7-22-18

7-22-18 6am-2pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 8 company bass fishing with co-worker Kevin Potts as my partner
Weather: Partly sunny to sunny, 81º, light winds
H20: 81º, mostly clear, 10 falling
Caught: Lots of LMB’s mostly between 12-13”, we weighed in four legal LMB’s


Observations: The river is still pretty high, and some of the lower lying woods are still flooded. This pool does not have the abundance of wild rice as there is on pool 7.

It was my first company bass tournament and actually the second annual. I was fishing with a co worker that had very little fishing experience. He did very well for himself, he ended up catching two or the four keepers that we weighed in. I caught a lot of bass but most were in the 12-13 inch range. We did get second in the tournament and ended up earning $100 for our efforts. After the fish weigh in we had a nice little get together and picnic.

7-18-18 630pm-9pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: (1853) E3, 81º, clear, 30.00 falling
H20: 81º, clear, 9.73 rising, 86 kcfs
Caught: Approx. 5 10-12” LMB’s

Observations: The water level is dropping very slowly, also the lake is looking like a scum hole.

I was back to the Trempealeau area in hopes of getting a couple of quick bass for the grill. Well, my plans failed. I did not catch some bass but the ones I did catch were small. Yes I do keep a bass now and then, but the ones I do keep are never over 15-16”.

7-17-18 bass fishing

7-17-18 530pm-815pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 8 bass fishing with co-worker Kevin
Weather: (1853) vrbl 5, 81º, clear, 30.08 rising
H20: 81º, clear, 9.68 falling, 87 kcfs
Caught: 1 small LMB

Observations: The water on this pool is very high and fast. There was also an abundance of green slimming moss in certain areas.

I have a company bass tournament on this pool out of Goose Island on Sunday. Kevin is a co worker whom I invited to fish with me in the tournament. Kevin has not fished a lot, so I wanted to get him out on the water before Sunday. I taught him how to use a bait caster, which he was able to use after just a few minutes of instruction. He also fished with a spinning reel which he did have some prior experience with.

The fishing was slow. I had four bites, but only caught one fish. Unfortunately Kevin did not have any action, but he did enjoy the boating and the river.

7-10 thru 7-14 2018 bass fishing

7-10 thru 714–18
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: mostly hot and humid, with temps in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s
H20: High and still around 10’, the water temperature is around 80º
Caught: Not a lot of bass pre fishing but did catch a lot during the tournament

Observations: The river is still hight for this time of year. There is a ample growth of aquatic vegetation, although the milfoil is not as wide spread this year. Also, there are large concentrations of minnows in certain areas.

I had a bass tournament out of trempealeau this Saturday. It was put on by the Lions Club as another fundraiser for Catfish Days. I had been searching for bass all week prior to Saturday. Let me state it this way, my pre fishing was not very good.
tournament day went fairly well. We did not place but we came in around 10th out of 80 boats. Not what I wanted, I was fishing to at least place. My first spot I was very surprised there was not already a boat there. You see we were in the last flight and one of the last boats to take off, and it did not help that I have a slower boat. Anyway I was very excited to see we had our first spot to ourselves. But, it soon became apparent why, there were no bass there. Our first five fish were dog fish!
I knew the bass I had found earlier in the week had not gone too far. We made a short move and it was bass on. we caught lots of bass and never really had to move to far, we pretty much worked over the one spot all day. We ended up with 17.22 pounds with our six fish limit. It we would have hit the 18 pound mark we would have cashed a check.
One very unique thing that happened was one of the bass that was being carried with the other bass in a bag filled with water to the weigh in scale spit up a bird that it had eaten. I have never seen a fish eat a bird, but thought it could be possible and now I had the proof.

7-8-18 bass fishing with Luke and Cade

7-8-18 730am-1130am, 430pm-9pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing with Luke and Cade in am, and by myself in pm
Weather: (0953) S13, 77º, clear, 30.20 falling
H20: 78º, clear, 10.38 falling, 97 kcfs
Caught: Lots of LMB and a couple of pike

Observations: The water is still high, but in some areas it is very clear. The mosquito crop in enormous and it is quite miserable behind the house in the evening.

It was a two-time fishing day for me today. In the morning I went out with my old neighbor Luke and his son Cade. We were in a fishing tournament with Luke’s younger brother Chad and one of his friends. The completion was not even close, we crushed them.

In the evening I was out exploring by myself. I did not do great but I did find a bass here and there. All the fishing today was done on the upper end of the pool.

7-7-18 bass fishing

7-7-18 2pm-4pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: (1453) S10, 81º, clear, 30.28 falling
H20: 80º, clear, 10.44 falling, 98 kcfs
Caught: Approx. 2 LMB

Observations: There was a very minor fish fly hatch last night.

Today was a project and party day, so I did not have much time to fish. I just exposed the area to the west of the house and within a half mile. I caught a couple of fish, but never did find or learn of any new spots holding any bass.

7-5-18 bass fishing

7-5-18 6pm-915pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: (1853) N13, 83º, clear, 30.13 rising
H20: 80º, 10.47 falling, 98 kcfs, mostly clear
Caught: Many nice sized large mouths

Observations: none

The bass fishing was fantastic tonight. I did not do any exploring, I just hit the money spots. The main two baits that accounted for the most bass were a jig with a trailer and a frog.

7-4-18 bass fishing

7-4-18 630am-12pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 8 bass fishing
Weather: (1053) S17 G23, 88º, clear, 30.13 steady
H20: 80º, very clear in Stoddard, dingy to fairly clear by Goose Island, 10.38 rising, 97 kcfs
Caught: Approx. 6 LMB

Observations: The water around Stoddard is extremely clear. there is also a great abundance of wild rice on this pool. The wild rice is definitely taking over other species of aquatic plants. I also heard quite a few bull frogs on this pool.

The fishing was not too bad down by Stoddard, but when I moved north up by Goose Island the bass vanished. I did however catch two walleyes up there and I think if I would have targeted them I might of ended up with a few. The majority of the fish I caught today came off of a swim jig.

7-3-18 bass fishing

7-3-18 6pm-830pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: (1853) SE16, 87º, clear, 30.03 rising
H20: ?º, clear, 10.4 falling, 96.9 kcfs
Caught: Approx. 8 LMB, 1 walleye and one dog fish

Observations: We have had a major fish fly hatch the last couple of nights.

I went back to the same spot where I had caught fish on Saturday night and the fish were still there. Most of the fish were caught by pitching to the grass banks.

7-1-18 bass fishing

7-1-18 9am-1pm
Where/What: Mississippi R. pool 7 bass fishing
Weather: (1153) S13, 81º, mostly cloudy, 29.71 rising
H20: 80º, mostly clear, 10.81 falling, 103 kcfs
Caught: Approx. 6 LMB

Observations: The river is continuing to drop and is clearing up nicely and the Black is extremely clear. There is definitely an overabundance of wild rice this year. I have yet to do well fishing in this stuff.

I found a pretty good concentration of nice sized bass tonight. The fish were relating to grass banks in areas with low flow. A chatter bait and a swim jig were the go to baits.