Reeds Lake muddy and cold but a couple largemouth

[djkimmel]

I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon - about 3 1/2 hours - with Waterfoul Sunday 4/12/15 on Reeds Lake in Grand Rapids, a lake I've always wanted to fish. With the new Michigan bass season he offered and I went for it.

We got there a little after 1:30pm to find more muddy water thanks to the heavy rains recently received in West Michigan. Cold, recently muddy water can make for a challenge. But we accepted it, and besides I was out fishing in early April in my favorite state - Michigan!

Waterfoul had a few bites on blade baits and some soft plastics but the muddy, cold water combined for poor bites and the fish got off. At least one seemed really good! I had a mystery feeling on a blade bait later but I wasn't able to be sure if it was a snag (not supposed to be any there) or a fish??

We found some sparse, shallow green weeds along one break where the stiff breeze was blowing the sun-warmed surface water into the shore raising the temps about 1 degree (~45 F).

I broke out the old squarebill - this time chartreuse sexy shad KVD 2.5 and started slow rolling it through the tops of the weeds. Whump! Hook up! My day is made!



Bassmaster hookset and I'm laughing like a child. The quality Reeds Lake chunker ATE the squarebill sideways with both trebles in each corner of the mouth. Me thinks he likey...

After that I tried to stick to the squarebill, though I get bored easy and we tried different depths and cover to hook up more. The only spot I could get hooked for sure what his same weedline though for this afternoon.

We made another pass down it a short time later and about 100 feet from the first bass I got ATE again! The solid bass drove the crank at me killing it DEAD! I must have never connected well because I fought it hard - it was really pulling for 45 degree water and it pulled off at the back corner of the boat!

Waterfoul was kind enough to say it counted! I got a got a good look at it and it was a similar bass to the first one pictured above though slightly smaller! I told Waterfoul that 2 squarebill Bassmaster hookups make the day a success for me, and that was where we ended.

I'm definitely blaming the recently muddied water for the tough fishing but I see the quality of the bass and the potential for the lake. I'm probably going to make a return engagement with Waterfoul and Reeds Lake at a later date! Thanks Waterfoul!

[djkimmel]

In the picture you can just see the bill of the KVD 2.5 poking out of the mouth. Engulfed! Danny boy is happy