23 April 2009, 1800 hrs. Overcast, mild breeze. Surface temperature ~52 degrees. Wind ~4 mph from north. Water temperature unknown, but best guess ~62 degrees. Water clarity / visibility – clear / ~7 feet.
Tackle: 7’ Med-Hvy Shimano Signature Series rod, coupled with a BPS Extreme round bait casting reel (6.3:1), strung with 12 lbs test Stren Sensor, tied to a 3/8 ounce custom jig with single rattle (basic colors black, blue, green) and Berkley Powerbait Bungee Hawg trailer (junebug).
Technique: beating the banks in the west side of the lake. The west side of the lake is fairly flat (average 5 feet deep) with a long ditch (average 8 feet deep) running west to east somewhat towards the middle. I decided to just work the banks of the west side of the lake today. I threw only jigs and variously-rigged plastics. I started with light/transparent colors (like the “book” tells you to do in clear water) -- nothing. I switched to darker/opaque colors and started get bit. I switched off between a weightless jerkbait (Powerbait Arkansas Shad), ¼ ounce black/red jig (no rattle) (black Zoom Swimmin’ Chunk), and the 3/8 ounce black/blue (junebug Bungee Hawg). The two dark jigs seemed to work best. The Bass are definitely hanging out in the west side of the lake. There were good signs today. Bass were picking at baitfish in the lily pads – busting the surface. Got bit several times and this 3-pounder even jumped for me. The jig bites were pretty aggressive. Many bites came from swimming the jigs and bumping the lily pads. Only a couple of bites came on the fall.
Perspective of the few hours I was fishing. I think Z-Man Chatterbait jigs (or similar replicating jigs) would have been effective. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring any with me yesterday. I’ll be going out again this weekend. I’ll be sure to bring some – darker colors. For these conditions using a jig, I recommend a 7 foot med-hvy rod, braided line (30 lbs test / 8 lbs test diameter) for spinning tackle and 12-15 lbs test mono or fluorocarbon line for bait casters. The fish are still too scared for flipping and pitching, so make longer casts. I got no closer to 15 yards to my target and made casts as long a 35 yards -- very difficult to control the lure and get a good hook set; therefore, use your faster reels to pick up slack line for a quicker hook set – sacrifice power for speed. You will not need the torque power of slower reels because the fish aren’t fighting too hard and the lily pads and weeds are not that thick yet. Continue to use the lower gear ratio reels for crankbaits, though . . .

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