08-20-2012, 10:55 PM
Slit yer wrists? What you need my friend is one of them pigtail digging gadgets - they have a sharp blade, so you can slit things if you really need to. See picture below.
I'd agree about fall - lots of fish strap on the feedbags as water's cool, and they sense the 'ice-age' coming. You'll probably find bass becoming more aggressive and ready to come out of ambush and slam a nice fat offering. Figure young baitfish have sized up over the summer, and they don't have to lose as much energy as hot-oxygen depleted waters would offer. So they might be more willing to come out and attack.
If you can find some structure, or depth changes - I really think a lot of Mantua is deeper than my finder ever tells me. Thick bed of weeds - so it might say 6-8 ft deep, when really it's 10-15, to hard bottom.
If you can punch down THROUGH the whole mess - you might find a pocket under the weeds - bass will hang out looking for food to fall down through, and slam it when it hits bottom.
Be ready for a good bush-wacking to haul them up through the salad bowl (heavy braid). I was surprised how heavy little dink Bluegill become after they wrap a weed frond or two!
Same thing on the weed edges. Been surprised how many times I'd pull a curly tail across what looked to barren weedbeds, only to be greeted by a flocking school of bass and panfish on the chase - coming out of the woodwork.
Find those spots where it drops from 8ft to 20ft (unless it's way low...?) and those weed walls will be hiding a slurry or hungry predators. I find a lot of trout frequenting those same transitions.
As for Bass On Ice. Seen some nice smallies from the View, and others elsewhere. Watched a number come up and watch ME on camera - caught several in between panfish and trout, but this was my nicest - last Winter - Mantua- 17 incher. Very different tug from the others, for sure! (more like a lump, or brick that don't move!)
So yeah - they still feed in winter.
[inline MI7.YotesBiggerBass.jpg]
I'd agree about fall - lots of fish strap on the feedbags as water's cool, and they sense the 'ice-age' coming. You'll probably find bass becoming more aggressive and ready to come out of ambush and slam a nice fat offering. Figure young baitfish have sized up over the summer, and they don't have to lose as much energy as hot-oxygen depleted waters would offer. So they might be more willing to come out and attack.
If you can find some structure, or depth changes - I really think a lot of Mantua is deeper than my finder ever tells me. Thick bed of weeds - so it might say 6-8 ft deep, when really it's 10-15, to hard bottom.
If you can punch down THROUGH the whole mess - you might find a pocket under the weeds - bass will hang out looking for food to fall down through, and slam it when it hits bottom.
Be ready for a good bush-wacking to haul them up through the salad bowl (heavy braid). I was surprised how heavy little dink Bluegill become after they wrap a weed frond or two!
Same thing on the weed edges. Been surprised how many times I'd pull a curly tail across what looked to barren weedbeds, only to be greeted by a flocking school of bass and panfish on the chase - coming out of the woodwork.
Find those spots where it drops from 8ft to 20ft (unless it's way low...?) and those weed walls will be hiding a slurry or hungry predators. I find a lot of trout frequenting those same transitions.
As for Bass On Ice. Seen some nice smallies from the View, and others elsewhere. Watched a number come up and watch ME on camera - caught several in between panfish and trout, but this was my nicest - last Winter - Mantua- 17 incher. Very different tug from the others, for sure! (more like a lump, or brick that don't move!)
So yeah - they still feed in winter.
[inline MI7.YotesBiggerBass.jpg]