A GREAT opening day on a GREAT largemouth lake!!! Ovid of course

[djkimmel]

Part 1 - How many muskies does it take to screw in a light bulb (or screw up a bass lake)?

Ok - I don't have it in for muskies, but this is ridiculous! I saw at least 18 different muskies today with half of them being large bait-stealing adults! You want to catch a musky? Go to Lake Ovid and cast a spinnerbait or jerkbait to the weedline.

Now, for the real story and report:

Lake Ovid Saturday 5/27/06 (Opening Day)
Been a hectic couple of weeks so a long holiday weekend is much appreciated and needed. But no sense is getting up before the crack of dawn either since my sneaky suspicion is that a lot of bass will still be on beds on Lake Ovid and I can see them better around 9:30 - 10 AM.

I got a few things done around the house, truck and boat, and then headed for Lake Ovid - hoping to do better than the last time out. I started fishing right about 10 AM. I like to get an indicator of what the bulk of the bass seem to do so I made a quick pass along a weedy underwater ridge... and caught another musky on my 5th cast - shallow crankbait along the weed edge! Not again!?!

Only about a 25 incher or so, but fat and ornery. Not much else seemed to be happening along the ridge. The weeds have come up big time with huge weed beds, some large mats and not a lot of open water. Big change from the last time. Tons of fresh green milfoil beds, mostly on the shallower flats, and large fields of the 'crinkly' cabbage right to the edge of some of the old river channel and ditches already.

I went immediately to my favorite little ditch. I knew I'd see it outlined well (it's starting to silt in bad and weeds are starting to grow across it now). I wasn't seeing a lot of activity along the top (other than MUSKY!!! AAAGHH!!), so I started pitching a Texas-rigged worm. Right at the mouth of the ditch in 9-10 feet, I put the metal to a nice 16-17 inch largemouth. Ah ha! A clue.

Musky segue, I was retrieving a crankbait along weed edges feeding towards the ditch when another ~30 inch musky came gliding up from below as I lifted the crankbait out. Out of habit (and definitely not thinking of the welfare of the crankbait), I dipped the crankbait back in the water, then lifted it up as I recognized my mistake. The musky stuck its head out of the water and snapped at the suspended crankbait like one of my cats swiping at a dangling cat toy. No majesty here... It wouldn't take long to realize that any lure kept near the surface anywhere for long was in serious jeopardy on this day of no wind and bright, hot sun (I got fried, of course).

Back to the ditch... I thought I was on them now. Post spawn largemouths dropping back into the first deep water. Not quite. I kept pitching because I wasn't seeing any bass. I was seeing plenty of musky. I saw 3 more slightly larger muskies suspended in the ditch before I got even halfway back!

I avoided them. I was after bass and didn't want to have to keep retying...

Part way in, I flipped another largemouth about 15 inches, but it was slow going. I thought I saw a good one by one of the stumps, but no bites. Sometimes when I stare too hard, I start seeing things... sometimes when I see things though, I get a good bass! I did see some small crappie spawning on top of the really big stump, and then, having seen things again, I realized a 3+ bass was sneaking around the roots.

It hadn't bit my previous multiple presentations and seemed very shy. I couldn't get its attention at all and could not seen an obvious bed, so I moved on. I zipped back out the narrow ditch and saw the same 3 muskies again, suspended along the ditch looking for bluegills to eat.

I fished the outside weed wall (it has some ins and outs) towards shore and nothing. I'm starting to think more bass are still spawning then I originally suspected... I can see definite signs that bluegills are moving on the beds - the shallows are piled up with them... and some opportunistic bass are screaming in for quick bluegill breakfast raids - mostly smaller bass, but theres enough action that some of the clear spots have been actually muddied up by the raids and the zillions of darting, frantic bluegills.

Post spawn bass often move in on the spawning bluegills right after they are done, raiding in from the inside weedline. There's some inside weedline this year, although it's more like open spots along shore, real shallow mostly only about a foot deep. But that's where the visible action is so far.

As soon as I start fighting my way through the shallow weed mats - like I say, no real inside line and the clean edge is too shallow and close to shore to move along it. I'd spook everything, so I tried to go through the mats of milfoil. Right away, I see a keeper bass on a bed. It's practically spawning with the bluegills (hey!?! didn't Kevin Costner star in that??)



Poor thing is completely surrounded in enemy territory as you can see in the above picture (the red arrow is the bed and the green arrow are one of the muddied bluegill swarms - taken shortly after cameraguy called saying he was working the Pistons game and jealous - thanks for reminding me about pictures cameraguy - and YES you should have been here, which you will see as you read on, especially part 2). The only thing giving it some rest are the other small bass raiding the bluegills ? you can see the cloudy water where the bluegills are really thick.

I didn?t even try to catch it. I was still looking for clues to the BIG score, not ready to resign myself to picking off leftovers just yet. I moved out onto a point hoping for bigger bass, maybe post spawn, maybe on beds. The bluegills where swarming along shore here too! And there were more raiders ? most looked small again. I came upon a classic post-spawn female bass spot ? an open wedge of water near the drop with milfoil on the inside and crinkly cabbage growing down the break ? textbook ambush lane.

But first, I see a spot where the inside weed line is a little farther from shore and deeper and I see what looks like a ?bite? taken out of it?!? I pitch in the worm. Wait a few seconds and I just know a bass has my lure. No line movement. No feel ? just things aren?t right anymore? I set the hook and lose a solid bass coming over the weed edge. That caused a ruckus and got everyone?s attention (the bluegills, me and some other small cruiser bass).

I wait a minute as I fix up my bait. I toss it back in to what is now obviously a slightly deeper bed. Wait about 20 seconds. My line slowly tightens up. This time I get him! Another decent largermouth ? 16 or 17 inches. Healthy. I let him go and move along.

I can?t believe it, but I only see a few small keeper cruisers along the outside lane. I keep dropping a wacky-rigged Xworm down the deep shadowed edge ? about 6 foot deep. Nothing. Just the occasional average keeper and its younger siblings sneaking along in front of me. I should be seeing more beds or have many bass already moved out towards summer spots?

I get sidetracked again when I spot this 3+ bass on a shallow bed (red arrow is the big boy hovering over the bed, green arrow - more swarms of gills).



I can?t pass up a shot at a full-grown bass like this? but I wonder why the other bass anglers moving through the area haven?t caught it (or maybe they had?)?? Again, lots of bluegills nearby, swarming, but they only pass through this big boy?s bed quickly. I spend the next hour trying to catch this bass (you know once you?ve been challenged? it?s just hard to turn away?)

It ignores most of my presentations although I flip a new white Zoom Super Hog in the bed and it mouths it after looking at it a few seconds ? the most interest by far. Unfortunately it first only bites the legs, then for a split second it maybe has the hook, but I?m just not fully in fighting form yet and miss the split second opportunity.

I tried about 20 different things and the only other action I got out of the bass was it nose-bumps a small suspending jerkbait I hover right over it.

Finally, I admit defeat, hanging my head low (but not for long) and give up on the fish. This really isn?t what I?ve come here to do ? bother the scattered visible bedding bass along shore. A few anglers are already doing that - although I don?t see much catching ? and with all the bluegills assaulting the shores, I figure these bass have enough to do already. Most are 12 to 14 inches. Nothing wrong with that, I?m just your typical optimistic angler ? hoping for more?

[djkimmel]

Part 2 - I guess this is the 'what was I doing messing around when I could have gone right for the throat' finale

When in doubt, fish a point. I go right to the largest point on the lake ? an awesome summertime hangout and maybe holding some bass already.

If it is, they have to be either up in the weeds (which I?m unable to prove other than seeing the occasional scattered blow up, or down at the base? because the muskies have taken over the surface along the outside weed edge!!!

Every weed point and every indent has a ?resident? adult musky ? many are over 40 inches ? just laying there waiting for a $15 Lucky Craft that is foolish enough to come anywhere near them? I only need to learn the hard way so many times? so I?m not throwing anything remotely resembling an expensive lure? not at least until I?ve given up on the hot quality bass bite.

I think they?ve planted about 20 muskies per acre or something. This is ridiculous. (The worst part is I think the muskies are successfully spawning because over the two days I see three baby muskies that look too tiny to have been planted ? unless the MDNR just planted them recently?? ? Ok, one might have been a hammerhandle pike ? the sneak attack was too quick to get a good look at it ? but not quick enough that I wasn?t able to yank my lure safe. Heh heh heh! If you want to catch a musky, you need to go casting the outside weed edge on Lake Ovid ? I?m telling you!!)

I get no real bites along the weed line although I do flip one from a pocket up in the weeds way in from the tip. Another clue maybe?? Although, I did see something chasing bluegills in that same hole a minute earlier. So maybe not a clue, but just lucky timing. I did make him eat some weeds though?



Sounds kind of mean, doesn?t it? Well, I did thank it for biting my lure, cleaned the weeds off of him and sent him back on his way.

I?m beginning to think a lot more bass are still spawning and/or up in the thick weeds. I need a thinking break (plus this is the hottest it?s been yet this year and my head it cooking!!! I?ve already dunked my hat in the lake about 15 times and drank half my water ? a lot). I have a feeling there are a whole BUNCH of bait stealing muskies around this point too, so I put the trolling motor on high and fly along the outside weed edge ? about 9 to 10 feet deep.

In less than 200 feet around the tip of the point, I see 4 big muskies ? 1 per every indent or weed point! Oh boy. I mean these boys (and girls) are thicker than cord wood ? a real menace. I decide the outside weed edge probably isn?t the place to be for bass right now (other than fish stick volunteers!).

Let?s see. Bluegills have come on big, but mostly smaller bass with the occasional decent one are busting them. Random, scattered bass are blowing up out in the midrange weeds. Muskies are all over the outside edge and not much happening below them either. Some bass are still on beds along the shore.

I think a lot more of the bigger bass are still on beds yet. And I just happen to know where some of the bigger ones usually spawn? I head for one of the big humps, getting hounded by more muskies all the way there. It will make you jumpy when you are constantly watching under your lure for the toothy torpedo coming up fast behind it. Some of the critters during the day took to following my boat and hiding under it because I guess they figured things that look like food seem to be nearby all the time. About every other time I look down there?s a musky sitting there, or cruising by. ?Yep, still here, just waiting for you to tie on something expensive? heh heh heh!?

Enough of this. I come up onto the hump inside the crinkly cabbage edge. The milfoil is perfect. Beautiful. Why didn?t I come out here earlier?? Well, I?m here now. Let?s find out if the bigger bass are too. There?s the barest of breezes now and the milfoil isn?t topped out yet, so I sneak along the top of the hump. Shortly, I see a dark circle in the milfoil ? probably 5 or 6 feet deep.

I pitch my Texas-rigged worms into the black hole. I wait a few seconds and then I ?weigh? the worm. It feels a little heavier. I sock it to him and him turns out to be really nice bass that does its best to bull through the thick weeds. I get the solid bass in ? probably about 2-10 ? and I see the signs of wear and tear from the spawn. Yup ? it?s a bed.

But how many are there? Almost done or still on big time? Only way to find out is to look for more. It used to be there would be an inside bald spot this time of year on the humps ? the ?adult? bass would spawn along the inside deep edge of the weeds around the crown ? it?s all sandy here under the weed muck. Now the weeds have taken over and now it?s covered completely.

I go about 100 feet, flipping into every suspicious hole and shadow, but I know a bed when I see one? I see one. I?m pretty sure I see my second hole. I flip in and make a point with another solid adult bass! Yeah Baby! Now, things are starting to look up.

I?m looking hard now. I catch quality bass out of the next three obvious holes, and a chunky 15-incher out of a lazy, barely noticeable hole. I?m thinking there?s some serious bedding going on still. I move closer to the outer edge of the hump, still in the milfoil ? it?s 6 to almost 8 feet deep here, but there are sandy stretches just right for largemouth love!

Things start looking even better. I get serious and break out 30-pound braid and the white Super Hog. What a blast. Almost every single hole produces a largemouth of 2 ? to almost 3 ? pounds!!

I?m just moving slow and steady. Quiet enough that some of the bass I actually catch vertically jigging in the holes. As I get closer to the key edges, the average size of the bass go up overall. Now I?m really having fun!

Flip in the hole and let it sit. Weigh it. Set the hook and bull the bass out of the thick milfoil. One right after the other. What a blast!

There?s only one problem. I?m supposed to leave at 5 PM and it?s 5 PM.

I can?t leave. I can see some deeper holes just inside the crinkly cabbage that I KNOW have to be holding bigger bass!!!

I?m glad I stay a little longer. The next few beds produce some really nice bass. I never get the toad I?m hoping for ? here?s my best one of the day ? about 4 ? pounds



but I lost one off a really deep bed that felt and (from what little flash I saw) looked like a BIG ?UN!!!

You know what ? I?ve decided I?m coming back tomorrow. I haven?t even fished a 1/10 of the humps!!! I can?t wait! (Musky update: I did get bit off after flipping into one hole, but I knew as I flipped that something didn?t look right about this particular hole - it was darker and kind of foreboding... I also saw a couple baby 20-inchers sneaking around up in the weeds, but I just shook my pitching stick at them and chased them off.)

[cameraguy]

Holy moley!  What a day!  When I request a full report, you don't disappoint.  I'm out of breath after tearing through that.      I am almost weeping at my work schedule as of late.  When the Pistons are done that will all change.  I'll finally get to wet a line again.  If they keep playing like they have been it will be a little too soon though.

Great day, Dan.  Great report.  I am jealous though.  Ovid is cool.

[bshaner]

DJ,

Can you and I team up and make money catching muskies?  This will be in my full report on my day in the life of Joshimotoson but I just have to add it in a reply to your report....

Josh and I were doing pretty well on the breaks / drops where sand hits weeds right at the drop running a texas rig.  Here's the kicker..  On a stinking texas rigged hula grub if I jigged it up more than 6 to 8 inches off the floor I'd catch a musky.  Reeling the hula grub in after working it I'd catch a musky.   Every where I go I catch musky.  I feel your pain man!

Other than that, nice fish man!  Great report!

Brian

[Duke]

The nicest thing about your report DJ, is that I learned something from it. Thanks for the time you spent writing it out. 

Duke

[djkimmel]

You're welcome Duke.

bshaner - I'm beginning to think I must smell nice to muskies or something... I'm glad Troy went out with me a few hours recently so someone could see I'm not making this musky stuff up. I don't know if I could be a musky tournament threat... I just think there's a ton of muskies in Lake Ovid!

cameraguy - you didn't say if you liked my pictures or not. I took time out from fishing to take half a dozen shots with my little digital. I was surprised the one with that nicer bass on the bed turned out well enought to clearly see the torpedo over the bed. You can even see the bass' shadow underneath! It was holding pretty tight, I may have been able to get closer. I wish now that I had had the good camera with me with the polarized lens. That might have been cool.

[cameraguy]

Great pix.  You just don't see pix of the bottom very much (unless you get those naughty magazines).  Even the big mags don't do enough of this.  One can learn a lot by looking at a fish's habitat and behavior. 

[joshimoto son]

Really enjoyed the story Dan!!!

I'm also happy to hear you that you've have a tremendous day on the water.

Just from what little I see here on the board... I'm sure it was a good day
to get away from evertything.

I'm very happy for ya!

Take care,

joshimoto son

[wetride]

I fish there last fall dnr truck pull up dump a trcuk full of musky about 10 to 12 inchs.  300.  06-03-06  We caugth 1 pike 1 bass and the musky was following the boat. LOOKING for DAN.

[djkimmel]

Well... it didn't find me this time. I drove 4 hours North just to get away...