Hello,

When you abandoned the Senkos and started getting hits, what did you switch
to? ("your old fail safe array of baits)

What were you using to catch the fish while the other guys looked on in
wonder?

Lastly, where are you at in Northern Indiana? I'm in the Lafayette area and
love to hear "close to home" stories of what works and what doesn't!

Thanks in advance!
Mick
"Doug" wrote in message
news:ZEatg.3954$Th7.282@trnddc05...
Seeing how this thread still has some life in it lately, I have returned
for an update on the trip. I didn't get to fish near as much as I would
have liked too, but I did get in a few hours on the next to the last day.
I tried Senko's for around an hour or so, and didn't even get as much as a
nibble. I tried 3 different colors, all darker and couldn't entice
anything to bite. I could see smallmouth swimming around at around the 10
to 14 ft break, but they wouldn't hit. It finely got to me and I went
back to my old fail safe array of baits and started landing. I hit 2 4lb
er's, and probably a half dozen or so in the 2 lb range. Spent about 3
hours in this spot right by our cabin.

Later in the day, I took the boat out to one of my spots that many know
of, a large part of the marsh near shore broke off years ago (basically
tree's, Tamaracks growing out of a thick thick bed of moss) and floated
out into about 25 ft of water and sunk creating a large flat. I pulled up
and there was another pair of local anglers out there, and I asked if they
minded if I dropped anchor on the other side and fished, they nodded and
said no problem. As I was rigging up, I looked and could see just
thousands of YOY minnows (perch) breaking the surface, obviously being
spooked and preyed upon. It was something like I have never seen before.
They were like domino's falling, one small school would spook and then it
would trigger the adjacent schools to spook until they basically circled
the whole flat area, about 75 yards across the middle. Was just
spectacular to see. I asked the other anglers if they had caught
anything, and they said, surprisingly enough, no, they hadn't. Not much
other chit chat.

Anyway, I threw my first cast, WHAM, 4 1/2 lb'r, threw another, WHAM 2
lb'r, and another, WHAM, another 4 1/2 lb'r. Of course I put on a small
show for these guys and then after the 3rd fish, the one guy looks over
and says, "You know, we were here 1st and this flat isn't very big.", and
I was like, this flat is 75 yards across guys, we got the whole thing to
ourselves, what's the big deal. For whatever reason that escapes me, they
all of a sudden weren't happy about me being there. Anyway, I pulled up
my anchor, and buoy and went to the other side, and the next cast,
KABOOM!! landed one of the largest smallmouths I have ever caught,
tipping my scale at 6lb and 9oz. I pulled it up out of the water like I
was pulling a big fish out of my livewell at the Bassmasters Classic weigh
in!! Was great!! Those guys never hit anything while I was there and they
pulled up anchor after that fish and left!!

I'll tell you the messed up part now, as good as the fishing was there
for about 45 minutes, it was just like God said, "You caught enough"
and he flipped a switch and the water became dead calm and I couldn't buy
a bite after that biggest one.

Back on topic:
I did however fish a local lake this last weekend here in Northern Indiana
and gave the Senko's another honest shot, and did fairly well, I'm not
sure how many bass I hit, but it was quite a few, all in about the 1 1/2
lb range. None were very big at all, but the quantity made it a good day
of just fun fishing.

Also, I highly recommend the "Pictured Rocks" tour and the "Glass Bottom
Boat" tour of shipwrecks in Lake Superior too, pretty cool stuff for
anyone that gets up North. Other sites that are cool were the Oswald's
Bear Ranch, The Valley Camp Ship, and the Soo Locks and just walking up
and down the paths near the Tahquamenon River Mouth. Beautiful place and
there were a couple guys bangin' some fish at the launch too, nothing
great, but with that view, who cares. Lots of smallmouth in that river
too a local guy was telling me, said there's usually a few world class
fish that come out of there each year.

Anyway, that was my trip, and my report on fishing and Senko's.

Thanks again for the advice and input everyone!!

Doug





Pretty excited about seeing the "Soo Locks" too and the "Pictured Rocks"
on Lake Superior amongst other things, but that's another story! The
kids should have a blast!!

If I get some nice one's, I'll be sure to post a few pic's too, and let
you know how we did!

Thanks again everyone!!

Tight lines,

Doug