I recently fished this lake a few times for Largemouth (exclusively) from a kayak and have done fairly well. There is a lack of info on this lake, so I went in with a lot of uncertainty about the Largemouth population. I can report that there is indeed a pretty decent bass population, comparable to similar lakes in the area. I saw some little fingerling bass, so I assume it’s a stable population.

The down side is that it’s little tough to fish because it’s weedy (compared to what I am accustomed to). There are the obvious huge, thick lily pad fields, and then a lot of submerged weeds beyond that. There are fields of thin, spindly weeds and broader leafed “crinkly mini kelp” all around. If it sounds swampy, it’s not. The water is noticeably clear, and the weed beds are actually nice looking and not too thick.

I first started with my typical fallback of crankbaits, but that resulted in weeds almost every cast. I had my best luck with shallow running (1-3 ft) crankbaits and swimbaits, and topwater chuggers and frogs. No one lure stood out, but I am still in the process of adapting my tackle box to this lake. I did catch one pretty big fish after about 10 hrs total fishing, and a handful of small to medium fish. My catch rate is basically average compared to every other like I have fished around the area.

I talked with a couple of locals who were recreating out there, and I am encouraged that there may be a few more larger fish than usual due to the lower fishing pressure because all motorized craft (gas and electric) are disallowed. However, at this point I am still working on proving that. I generally target larger fish with larger lures, so I will find out. It takes a while, but so far I like this lake.

jcheng8999

8/3/2011 10:17:00 PM

Hey flundar, great report with lots of info. It's really appreciated. Any section of the lake did better than others? i haven't ever made it past the park side.

Aaidian

8/3/2011 10:34:00 PM

Just from your desription of the lake, the first thing that popped into my head was a soft jerk bait, like the old Shad Assasins. Sounds like it would be a great lake to explore for sure...GJ!

The Quadfather

8/4/2011 8:00:00 AM

Thanks for the detailed report. I have thought about fishing this lake. good luck out there, and please let us know how it goes in the future.

flundar

8/4/2011 5:51:00 PM

To jcheng8999: The NE end does appeal to me a bit more than the SW park end, because there are larger, spottier lily pad fields as opposed to shore hugging pad fields. It drops off slower in the NE end and is generally shallower with a bit more interesting underwater terrain and weed fields. That said, I always start at the park end and fish clockwise because I prefer fishing over the left side of my kayak and fishing every type of water a lake has to offer just in case things change. I have fished the whole lake and my preference is mostly mental. The SE side is my second favorite. The long, straight NW side is my least favorite, no fish there yet. It is in the shade in the afternoon which might contribute. I fish in the afternoon. Maybe later in the summer?

To Aaidian: I tried some Berkley Hollow Belly paddle tails and Sabile soft swimbait. They did help a lot with the weeds, but I am not a huge fan of either and switched quickly without catching a fish. Its about confidence, but they would work good if you are good with them and stick with them.

To The Quadfather: Thanks, I will post back later with whatever happens.

flundar

8/26/2011 10:57:00 AM

Follow Up:
I have fished this lake a few more times now. My original comment still sums it up. If you have a fishing kayak or a canoe; something human propelled you can portage, it’s a pretty good lake for Largemouth. They are in there. It has gotten less clear now, and there are noticeable algae fields mixed with the submerged weeds. I wouldn't call it totally choked up, just pretty weedy. I have caught fish all over the lake with many presentations, except for bottom presentations like rubber worms, which I have ignored. I bet flipping would be good, but I can’t stand up in my kayak. Weed-tolerant lures are helpful. Frog lures (for example the Spro Bronzeye) have been my favorite method, if for no other reason than they make life so easy since they are almost totally weedless. That’s it, good luck, and release the big ones!

flundar

2/22/2012 12:26:00 AM

I would like to add that I have seen people do well fishing for panfish here. I once saw two guys out in a little aluminum boat they rowed about halfway out to the middle of the lake from the park on 156th catching lots of panfish drifting bait under the boat. Activity peaks noticeably in late summer, there are lots of bugs and rising panfish on warm August evenings. Bored float-tube guys could satisfy a late summer fishing jones here.

The fishing from the park dock does not appear super effective, as it is in shallow water. But I have seen some bluegill and perch caught. If I was to fish of the dock, I would try bobbers and worms with gear that can cast well. I don’t believe there are any trout. I heard a rumor trout were once stocked by a private citizen, but there is no regular trout stocking by the state that I know of.

michael2036

8/12/2012 11:23:00 AM

I'd try and punch those lillies and mats

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