Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

dartag was kind enough to invite me jump in his Ranger Boat last Wednesday, March 30, 2016 and I did just that - jumped at the chance to get out for some more early spring bass fishing - some of my favorite!

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/1steve-smith-coots-boat-ramp20160330_090230.jpg)
He was already launched on Kent Lake at the East Ramp when I got there having scared off a big school of grass-eating coot.

We motored out into the lake and started fishing various flats and shorelines with (dartag) a KVD 1.5 and (me) a KVD 2.5 shallow crankbaits. Nothing happened for a few minutes but then I hooked one practically right on shore next to a laydown log. It got off at the boat and dartag said he didn't see anything so it didn't count... :D It was maybe a barely keeper.

We didn't get any bites for short time afterwards so I switched to a Redeye Shad in some brown crawdad color and fishing a shallow sandy flat hooked a nice smallmouth bass about 4 pounds!

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/2-dan-big-smallmouth-bass-redeye20160330_102825.jpg)
I landed it and dartag saw it before I let it go so it 'counted.' :) I was feeling a lot better.

We moved out across the lake and tried more shallows (nada) and flats. We saw another bass boat of shy anglers (they didn't say hello back??) and they caught a few on jerkbaits out from shore. dartag had already switched to a Strike King jerkbait. I put on a Lucky Craft Bevy Shad to get down closer to bottom.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/3-small-keeper-lc-jerkbait20160330_114811.jpg)
As we moved across the lake we started getting them. We kind of took turns but I don't have many pictures of dartag because he just wanted to catch bigger ones. Here's my first small keeper on a jerkbait.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/4-2nd-small-keeper-lc-jerkbait20160330_120329.jpg)
Then another small keeper ate the jerkbait out in front of a pocket on nothing in particular.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/5-steve-jerkbait-bass20160330_120748_HDR.jpg)
dartag got a decent one again on his jerkbait and this time he let me take his picture with it!

After catching a few this way but no big ones we headed back down the lake to fish some of the sand bars and shorelines and bays.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/6-kvd-25-keeper20160330_123140.jpg)
On the way across a good point I did get this small keeper to hit the KVD 2.5 so I took its picture. :)

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/7-steve-kvd-15-chunker20160330_131426.jpg)
We had a couple followers (dartag anyway with a nice one on a swim jig and some pike attacks) but not much action for a little while fishing around stumps. Finally we entered some muddy water and dartag caught this nice chunker - our biggest so far - on his KVD 1.5. We don't know if it came of anything because we couldn't see.

We headed back to the main part of the lake and fished the channel drop or near it for awhile. dartag caught several largemouth bass on his bladebait while I caught mostly weeds... finally when we hit a little 'hot' point I caught a dink on my bladebait while dartag caught 3 I think...? Can't remember.

Meanwhile, Marcel Veenstra of Marcels Guide Service (http://www.marcelsguideservice.com/) had called to see how things were going because he was thinking about fishing from shore for awhile. dartag was doing a great job 'guiding' so far but I thought what the heck, why not have 2 guides in the boat so we ran into Marcel on shore and had him jump in the boat with us.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/8-marcel-small-keeper20160330_150458_HDR.jpg)
Then we got on a pretty good bladebait bite thanks to Marcel's guidance and dartag's great boat driving. Marcel caught several nice keepers like this. I caught a dink.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/9-marcels-hawg-6pounder20160330_152214_HDR.jpg)
Then Marcel hooked a carp that turned out to be a 6 pound HAWG largemouth that really fought hard! It was a beauty especially on a bladebait.

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/10-quality-blitz-blade-largemouth-marcel20160330_154907_HDR.jpg)
Marcel had the touch down so even after he lost his original hot Silver Buddy  he switched to a Blitz Blade tin bladebait and landed another bass over 3 pounds!

I was having fun because I had a few good bites. I missed a really solid one on the Bullet Craw too. Marcel says I set the hook too fast... who knows. I just know I missed it and it felt solid for the split second I felt it on the other end of my line!

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/11-me-fighting-bladebait-bass20160330_153029.jpg)
Marcel was nice enough to take a picture of me when I hooked what felt like a good one on the bladebait (I was using a half ounce and think I would have done better in the weeds with a lighter bladebait but I usually only use them deeper at 1/2 an ounce...).

(http://glb.glwimg.com/images/12-snagged-bass-on-bladebait20160330_153102_001.jpg)
Whoops, it turns out my 'good' one felt better because it was snagged in the side unfortunately but not a huge deal since it's catch and immediate release anyway so back in the drink the bass when.

Marcel said "bass fishing is awesome" and dartag and I both agreed. It was a really good day. We dropped Marcel back off and went in about 4pm so dartag could take care of some important business. Marcel says he caught several more good bass including 1 over 4 pounds so we definitely left them biting! Next time...! :)

Great report... The blade bait bite is on full swing.. Glad everyone is enjoying the early season bass fishing. 8^)

I sure am. I don't think everyone is out yet because of the up and down (more down) weather but yes, it is worth getting out for a little discomfort because the bass are biting pretty good once you find some!

There have only been a couple bass boats on my lake.  But the ones out there have been rewarded with great fishing this spring.  I have had some great days so far.  Warmer weather would be nice.  Maybe next week.

Warmer weather would be nice but... we're not supposed to get warmer weather anytime real soon.