Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

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Cuervo Jones
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Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

After yesterday’s experiment with color on the volunteer bass of Fayette Lake, I kept thinking about how much fun that lake can be. So, this morning, I again set a (late) course for Fayette and got there at about 10:30 to find about 1/3 as many people as yesterday. There was Captain Phlegmy, who upon lurching/stumbling out of his truck began wheezing and hacking and yelling about all sorts of stuff. I thought he had a buddy in the truck. He didn’t. It was just him cursing out the algae on the ramp, the boat starter, the birds, and everything else while gasping and making sounds like he was passing a kidney stone. He kept hollering at his chihuahua “Hannibal” and I heard this all...from across the lake! There was also the Cast Net Caballeros in their overloaded boat, zipping around full speed in the no-wake zone, throwing nets all over the place and hollering in Spanish. But these things are only diversions. I was here for bass experiments. Again, I started with a Carolina rig where I saw some fish on sonar and got nothing, so I tried a jig and got a few half-hearted pops. Nope. It’s a crankbait day for sure! Today’s test:
Which color would they prefer, shad or crawfish. Bass love them both, but do they love one more than another?!
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I’ll spare you the gory details, TKF, but I’ll say it was one of the best days I’ve had bass fishin’ in a LONG time. The crawfish started strong.
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Then the shad made a good showing.
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Then it was just lights out between 16-20’ in the creek channels. The bass are getting fatter too! Pro tip: If you have sonar, USE IT! If not, don’t panic, you can just fish your way across the creek arms and eventually you’ll hit the channel and the bass. Then you can throw a marker buoy, or your old lady, into the lake and come back to the same spot again and again to find the fish.
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I won’t bother posting all the photos (there’s a LOT), but a few times, I was able to get bass on each crankbait at the same time like yesterday. And hey, two of anything is always better than one!
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Bass hate seeing each other happy and will go bonkers trying to outdo their pals. So if one gets a tasty crankbait lunch, you can bet his goombas are gonna be hysterically looking for their own. Best you give it to them! Clearly crawfish catches bigger fish.
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I mean...shad! Clearly shad catches bigger bass!
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I even got two on the same bait (the crawfish if you MUST know), proving that bass are thieves and hooligans and will try to steal the food out of each others’ mouths. For shame. They were driven mad with crawfish desire, like starving, crustacean-crazed Cajuns.
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I even caught a midget when I released a bass and tossed the crank overboard. I picked up the rod and felt a tug and it was this crazy little bugger. Totally weird day, but these things happen.
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If you have sharp eyes, you’ll notice this is a different sexy shad colored crank. One of the side effects of fishing deep cranks is you catch a LOT of bottom stuff. Some comes up with the bait.
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Some steals it from you. That’s the risky and dangerous life of a crankin’ man.
So, TKF, I can tell you now that the bass of Fayette Lake don’t seem to prefer crawfish or shad or fire tiger crankbait colors. They just want them deep and they want them now. I didn’t see any bank beaters catching fish, but I was pretty distracted unhooking mine most of the time. As always, all fish were released unharmed, with a manly pat on the dorsal fin and a solemn nod of approval. My thumb looks like chop meat and my back and arms are sore and I’m dreading the work week ahead of me. I’ll probably go insane.
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Last edited by Cuervo Jones on Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:46 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Xenarcher
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Xenarcher »

Great report! I had all intentions of fish Fayette this weekend and just didnt make it back to town. Have hopes of hitting it soon between archery tournaments! Thanks for the great reports!


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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Xenarcher »

Great report!! Just reading them is fun!!



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YakRunabout
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by YakRunabout »

You have had quite some outings there at Fayette Lake!! And quite some fish!
I have seen two fish with a tandem, but not two with a lure!! I see some more ‘experiments’, or challenges, in your future – how to beat two fish on a lure? A longer lure with 3 trebles and go for 3? Trail a crank behind the first and go for 4?
Good luck

And congrats!!
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

If I didn’t have to go earn some bread to keep a roof over my head, I’d be out today testing a baby bass pattern crank. My thumb is relieved, but my adrenal glands are sulking.


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TigerLandSportsman
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Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by TigerLandSportsman »

Thanks for the report and advice. I actually used this technique this past Saturday, and caught my first bass in over 10' of water. Keep the reports coming.
Last edited by TigerLandSportsman on Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Kayak Kid »

Thanks for sharing your adventure. I love that lake.
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by karstopo »

Muchas gracias para el informe, don Cuervo. I've had bass on the brain over the holiday but only got so far as to construct some lures.

Maybe we need to start a go fund me for Cuervo to enable him to keep fishing and reporting and ignore the need to make a living.
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

karstopo wrote:Maybe we need to start a go fund me for Cuervo to enable him to keep fishing and reporting and ignore the need to make a living.
Your thought is appreciated, however unlike the guy who plays president on tv and other crooks, I am not interested in using other peoples’ hard-earned money to fund my weekend fun-trips and vacations.


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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by thechucked »

I've got every Monday off for the rest of the year and plan on hitting Fayette in the next couple of weeks. Is it better to launch at Park Prairie or Oak Thicket Park, or does it really matter?
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Cuervo Jones
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Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

thechucked wrote:I've got every Monday off for the rest of the year and plan on hitting Fayette in the next couple of weeks. Is it better to launch at Park Prairie or Oak Thicket Park, or does it really matter?
Either launch works and puts you on some good structure within a few paddle or pedal strokes. Points, channels, flats, and tank dams abound. There’s also weedbeds, reeds, and timber if you’re more of a cover fan. Just be warned, it’s a power plant lake and with all the mercury and toxins, there are plenty of Franken-fish around!
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by thechucked »

Thanks, sounds like I may actually be able to put my Nav+ and Lowrance to good use for a change. I prefer to fish cover/structure so it sounds like it should be fun.
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

Preparing for another round of experiments this weekend, and I realized that catching LOTS of bass is fun, but catching BIG bass is funner. So, next time I head out, I plan to not only fish a bass colored crankbait, but also some Big Baits with a bass tinge to them.
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Considering that this little maniac attacked something almost his size, I’m thinking I’ll still be able to get some average joe bass on the Big Baits too.
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I’m not sure how they’ll do, but I’m positive that come early spring, the big Bertha bass mammas will be more than ready to gobble up some little wimpy bass. And I’ll be heaving these their way to accommodate their carnal desires.


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Chubs
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Chubs »

How do you work these crank baits, just cast out and a steady retrieve? What sort of depth do the baits you use dive to?
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Off the charts bass action and the great crankbait experiment 11-26

Post by Cuervo Jones »

Nice, steady retrieve works well. Occasionally, pull it forward and let it float for a second, then resume. The most effective method I’ve found is trolling. They dive around 16-18 feet with the setup I use. Straight mono. 14 or 20 pound depending on which reel I use. Also depends on length of line you have out. This time of year, bass of all sizes are smashing shad offshore. The fat girls are packing on pounds and may or may not be hanging out with the cool kids in schools.


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