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I went to Lake Cassidy arrived at lake at 9am and it was lightly raining...so sweatshirt and rain pants and rain coat on. I checked the wind forecast and was due to pick up about 11am...so decided to head over to the other side of the lake by the centennial dock and work my way to the left. I started out with white buzzbait bait cast reel and usual perch #7 floating rapala. It was slow and first hour only had a few taps on the top water minnow and nothing on the buzzbait. Decided that it might be slow due to the cooler weather and rain so decided to downsize the rapala to the size 5 and might get a bluegill or crappie...saw some fish surfacing outside of the lily pads and did a few casts out that way...no luck...went back to my pattern of sitting in the middle of the pads and casting to the back and sides...got first fish a 11" bass on smaller top water just past the old dock with all the duck poop on it. Moved down some more and saw some fish roll and bite some bugs and bull frogs were in full croak. Got another couple bass on top water minnow 10" and 10.5". I decided they were hanging about middle of the pads depth wise and tossed one cast out to deeper water in opening in the pads and bam FISH ON! He went left, he went right, he headed for a set a pads I hauled him back it's another big one...got him to the boat and had both hooks across his face so no where to lip him...so took a risk and hauled him by the lure into the boat....unhook one then lip him...try and take bass selfie...hit the video button on phone by mistake...then got bass shot out. Glad I downsized...let him go and worked my way to north end got two more very small bass by down trees and shoreline. Sun came out and got warm and made it to other side of the lake after a kayaker who wasn't fishing decided to paddle all around the outside of the lily pads to my guess get the most distance...clueless if you see people fishing use the middle of the lake to kayak. So motored past him as he rowed where I was going and started fishing again just past new dock that the old resort was...had a few rolls there and saw more fish hitting bugs in the pads and more surfacing out in front of the pads. So cast out there a few times have caught a lot of fish with a cast to no where...and sure enough about 3 cast fish on! Had him on for a bit never saw him but felt like a bass or crappie no wiggle so not a trout. I had more bites in the back of pads and saw 3-4 big rolls but no more for the day. Landed 6 bass 16", 11", 10.5", 10"-1, and two dinks. Had #7, #8, and #9 hooked but they got off one I did see and was in the 10-12" range.

Slow day and even tried a rat in back shallows where a blue heron was fishing but nothing came to look at it. Had no hits on the buzzbait either and tried a spinner bait for a bit too.

Hope it warms up and fishing should heat up again.

Big Bass for me Tour 2016 continues. I think last year had only 5 13" and over this year have over 10 already and it's only July.

All fish caught and released to fight again another day.

James

bob johansen

7/13/2016 7:35:00 AM

Nice detailed report James!

8theB8

7/13/2016 8:32:00 AM

Keep at it! Hey man, try grabbing the bass under the belly next time they have a face full of trebles, I do it all the time with jerkbaits and crankbaits and it works pretty dang good and keeps your hand out of harms way. Nice work.

Geno the Viking

7/13/2016 12:36:00 PM

Thanks for another great Cassidy report. I'll be out there again soon.

Jamesb

7/13/2016 6:57:00 PM

Thanks guys and might have to try that bellying next time. I never bring the trout net until the fall as I tend to hook it more then use it.

8theB8

7/13/2016 7:07:00 PM

Meh, nets are for quitters! Lol

Jamesb

7/13/2016 7:10:00 PM

Yeah I don't like to remove the slime on bass so leave the net at home. But for trout they come in handy as they don't sit still. If I put the net in the boat I tend to snag it more and remember why I never bring it after 8th snag of the day.

8theB8

7/13/2016 8:07:00 PM

Nets make sense for trout, salmon, steelhead but they are forbidden on my boats for bass fishing! ;)

Jamesb

7/13/2016 8:18:00 PM

Agreed! I actually landed a very large Lahontan Cutthroat trout at Lake Lenore in 80's that didn't fit in my trout net...I had to beach him 26" 6lbs. Luckily, I was shore fishing and not in the boat that day.

bob johansen

7/17/2016 6:57:00 AM

Many years ago I was fishing smallmouth bass on Lake Washington with my son in a canoe. We brought no net as usual. I too, never used a net for bass. Anyway, I hooked a large steelhead on a crankbait. What a battle with light gear and no net. After 30-40 minutes the steelie finally tired and my son was able to grab him with his hands and bring him into the canoe.

Amx

7/17/2016 8:40:00 AM

I have a picture on my computer that I saved from the lake's camera a week ago. Shows a guy trying to do something like grab a fish, get his hat out of the water, something, can't tell. BUT, the thing is, the ONLY thing in the water is his head. Legs bent like he is still sitting/kneeling over the gunnel, and arms out to the side. Straight up and down taking a plunge from a higher sided trout Lund type 16' boat, nobody else in the boat. Didn't look like he had a life jacket on.

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