Lobdell lake 7-16-06

[fishon1219]

My bass club held their 3rd event of the season this sunday on Lobdell lake. I am currently in 1st place for the AOY standings and needed to make a good showing to stay on top and I was concerned as I have not been on the lake in 8 years. The morning started out calm and i started at the points were the lake comes together and then opens up to the east to the main lake and caught several small bass up on the point and couldn't get bit on the outer edge. I headed over to the dnr ramp and fished the west shoreline all the way up to the bridge that go into Bennett lake. I was using a horny toad and a case plastic magic stick just throwing it up in the pads that littered the hole shore line. I really liked the looks of that eastern side of the channel, but I could see that there were already 5 boats working that side so I figured my best shot was to fish the fresh water. I had a 2 lber jump off of the horny toad right were i started and was baffled as to how, but I kept toading away at it and about 200 yards further keeper number 2 came unbuttoned after a short fight. He was about 1 1/2. I was using a 4/0 super wire hook so I switched to a 4/0 wide gap regular ole worm hook and I didn't miss another fish on the toad all day. The gap on the super line hook just wasn't enough and I am sure the fish just we rent getting it. In the end losing either one of those fish cost me $$. I caught 2 keepers along that shore line by the little island before the bridge and caught several that would only go 13 7/8. We then started to head back to the south on the eastern side and I caught keeper number 3 at 3 lbs. I am now sitting with around 5 lbs with my 3 keepers. We had 1 hour left in the tourny and I remembered the same type of stuff back by whites boat landing were we launched so we headed back to the area and I landed another fish that was so close yet so far from touching the magical 14" line. We had 5 minuets left and I was casting the toad right at the boat ramp with all my fellow competetors that had already dropped guys off to get the truck when another 2 lber attacks the toad from under a Lilly pad and launches it 4 feet in the air. I just couldn't get him to bite it again. The winner of the tourny had 11.5 lbs he said he caught every fish in less than a foot of water on a jig-n-pig way back in hoisington lake and he had to use a push pole to get to were the fish were. I think he was telling a fish story. 2nd place had 11.1 lbs and caught them all on a jig-n-pig in 14 fow. Now is were it gets close. so far the fish I lost didn't matter. 3rd place has 6.2 lbs and I weigh my fish and come up with 5.7 lbs. good for 4th. One of those lost fish would have gotten me a check and 5 more point in the standings. I had them on and lost them. Poor execution on my part. When I tied on that hook the night before I told my self then that that hook just didn't have a big enough gap. I should have went with my gut and changed it right then, but being drunk and beat up from fishing Erie that day I was just 2 lazy. Well I am still in 1st place with the points about 15 points ahead of 2nd place so it is still mine to loose we have 3 events left and we only count the best 5 for AOY and because I have to miss the DT. River event on august 6th due to another tournament I cant even stub my toe in the 2 remaining events. I have learned that laziness will always cost you money and I will from now on use my gut instinct and follow it. This ever happen to any of you guys were you thought about something and deep down knew it was the right thing to do, but got side tracked into something else to find out that your origanal thoughts were the right way to go???

[stackenem]

I was on Lobdell that lake also with my club that day and ended up in 4th with 8.31 caught our fish on senko's in 8 to 12 fow in the weeds by the big logs and stumps.

[spinnerbait bite]

Nice job ya'll in yer respective tourny's. Hey fishon, definately a fish story from the winner. I was back there Sunday evening and the pads and coontails are thick enough to walk on back in them canals. Better duck huntin than anything. Sounds like you had a pretty good pattern going. I would imagine that the winner fished along the edge of the pads where it drops off into about 4.5 fow. It was nice fishing back there though, zero boat traffic. I know exactly where you were fishing and thought the same as you. The cabbage and the pads looked way to good to not throw something back in there. You just know that the bucketmouths are laying there waiting to ambush anything that comes by.

If you don't mind me askin, how do you like those horny toads? Thought about pickin some up but I read your post before I had a chance, so I thought that I would ask. Looks like its pretty weedless and works like twitchin a fluke on top. Please comment. Thanks.

SBB

[fishon1219]

SBB,
I like the horny toads better than any of the other knock off brands. The tails will always buzz and it dosent seem to matter if the hook starts to ride upside down. I have used other brands and they just dont seem to have the tail action the horny toads have. My favorite color is GP. I usually use a 4/0 gamagatsu wide gap worm hook. This year i did buy some of the 5/0toad hooks with the screw on the eyelet, but I havent used them very much. When I fish the toad I throw it as far back as I can in the junk and wind it just fast enough to get it over every thing and when I hit an opening I wind it just under the surface fast enough to make the tails move and before I get to the end of the opening I kill it and have had several fish eat it at that point. When i get to the end of the weed mat into the open water I will kill it again and twitch it like a fluke back to the boat. The seem to like it that way as well. I bet it will also work carolina rigged in deeper water, but I havent tried this yet. If all of these other creature baits work on the C rig I dont know why the toad wont work. Good luck in the toading efforts.

[dartag]

hey kev  you fishing Cass this saturday with the kids.  if so i know a good spot only about a 30 mile run.  the weather says 5 knot winds and waves 1 foot or less.  should be a smooth ride. 
ss

p.s.  your pm box is full..

[fishon1219]

I will only be there if I can follow you. That way if I break my leg or wrap the drift sock around my prop you can help me out. Also I am going to need some 1/2 ounce drop shot weights in case the wind dosent lay down like it is supposed to. 

My plan is to be there, I have to come into work early that day but plan on lining up the guys and heading out to let somebody show me how to catch a fish.

[spinnerbait bite]

Thanks fishon for the info. I'm sure it will prove useful when I decide to try them out.
Good fishing!!

SBB