended in futility, and I lost the lure.  I decided I need to get a better lure retriever, I can't afford to loose expensive baits.  All in all it was a beautiful day and very relaxing morning.

Goal: 80 hours on the water, 50 bass, 10 legal bass

Results: 7.75 hours on the water, 7 bass,  1 legal bass



FINALLY ON THE WATER !

Finally on April 29, 2011 the boat escaped the garage for the year.  After a long tax season and what seemed like weeks of cold rainy weather I got to take off Friday afternoon to get the boat out.  The weather was sunny with temperatures in the high 60s.  As is usually the case my first trip of the year I give boat rides to my parents and the kids.  Candi stayed on the bank with the baby.  Before they came out I was able to get a couple hours of fishing in.  I was a little rusty after not having been out since the first week of November.  I was able to catch to short bass, however I did not get a picture.  I took the camera and did not realize that the battery was not in it.  Candi brought the battery out to me so I did get a couple of pictures of the lake afterwards.

My mom Cathy

My dad Roger

As you can see it was still kind of chilly on the water.  

Date: April 29, 2011

Time: 1:30-3:45 PM

Location: Lake Bloomington

Water Temp: 60-65 F

Weather: Sunny high 60's light breeze

Fish: 2 Bass (11.5" on SK Jig, and 10" on Swim Jig)

Lures: SK Bitsy Flip Jig(Black and Blue)  with Yum Woolly Craw(Black w/Red fleck), John Graham Swim Jig (Silver) with Yum Woolly Grub (Black and Blue)

Notes:  The water was extremely dirty with all of the rain that has occurred over the last few weeks.  A large amount of junk from the bottom of the lake seemed to be floating on the surface.  I always seem to struggle to get into a rhythm  my first couple of times out.  I ended up catching a fish by flipping the SK jig to visible shoreline cover in less than 2 feet of water halfway down the short creek arm.  The other shorter bass was caught on the swim jig along the shore of the little inlet across the lake from the boat ramp in approximately 4 feet of water.

Strike King Jig with Yum Woolly Craw Trailer

John Graham Swim Jig with Yum Woolly Grub

My next time out it will be time to get down to business in trying to accomplish my fishing goals for the year.

Goals for the Year: 80 Hours on the water, 60 Bass, 10 Legal size Bass

Status: 2.5 Hours, 2 Bass, 0 Legal Bass

Until Next Time,

Ben

First Fish of the Year

After working constantly over the last three months, I found a couple minutes to fish yesterday.  I went over to the subdivision pond with one of John Graham's swim jigs and a 4"inch bass pro shop grub.  I bought the swim jigs at the end of 2009 and never gave them a fair chance during all of 2010.  I decided to make it a point of catching a fish on one this year.  I did not have to wait long.  I managed to catch about a 14" bass and missed another one approximately the same size in about 20 minutes of fishing.  It was a nice start to the year.  Hopefully I will get the boat out sometime next week and start the fishing season for real. Also I need to make a point of always having the camera with me.