Ned Kehde: Guide to Midwest Finesse Fishing: October 2025

Steve Reideler of Denton,Texas, with one of the largemouth bass that he caught on Oct. 18.

Oct. 1

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing on Oct. 1 at a 63-year-old and heavily fished state reservoir in northeastern Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 55 degrees. The afternoon’s high temperature was 87 degrees. The wind varied from calm for the first 10 hours to angling out of the southwest and south at 9 to 14 mph, with some gusts reaching 17 to 21 mph. The sky fluctuated from being foggy and misty to fair. The barometric pressure was 30.08 at 12:52 a.m., 30.08 at 5:52 a.m., 30.10 at 11:52 a.m., and 30.04 at 2:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be almost two feet below normal. The surface temperature ranged from 75 to 76 degrees. The water exhibited one to five feet of visibility.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would occur from 6:17 a.m. to 8:17 a.m., 6:43 p.m. to 8:43 p.m., and 12:04 a.m. to 2:04 a.m.

I made my first cast at 10:46 a.m. and the last at 2:06 p.m. During this three-hour and 20-minute outing, I caught 33 largemouth bass, 14 green sunfish, and three crappie.

Two of the 33 largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s coppertreuse Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Eleven largemouth bass were caught on a 3 ½-inch Z-Man’s Junebug TRD MinnowZ affixed to a chartreuse 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. A Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD attached to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead caught 20 largemouth bass.

At the top of this photograph is the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig. In the middle is the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig. At the bottom is the coppertreuse Finesse TRD rig.

Along about a 400-yard stretch of a flat shoreline inside one of this reservoir’s two primary feeder-creek arms, I struggled to catch four largemouth bass. This shoreline has about a 25-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt; portions of it are enhanced with manmade piles of submerged eastern red cedar trees, meager patches of coontail, waning patches of brittle naiad, and occasional patches of American pondweeds. The water’s edge is shallow and adorned with patches of American water willows, which are too shallow to fish. (Most of this reservoir’s patches of American water willow are too shallow to be fruitful largemouth bass lairs.) The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swim-glide-and-occasional-shake presentation inveigled the four largemouth bass in three to five feet of water around patches of American pondweeds, brittle naiad, and coontail.

I caught two largemouth bass along about a 200-yard stretch of another flat shoreline inside this primary feeder-creek arm. Like the first shoreline, this one has about a 25-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt; portions of it are enhanced with manmade piles of submerged eastern red cedar trees, meager patches of coontail, waning patches of brittle naiad, and occasional patches of American pondweeds. The water’s edge is shallow and adorned with patches of American water willows and a few stumps. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig caught the two largemouth bass around patches of coontail and brittle naiad in about three feet of water; one was caught on the initial drop of the rig; the other one was caught on a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation.

Across a shallow-water flat in the back of a small feeder-creek arm, I caught three largemouth bass. The underwater terrain consists of gravel and rocks, and much of the shallower areas are silt-laden. This terrain is occasionally coated with submerged patches of coontail, brittle naiad, sago pondweeds, and manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig allured the three largemouth bass with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in about three feet of water around the patches of submerged aquatic vegetation.

Along about a 350-yard stretch of one of the shorelines inside this small feeder-creek arm, I caught five largemouth bass. This shoreline has a 20- to 30-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt, which are enhanced with several manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees, waning patches of brittle naiad, sago pondweeds, coontail, and American pondweeds.  The water’s edge is lined with American water willows in very shallow water. One of the five largemouth bass was allured by the initial drop of the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig adjacent to a partially submerged eastern red cedar tree in 4 ½ feet of water. The other four largemouth bass were caught as I made casts and retrieves parallel to the shoreline and the outside edges of the patches of aquatic vegetation. Two were caught on the initial drop of the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig in about three feet of water; the other two were caught as I employed a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in three to four feet of water with the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig.

I eked out four largemouth bass along about an 800-yard stretch of a shallow and flat shoreline inside this reservoir’s other primary feeder-creek arm. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt. Several segments of this terrain are endowed with patches of coontail, American pondweeds, manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees, sago pondweeds, and wilting brittle naiad. Much of the water’s edge is graced with shallow-water patches of American water willows. Two of the four largemouth bass were caught on the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig; one was caught on the initial drop adjacent to a partially submerged eastern red cedar tree in four feet of water; the second one was caught around the outside edge of a patch of American pondweeds in about 2 ½ feet of water. The other two largemouth bass were caught on the coppertreuse Finesse TRD rig with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation around the outside edges of patches of American pondweeds in three to four feet of water.

Around a large and flat main-lake point. I caught one largemouth bass. This point’s underwater terrain consists of clay, gravel, and rocks. It is coated with a few meager patches of coontail and wilting brittle naiad. The largemouth bass was allured by the initial drop of the Junebug TRD MinnowZ rig on top of one of the meager patches of submerged aquatic vegetation in about three feet of water.

I spent the last hour of this outing fishing along the riprap shoreline of the dam. It is 1,575 feet long with a height of 85 feet. It possesses a 35- to 75-degree slope; it is this reservoir’s steepest shoreline. The riprap areas at the west end and east end of the dam are graced with patches of American pondweeds, coontail tail, and wilting brittle naiad. There are six small patches of American water willows; three of them are completely out of the water. There are several submerged manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees decorating the underwater terrain. The hot snakes Finesse TRD rig inveigled 14 largemouth bass on this shoreline. One was caught on the initial drop in about four to five feet of water around patches of coontail on the western end of the dam. Around the submerged aquatic vegetation on the eastern end of the dam, the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig inveigled a largemouth bass with a slow swim-glide-and-shake presentation in about five to six feet of water. Between the east and west ends of the dam, I caught 12 largemouth bass. Three were caught on the initial drop of the hot-snakes rig in three to four feet of water. Four were caught on a drag-and-shake presentation in five to eight feet of water. Five were caught on either a slow swim-and-slight-pause presentation or a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation in four to eight feet of water. Three of the 14 largemouth bass were caught on three consecutive casts in the middle section of the dam.

In sum, I caught an average of slightly more than 10 largemouth bass an hour.

Oct. 2 and 3

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his family outing at a 93-year-old state reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 2 and 3 with Brady Cayton of Lawrence, John Cayton of Lawrence, and Logan Cayton of Las Vegas, Nevada.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 55 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 88 degrees. The normal low temperature is 49 degrees, and the normal high temperature is 75 degrees. The wind fluctuated from being calm to angling out of the east, south, and southeast at 3 to 14 mph; there were some gusts that ranged from 18 to 21 mph.   The conditions of the sky were fair to foggy and misty to partly cloudy to cluttered with a few clouds. The barometric pressure was 30.11 at 12:52 a.m., 30.12 at 5:52 a.m., 30.16 at 11:52 a.m., and 30.11 at 4:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be slightly above normal. The water exhibited more than 10 feet of clarity, which is the delightful byproduct of the zebra mussels.  The surface temperature was 76 degrees. In this reservoir’s almost crystal-clear water, its patches of brittle naiad and coontail are thriving and providing anglers with countless offshore areas to explore and dissect.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 7:01 a.m. to 9:01 a.m., 7:27 p.m. to 9:27 p.m., and 12:48 a.m. to 2:48 a.m.

Brady did not fish with us on Oct. 2.  John, Logan, and I made our first casts at 2:22 p.m. We made our last casts at 5:03 p.m. At the end of this two-hour and 41-minute outing, our fish calculator showed that we had tangled with 97 largemouth bass.

These 97 largemouth bass were caught on either a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead or a Z-Man’s purple-death TRD TicklerZ affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. To our best calculations, 49 largemouth bass were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig, and 48 were caught on the purple-death TRD TicklerZ rig. However, we must admit it was a difficult chore to maintain a detailed and accurate count of the catch rate of each of these rigs. It was even a more difficult task to accurately describe each retrieve, location, and depth that the three of us employed to allure the 97 largemouth bass.

So, here are some of the details about how and where we caught the 97 largemouth bass.

At the mouth of one of this reservoir’s two primary feeder-creek arms, we caught six largemouth bass around the main-lake point and along about a 75-yard stretch of its main-lake shoreline. This area has a 40- to 45-degree slope.  Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. This terrain is also enhanced with a stone and concrete foundation of a barn and house. Submerged patches of brittle naiad and coontail coat portions of the underwater terrain. The water’s edge is garnished with thick patches of American water willows, which are intertwined with brittle naiad, an occasional laydown, and a few piles of tree limbs. Two of the six largemouth bass were caught on the initial drop of our rigs in about three feet of water near the outside edge of the American water willows and around the patches of brittle naiad. Three were caught on a deadstick presentation in about six to eight feet of water. One was caught on a drag-and-pause presentation in about eight feet of water.

Inside this second primary feeder-creek arm, we fished about 900 yards of one of its secondary shorelines and around this shoreline’s secondary and tertiary points. The slope of this vast area ranges from about 25 to 55 degrees. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and one significant submerged rock-and-boulder fence. Most of the flat and shallow-water sections of the underwater terrain are coated with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, as well as several manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is often lined with thick patches of American water willows, some overhanging trees, and several well-aged laydowns. This shoreline and its points yielded 22 largemouth bass, which were caught on either the Finesse TRD rig or the TRD TicklerZ rig. They were caught on a variety of presentations, such as the initial -drop, deadstick, swimming, swim-glide-and-shake, and drag-and-shake.  They were caught in water as shallow as 2 ½ feet and as deep as 10 to 12 feet. They were caught around patches of brittle naiad and coontail and around rocks and boulders.

In the back of this primary feeder-creek arm, we fished across a portion of a massive shallow-water flat. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt.  This flat is about the size of five football fields, and about a third of it is covered with American lotus plants. Some portions of the underwater terrain are endowed with patches of brittle naiad and coontail. Manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees embellish some this underwater terrain. Two submerged creek channels, which are somewhat silt-laden, crisscross this flat. This flat yielded 11 largemouth bass. They were caught on either the initial drop or on a swimming presentation with our Finesse TRD rigs or TRD TicklerZ rigs. They were caught in five to seven feet of water around patches of coontail.

Along about an 800-yard stretch of another secondary shoreline and around two secondary points inside this primary feeder-creek arm, we caught 45 largemouth bass. The underwater terrain of the points and shoreline consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are regularly adorned with some patches of brittle naiad and coontail. Some of the boulders are humongous. The water’s edge is often enhanced with patches of American water willows, many overhanging trees, and a few laydowns. Patches of brittle naiad and coontail are entwined with the outside edges of some of the American water willows.  The slope of this shoreline and its points range from 25 to 50 degrees. These largemouth bass were caught on our Finesse TRD rigs and TRD TicklerZ rigs. Eleven were caught on the initial drop in three to about four feet of water. The others were caught as we employed four retrieves: swim-and-pause, swim-glide-and-subtle-shake, a drag-and-deadstick, and drag-and-shake. We caught them in water as shallow as two to three feet and as deep as six to nine feet with these four retrieves.

Around this primary feeder creek’s other main-lake point and along about a 250-yard stretch of a main-lake shoreline that lies between this main-lake point and the dam and its spillway, we caught eight largemouth bass on our Finesse TRD and TRD TicklerZ rigs. This shoreline possesses a 45- to 85-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Some of the boulders are quite gigantic. This terrain is occasionally carpeted with patches of brittle naiad and coontail.  Most of the water’s edge is lined with thick patches of American water willows and a couple of well-worn laydowns. Portions of the outside edges of the American water willows are entwined with brittle naiad.  Two largemouth bass were caught on the initial drop; two were caught on a drag-and-deadstick presentation; four were caught on either a swim-and-slight-pause presentation or a swim-glide-and-shake presentation. These eight largemouth bass were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as seven to nine feet.

We fished along about a 500-yard section of the other main-lake shoreline that is adjacent to the dam. This shoreline possesses a 25- to 45-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. The flatter and shallower sections of this shoreline are enhanced with some submerged and partially submerged eastern red cedar trees and thick patches of brittle naiad and coontail. A part of the flatter section of this shoreline is enhanced with an extremely long pile of rocks and boulders, which are about 25 feet from the water’s edge.  The water’s edge is lined with patches of American water willows, an array of overhanging trees, and six riprap jetties. Portions of the outside edges of the American water willows are entwined with brittle naiad. Our Finesse TRD rigs and TRD TicklerZ rigs inveigled eight largemouth bass. Four were caught around the long pile of rocks and boulders with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in about two feet of water. The others were caught near the outside edges of the American water willows and amongst the patches of brittle naiad. Two were caught on the initial drop. Six were caught on either a swimming presentation or a swim-glide-and-shake presentation. They were caught in two to six feet of water.

In sum, it was a bountiful two-hour and 41-minute outing, and we caught slightly more than 35 largemouth bass an hour.

On Oct. 3, the National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 55 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 90 degrees. The wind was calm for the first eight hours of the day, and then it angled out of the south, and southeast at 5 to 14 mph; there were some gusts that ranged from 22 to 23 mph.   The sky was fair. The barometric pressure was 30.16 at 12:52 a.m., 30.16 at 5:52 a.m., 30.17 at 11:52 a.m., and 30.10 at 2:52 p.m.

We returned to the same state reservoir in northeastern Kansas that we fished on Oct. 2., and the water level, surface temperature, and water clarity were the same as they were on Oct. 2.  

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 7:50 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., 8:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., and 1:38 a.m. to 3:38 a.m.

This was the first time in many years that the four of us have fished together in the same boat. Back in those early days, Bardy and Logan were little tikes and did not occupy a lot of space in the boat. Therefore, during this two-hour and 41-minute family outing, I elected to spend most of the time running the bow-mounted electric trolling motor rather than fishing, but I did make a few casts and retrieves.

This was a short outing because we had to return to Lawrence to celebrate Logan’s 29th birthday at a family party.

The first casts were made at 12:10 p.m., and the last one was made at 2:51 p.m.  We were hoping not to fish the same areas that John, Logan, and I fished on Oct. 2. But during the last 35 minutes on our Oct. 3 outing, we quickly fished around two main-lake points and a stretch of a shoreline inside of one of this reservoir’s two primary feeder-creek arms, which we fished on Oct. 2. Ultimately, we caught 83 largemouth bass.

John, Logan, and Brady wielded a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead, which inveigled 74 of the 83 largemouth bass. I caught two largemouth bass on a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin-goby Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. I caught two largemouth bass on a Z-Man’s PB&J Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. I caught five largemouth bass on a Z-Man’s purple-death TRD TicklerZ affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

This is the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig.

We began fishing across a shallow-water flat in the back of a tiny feeder-creek arm, along one of its shorelines, and around its main-lake point. This locale failed to yield a largemouth bass.

Then, we fished along two short shorelines and across a small shallow-water flat inside a small feeder-creek arm. This area yielded eight largemouth bass. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt, which are adorned with patches of coontail and extremely thick patches of brittle naiad, as well as a few manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edges of one of the shorelines is embellished with a few patches of American water willows, an array of overhanging trees, and a few piles of submerged and partially submerged tree limbs. The water’s edge of the other shoreline is endowed with two riprap jetties, some thick patches of American water willows, which are intertwined with patches of brittle naiad and coontail. The outside edges of the thick patches of brittle naiad on the shallow-water flat yielded five largemouth bass; they were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs in four to five feet of water; one was caught on the initial drop; four were caught on a swim-and-pause presentation. Three largemouth bass were caught along the shoreline with the two riprap jetties and thick patches of American water willows. Two were caught on the initial drop of our hot-snakes rigs around the patches of initial naiad and coontail in four to five feet of water. One was caught on a drag-and-shake presentation of the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig along the outside edge of the patches of submerged brittle naiad and coontail.

We caught three largemouth bass around a main-lake point at the mouths of this small feeder-creek arm. This point has a 35-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are adorned with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, as well as some manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is embellished with thick patches of American water willows, and the outside edges of these patches are entwined with patches of brittle naiad. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs allured these three largemouth bass; one was enticed by the initial drop in about three feet of water; two were caught on a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in four to six feet of water around patches of brittle naiad and coontail.

We chatted with a forward-facing-sonar bass angler who was fishing around several offshore piles of eastern cedar trees in the vicinity of this point. He began fishing slightly before we made our first casts, and he reported that he had caught five largemouth from the submerged piles of eastern red cedar trees.

Along about a 200-yard section of the main-lake shoreline immediately adjacent to this main-lake point, we caught 14 largemouth bass. It possesses a 25- to 45-degree slope.  Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are coated with many patches of brittle naiad and coontail. The water’s edge is graced with many overhanging trees, patches of American water willows, and a few laydowns.  Two largemouth bass were caught on the purple-death TRD TicklerZ rig on a drag-and-shake presentation near the boat in about seven feet of water. Twelve largemouth bass were allured by our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs on either the initial drop or a swimming presentation around and along edges of the patches of brittle naiad and coontail; they were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as six feet of water.

We fished around and across the massive flat in the back of one of this reservoir’s primary feeder-creek arms. It is the size of many football fields. This area is endowed with four submerged creek channels, a small island, several humps, and a few minor ledges. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. Portions of the submerged creek channels are silt-laden. Brittle naiad, coontail, a few sprouts of curly-leaf pondweeds, and many manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees adorn this flat’s underwater terrains.  As we fished around an area about the size of three football fields, we caught 13 largemouth bass. Two were caught on the purple-death TRD TicklerZ rig. Eleven were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs. Two were caught with a deadstick presentation. The others were caught as we employed either a slow swimming presentation or a swim-glide-and-shake presentation, which allowed our rigs to polish the tops of the submerged patches of vegetation and submerged piles of eastern red cedar trees. We caught these largemouth bass in water as shallow as four feet and as deep as eight feet.

At 1:00 p.m., we were delighted to catch largemouth bass number 25.

We spent the next 81 minutes fishing along a massive shoreline. We estimated that we fished more than a thousand yards of this shoreline. It possesses several tertiary points, two secondary points, and several minor flats. It has a 25- to 55-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. One significant portion of this terrain was devoid of submerged aquatic vegetation. Many sections are enhanced with patches of brittle naiad and coontail. The water’s edge is graced with many patches of American water willows, numerous overhanging trees, an array of laydowns, and several piles of submerged and partially submerged tree limbs. We caught 30 largemouth bass along this shoreline. Two were caught on the initial drop of the PB&J Finesse TRD rig around two different laydowns in about three feet of water. The other 28 were on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs; they were caught on drag-and-deadstick, swim-and-pause, swim-glide-and-shake, drag-and-shake, and initial-drop-deadstick presentations in three to about eight feet of water.

Around one of the main-lake points that we fished on Oct. 2, we caught three largemouth bass. This area has a 40-degree slope.  Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Submerged patches of brittle naiad and coontail coat portions of the underwater terrain. The water’s edge is garnished with thick patches of American water willows, which are intertwined with brittle naiad and a few piles of tree limbs. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD allured these three largemouth bass; one was caught on a drag-and-deadstick presentation; one was caught on the initial drop; one was caught on a slow swim-and-pause presentation. They were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as nine feet.

We quickly fished along about a 250-yard stretch of a secondary shoreline and around two secondary points; we fished these areas on Oct. 2. They are inside this reservoir’s other primary feeder-creek arm. This shoreline and its points yielded 12 largemouth bass. The underwater terrain of the points and shoreline consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are regularly adorned with some patches of brittle naiad and coontail. The water’s edge is often enhanced with patches of American water willows, many overhanging trees, and a few laydowns. Patches of brittle naiad and coontail are entwined with the outside edges of some of the American water willows.  The slope of this shoreline and its points range from 25 to 50 degrees. Two of the 12 largemouth bass we caught on the green-pumpkin-goby Finesse TRD rig with a drag-and-pause presentation and many feet from the water’s edge. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs inveigled 10 of the 12 largemouth bass; three were caught on the initial drop; two were caught on a drag-and-deadstick presentation; the others were caught on either a swim-and-pause presentation or a drag-pause-and-shake presentation. We caught them in water as shallow as two to three feet and as deep as six to nine feet with these five retrieves. When we caught largemouth bass number 83 at 2:51 p.m., we decided we had to head home to Lawrence and prepare for Logan’s birthday party and dinner.

Logan and Brady with largemouth bass number 83.

As we were returning to the boat ramp, we crossed paths with the forward-facing-sonar angler again, and we quickly asked him how his two hours and 55 minutes of largemouth bass fishing had unfolded, and he said that he had caught 16 largemouth bass.

In sum, we were pleased to discover that we caught an average of about 29 largemouth bass an hour.

Oct. 3

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 3 outing with Brad DePrater of Sanger, Texas, at a federal hill-land reservoir in north-central Texas.

Summer has not yet released its grip on north-central Texas. Oct. 3 was sunny, humid, and hot. The morning’s low temperature was 69 degrees, and the afternoon’s high was 93 degrees. The wind quartered out of the east-by-southeast at 5 to 10 mph. The barometric pressure measured 30.11 at 7:00 a.m. and 30.10 at noon.  

When we arrived at the boat ramp parking lot at around 6:45 a.m., we noticed that it was busier than usual. We later learned that a 250-boat high-school team tournament was scheduled at this reservoir on Oct. 4, and Oct. 3 was a practice day.  Throughout this outing, we found ourselves fishing behind and around other anglers practicing for the upcoming tournament.

We fished from 7:20 a.m. to 12:39 p.m.

The water level was about a foot low. The water exhibited 18 to 24 inches of visibility. The surface temperature ranged from 81 degrees in the main-lake to 82 degrees in the back of three feeder-creek arms.

In-Fisherman’s solunar table indicated that fishing would be poor on Oct. 3, and the most productive fishing periods would occur from 1:13 a.m. to 3:13 a.m., 7:25 a.m. to 9:25 a.m., and 1:36 p.m. to 3:36 p.m.

We spent our time inside a major tributary arm in the lower region of the reservoir. Inside this tributary, we concentrated on multiple areas inside three feeder-creek arms, the perimeter of a main-lake island, nine prominent main-lake points, three main-lake shorelines, two bridge embankments overlaid with riprap, and 17 large concrete support columns underneath two highway overpass bridges, and a couple of concrete support columns under a railroad bridge.

Inside the three feeder-creek arms, we focused on clay-and-pea-gravel flats cluttered with flooded stickups, a couple of laydowns, shallow patches of buck brush, three steep clay-and-gravel shorelines, rock- and boulder-laden secondary points and secondary shorelines, two submerged asphalt roadbeds, and the areas around three concrete boat ramps. We fished in water as shallow as two feet and as deep as 13 feet, and though most of these areas were unproductive, we managed to eke out a mixed bag of nine largemouth and spotted bass.

In the backend of the first feeder-creek arm, we caught two spotted bass and one largemouth bass. The two spotted bass were caught in less than five feet of water from the edges of a submerged asphalt roadbed lined with partially-flooded stickups. The largemouth bass was caught in about six feet of water from a nearby 50-yard secondary shoreline that has a 30-degree gradient and is strewn with riprap. The largemouth bass and one of the two spotted bass were tempted by a slow swimming retrieve with a Z-Man’s black-blue TRD TicklerZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig; the other spotted bass was attracted to a swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl Slim SwimZ affixed on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

Inside the second feeder-creek arm, which is located about two miles west of the first one, we discovered several other tournament teams probing several rocky secondary points, shorelines, and small coves. We moved past these anglers and into the upper end of the creek arm, and we slowly dissected an unoccupied medium-sized flat in a small cove. This flat is enhanced with a small ditch that courses across one end of it. There is also a rocky secondary point next to this flat. The flat’s submerged terrain is composed of red clay and gravel, and the ditch is lined with stickups; we failed to elicit any strikes in this area. The adjacent secondary point has a 35-degree slope, and it is adorned with large rocks and boulders. It yielded one spotted bass, which was caught in five feet of water near a cluster of boulders at the end of the point. It was attracted to a three-inch Z-Man’s disco-cisco Slim SwimZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig. This combo was utilized with a steady swimming presentation.  

The third feeder-creek arm, which is situated about a mile west of the second creek arm, relinquished a combination of five largemouth bass and spotted bass. Its shorelines and points are relatively flat on the west side of the creek arm, and they are steeper on the east side with 30- to 45-degree inclines. The submerged terrain is composed of fist-size rocks and boulders the size of a beach ball. There are four concrete boat ramps in the midsection of this creek arm; two are on the east shoreline, and two are directly across from the first two ramps on the west shoreline. We caught four of these black bass in three to five feet of water along a west-side secondary shoreline that is adorned with chunky rocks and boulders and situated just inside the mouth of this creek arm. Three were allured by a steady swimming presentation with the 2 1/2-inch pearl Slim SwimZ, and one was enticed by a steady swimming retrieve with a three-inch Z-Man’s midnight-oil Slim SwimZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig. The fifth black bass was a spotted bass, and it was caught from an east-side secondary shoreline just inside the entrance to this creek arm. This shoreline possesses a 35-degree incline and features a cluster of boulders that lie in less than five feet of water. This spotted bass was allured from the cluster of submerged boulders by a swimming retrieve with the three-inch disco-cisco Slim SwimZ rig. The four concrete boat ramps and several flat secondary points in the lower and middle sections of this creek arm were entertaining some small pods of threadfin shad, but we failed to catch a largemouth bass or spotted bass around them.

A main-lake island was our most productive spot; it relinquished 15 largemouth bass and spotted bass. This island is located at the lower end of the tributary arm. Its submerged terrain is flat and consists of mostly clay and gravel. There are a few patches of flooded stickups and the remnants of a concrete building foundation decorating portions of its south and east shorelines. The west and north shorelines of this island were already being dissected by another tournament angler. We caught 13 of these 15 black bass along a 15-yard stretch of the island’s east shoreline. Several were caught on back-to-back casts, and two were caught simultaneously. We waited until the other angler left, then we fished the west and north shorelines of the island. We failed to garner any strikes across the north shoreline, and we caught two largemouth bass from the west-side shoreline. These two bass were abiding in three and five feet of water, and they were relating to the outside edges of the patches of stickups. Nine of the 15 black bass were allured by a swimming retrieve with the three-inch disco-cisco Slim SwimZ rig; five were enticed by a swimming retrieve with the 2 1/2-inch pearl Slim SwimZ rig, and one was tempted by a swimming retrieve with a Z-Man’s pearl Baby Goat matched to a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.  

The nine main-lake points that we investigated are flat and spread out from the tributary’s lower end to its upper end. Red clay, small gravel, chunky rocks, and clusters of large boulders make up the majority of their underwater terrains. Several segments of their shallow-water areas are embellished with thick patches of buck brush, stickups, a couple of laydowns, and a submerged asphalt roadbed. One of the nine points relinquished three spotted bass, and the other eight points failed to surrender a largemouth bass, spotted bass, or a strike. These three spotted bass were caught in less than five feet of water and within 10 feet of the water’s edge. Two were allured with a swimming retrieve with the 2 1/2-inch pearl Slim SwimZ rig, and the third one was caught on a slow swimming retrieve with the Z-Man’s black-blue TRD TicklerZ combo.  

The underwater terrains of the three main-lake shorelines consist of red clay, small gravel, countless numbers of chunky rocks and boulders, and a couple of laydowns. We fished behind other tournament anglers at all three of these shorelines, and we caught 10 largemouth bass and spotted bass.

The first shoreline is flat and about 100 yards long and graced with a long and shallow rock ledge. The top of the ledge is covered with a couple of feet of water, and then it descends into 17 feet of water. In three to five feet of water near the deep-water side of the ledge, we caught three spotted bass. They were caught many yards apart from each other and were induced by a slow swimming retrieve with the black-blue TRD TicklerZ rig.

The second main-lake shoreline is about 75 yards long. It is also flat and features several large clusters of chunky rocks and boulders in five feet of water or less. This shoreline yielded five largemouth bass and spotted bass. Four of them engulfed the pearl Baby Goat as it was steadily retrieved over and along the sides of the submerged boulders. One was tricked with a swimming retrieve with the three-inch disco-cisco Slim SwimZ.

The third shoreline is a main-lake bluff that is about 100 yards long. The base of this bluff is cluttered with mostly beach ball-sized boulders. The water depth along this bluff varies from 10 to 23 feet. We made dozens and dozens of casts along this bluff, and we caught two largemouth bass. One was caught on the three-inch disco-cisco Slim SwimZ and a swimming retrieve, and the other one was caught on a swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a Z-Man’s pearl Finesse ShadZ threaded on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.          

Across the first of two riprap bridge embankments in the midsection of the tributary arm, we extracted five largemouth and spotted bass from three to seven feet of water and in close proximity to the riprap on the embankment. Three of them were inveigled by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with the pearl Finesse ShadZ rig, and two were attracted to the three-inch disco-cisco Slim SwimZ combo and a steady swimming retrieve.  

We failed to elicit any strikes from the 17 concrete bridge support columns under the two highway overpass bridges, and a couple of concrete support columns under the railroad bridge.

On Sept. 11, John Thomas of Denton and I fished at this reservoir for five hours, and we caught 27 black bass. Most of them were keeper-size, and the largest one was a largemouth bass that weighed five pounds and two ounces.

In contrast, Brad and I fished for five hours and 19 minutes during this Oct. 3 foray, and we caught 42 black bass. Thirty-nine of these black bass were dinky ones, and only three of them were keeper-size. The largest one was a spotted bass that we estimated to be about 15 inches in length, and we haven’t a clue as to the whereabouts of the larger fish that we caught on Sept. 11. 

Oct. 10

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 10 outing at an 85-year-old community reservoir in northeastern Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported the morning’s low temperature was 59 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 82 degrees. The sky was fair, mostly cloudy, partly cloudy, cluttered with a few clouds, and overcast.  The wind was variable and calm at times, and it also angled out of the south, southwest, northeast, and east at 3 to 12 mph. The barometric pressure was 30.22 at 12:53 a.m., 30:16 at 5:53 a.m., 30.19 at 11:53 a.m., and 30.12 at 3:53 p.m.

The water level looked to be a few inches below normal. The surface temperature ranged from 72 to 75 degrees. The water exhibited from four to more than eight feet of visibility. Many of this reservoir’s patches of southern naiad are cluttered with wads of filamentous algae, and filamentous algae is flourishing nearly everywhere. Duckweeds cover the water’s edges of several shorelines and many of the shallow-water wads of filamentous algae and southern naiad.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 1:26 a.m. to 3:26 a.m., 1:58 p.m. to 3:58 p.m., and 7:42 a.m. to 9:42 a.m.

For some unknown reason, I failed to record the actual time I made my first casts and my last one.  But I did record that it was a whale of a chore to catch 15 largemouth bass, and one of them was the smallest I have ever caught.  And I accidentally caught a combination of 21 bluegill and green sunfish. Shortly after I launched the boat, I talked to a pair of anglers who had fished for about five hours,  and they estimated they had caught 16 largemouth bass.

One of the 15 largemouth bass was caught on a Z-Man’s California-craw Finesse TRD attached to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Seven were caught on a slightly shortened 4.75-inch Z-Man’s purple-haze Finesse WormZ rigged on a baby-blue 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Another seven were caught on a Z-Man’s snakes-hot   Finesse TRD on a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

I began this outing by fishing the shoreline of this reservoir’s 1,550-foot dam and a very short portion of one of its adjacent shorelines. The dam yielded one largemouth bass.

The dam has a height of 58 feet with a 45- to 50-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are occasionally coated with wads of filamentous algae and a few bits and pieces of coontail and southern naiad. The water’s edge contains a concrete water outlet tower and many patches of American water willows.  The initial drop of the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig caught the largemouth bass in about three feet of water adjacent to a patch of American water willows, southern naiad, and wads of filamentous algae.

Along about a 150-foot stretch of the west shoreline adjacent to the dam, I caught one largemouth bass on the initial drop of the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig along the side of a dock in about seven feet of water.

At the top of a boulder-laden hump, which enhances a main-lake point in the lower quarter of this reservoir, I caught a largemouth bass. It was caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation around some gigantic boulders in about four feet of water.

Along about a 100-yard section of a shoreline inside a small feeder-creek arm adjacent to the main-lake point and boulder-laden hump, I caught two largemouth bass.  This shoreline is flat and has a 25- to 35-degree slope.  The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are occasionally coated with coontail, southern naiad, and filamentous algae. The water’s edge is lined with six docks.  The two largemouth bass were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD with a slow swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation in about five feet of water near the outside edge of a large patch of southern naiad and wads of filamentous algae. They were caught many feet from the water’s edge.

Around a secondary point inside this small feeder-creek arm, I caught one largemouth bass. This point has a 35-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are coated with bits of southern naiad and filamentous algae. The water’s edge has a concrete retaining wall and two docks. This largemouth bass was caught on the Finesse TRD rig with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in about six feet of water and many feet from the docks and the water’s edge.

One largemouth bass was caught around a main-lake point in the lower half of the reservoir. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and a significant ledge that plummets into deep water. Wads of filamentous algae and some patches of southern naiad and coontail adorn parts of this point. It has a 30- to 40-degree slope. The water’s edge has a boulder retaining wall, two docks, and several patches of American water willows.  I saw a fish surface along the outside corner of one of the docks, and I made a cast with the Finesse TRD rig to that corner. On the initial drop, I caught a largemouth bass.

I fished along about a 125-yard stretch of a massive main-lake shoreline adjacent to the main-lake point. This portion of the shoreline has a 40-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders.  The underwater terrain is enhanced with occasional bits and pieces of filamentous algae, southern naiad, and coontail. The water’s edge is lined with six docks, several concrete retaining walls, and a few patches of American water willows. I caught one largemouth bass near the inside corner of one of the docks and along the outside edge of a patch of American water willows entwined with some southern naiad and coontail. It was caught on the initial drop of the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig in about four feet of water.

I failed to catch a largemouth bass along portions of two main-lake shorelines in the middle section of the reservoir.

Around three main-lake points in the upper half of this reservoir, I failed to catch a largemouth bass.  But along portions of two of its main-lake shorelines, I caught seven largemouth bass.  

One of the seven largemouth bass was caught along about a 300-yard stretch of one of the main-lake shorelines, which has a 30- to 45-degree slope and three small main-lake points.  Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Parts of this underwater terrain are graced with wads of filamentous algae and some patches of coontail and southern naiad. The water’s edge is endowed with 10 docks, patches of American water willows, one overhanging walnut tree, a few piles of tree limbs, and a partially submerged wooden picnic table.  This largemouth bass was caught on the California-craw Finesse TRD rig with a swim-glide-shake presentation in the vicinity of a pile of tree limbs and the overhanging walnut tree in about six feet of water.

Along the second shoreline, I caught six of the seven largemouth bass; one was barely three-inches long. I fished about a 300-yard section of this 800-yard shoreline.  The area that I fished possesses a 30- to 60-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Parts of this terrain are quilted with wads of filamentous algae, coontail, and southern naiad. The water’s edge consists of several concrete retaining walls, four docks, one small rock bridge, a few laydowns, several piles of brush, patches of American water willows, a lot of duckweeds, and a few overhanging trees. These largemouth bass were caught as I was making parallel casts and retrieves to the shoreline and along the outside edges of the patches of American water willows, southern naiad, and coontail. They were caught on the purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig. One was caught on the initial drop in about four to five feet of water. The other six were caught as I employed a drag-and-pause presentation in four to seven feet of water.

Oct. 10

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 10 outing with Bill Kenney of Denton at a popular federal reservoir in north-central Texas.  

Bill and I fished from 8:00 a.m. to 1:31 p.m.

It was a pleasant fall day. The sky was cloudless, and the sun was intensely bright. The morning’s low temperature was 60 degrees. The afternoon’s high temperature reached 86 degrees. The wind varied from being light and variable to being calm. The barometric pressure measured 30.20 at 8:00 a.m. and 30.12 at 1:00 p.m.

The water level was 1.19 feet below normal pool. The water displayed between 15 inches of visibility in the back of one feeder-creek arm in the midsection of the east tributary arm and 3 1/2 feet of clarity in the lower region of another major feeder-creek in the lower end of the reservoir. The surface temperature ranged from 76 to 80 degrees.

We stayed in the lower and middle quadrants of the reservoir. These sections of the reservoir are endowed with a few thick stands of flooded timber and some submerged stumps. Its underwater terrain consists of red clay, sand, small gravel, chunky rocks, and boulders. There are also many patches of hydrilla, milfoil, and American pondweeds that are matted on or just under the surface of the water. The reservoir’s upper end is cluttered with acres and acres of flooded timber, submerged stumps, and brush piles, and we rarely fish that area because we find it too difficult to traverse in a boat.

Here is how our outing unfolded:

We caught three largemouth bass and one spotted bass around a riprap-laden main-lake point at the entrance to a small main-lake cove where we launched the boat in the southeast end of the reservoir. All of them were caught in less than five feet of water and within 10 feet of the riprap shoreline. Three of them were caught on a Z-Man’s pearl Baby Goat rigged on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. The other one engulfed a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl Slim SwimZ affixed on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Both of these swim baits were employed with a steady swimming retrieve near the sides and over the top of the submerged riprap. We also dissected a small portion of a major main-lake shoreline next to this point, but it was unproductive.

From that small point and shoreline, we journeyed southward about a mile into a major feeder-creek arm.  

Inside this feeder-creek arm, we fished the perimeter of an island, various sections of the north and south shorelines located in the lower, middle, and upper end of the creek arm, several rocky secondary points scattered throughout the creek arm, and multiple patches of Eurasian milfoil that are flourishing around these shorelines, points, and the island. We caught 10 largemouth bass and one spotted bass.  

We caught two largemouth bass in three to five feet of water around a large patch of Eurasian milfoil that stretches around the perimeter of one of the rocky secondary points located in the middle section of the creek arm. About 15 minutes later, we caught three more largemouth bass and one spotted bass from several small- to medium-sized patches of Eurasian milfoil that lie in three to seven feet of water along an adjoining secondary shoreline. This secondary point and its shoreline are mostly flat and adorned with small gravel mixed with fist-sized rocks and medium-sized boulders. These seven black bass were allured by a steady swimming retrieve with either a Z-Man’s pearl Baby Goat rigged on a blue Z-Man’s 3/32-ounce OG Mushroom Jighead or a Z-Man’s pearl Baby Goat rigged on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.  

We failed to locate any other schools of threadfin shad or black bass in the upper end of this creek arm and around the perimeter of an island located in the lower end of the creek arm.

After eliciting a couple of subtle sunfish strikes around a rocky secondary point at the mouth of a small secondary cove on the south side of the creek arm, we caught four largemouth bass from a large patch of Eurasian milfoil located many feet from the water’s edge and in the center of the cove; it is covered with five to eight feet of water. These four bass were allured by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a Z-Man’s blue-steel Finesse ShadZ affixed on a blue 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

We then failed to locate any largemouth or spotted bass around three other rocky secondary points on the south side of the creek arm while we were quickly fishing our way out of the creek arm.    

At one of the entry points to this creek arm, we caught four largemouth bass. This point is bluff-like and is endowed with numerous large boulders and large chunky rocks around its base. Two of these four largemouth bass were caught on a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s The Deal TRD TubeZ affixed on a blue 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead around and over the top of some large boulders. The third one was caught on the initial drop of the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ combo, and the fourth one engulfed a shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s sprayed-grass TRD TicklerZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead on the initial fall. These four bass were abiding in seven to 11 feet of water along a 15-yard segment at the tip of the entry point, and were relating to the outside edges of the larger boulders.

After that, we fished around two prominent main-lake bluff points and a 50-yard main-lake shoreline covered with riprap that are located a short distance south of the creek arm that we just fished. One of the two bluff points and the riprap-strewn shoreline were entertaining small schools of threadfin shad but were devoid of black bass. The other bluff point surrendered two largemouth bass. They were relating to clusters of submerged boulders at the base of the point in five to nine feet of water. They were enticed by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s sprayed-grass TRD TicklerZ matched with a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

Next, we dissected a small portion of the riprap on the east end of the dam, a large concrete water-outlet tower that is positioned near the center of the dam, a large concrete pillar supporting a walkway that extends from the top of the dam to the tower, and a 50-yard stretch of riprap at the center of the dam. This dam forms the southern boundary of the reservoir. It is 141 feet high and 14,980 feet long and is covered with riprap.

The two sections of riprap on the east end and the center sections of the dam were unproductive. The outlet tower yielded one largemouth bass. This tower is surrounded by 34 to 53 feet of water. This largemouth bass was suspended about eight feet below the surface of the water and within a couple of feet of one of the tower’s walls. It attempted to swallow the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ rig as it was being employed with a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve parallel to the tower’s wall. We failed to garner any strikes around the large concrete column underneath the tower’s overhead walkway.    

We spent the next three hours scanning and fishing a 75-yard segment of a major main-lake shoreline, two main-lake entry points to two feeder creeks, portions of a second major feeder-creek arm, and one minor feeder-creek arm. The minor feeder-creek arm and one of its entry points, and the 75-yard segment of a long main-lake shoreline are situated in the lower end of the reservoir’s west tributary arm. The other major feeder-creek arm and its main-lake entry point are in the midsection of the east tributary arm.

Inside the minor feeder-creek arm in the lower end of the west tributary arm, we caught one largemouth bass. This creek arm is the smallest of the three that we fished during this outing. It is cluttered with thick stands of flooded timber, stumps, and a few laydowns. Most of its underwater terrain is composed of red clay and small gravel, but there are two flat secondary points on the east side of the creek arm that are adorned with some boulders, chunky rocks, several large patches of Eurasian milfoil, and some standing timber. This largemouth bass was abiding in five feet of water near one of the large patches of milfoil situated along a 40-yard stretch of a flat clay-and-gravel shoreline in the lower end and on the east side of the creek arm. It was enticed into striking the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ rig with a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve. We failed to arouse the interest of any other black bass across a couple of other rocky secondary points and shorelines in the lower and middle sections of this creek arm.

After we finished fishing inside the second feeder-creek arm, we moved to one of its main-lake entry points, and we also probed a 75-yard section of a rocky  main-lake shoreline adjacent to the main-lake point. The main-lake entry point was fruitless. The adjacent main-lake shoreline relinquished two largemouth bass that were abiding near the shoreline in three to five feet of water. One of them was tempted by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a Z-Man’s black-blue TRD HogZ threaded on a blue 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. The other largemouth bass was bewitched by the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ combo that was manipulated with a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation.    

After a brief discussion of where we wanted to go next, we decided to travel about three miles up the east tributary arm and explore an entry point and portions of a major feeder-creek arm located in the midsection of the east tributary.

The main-lake entry point to the feeder-creek arm surrendered one largemouth bass that was dwelling in seven feet of water off one side of the point. It aggressively engulfed the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ combo while it was being retrieved with a slow swim-and-constant-shake motif parallel to the deep-water side of the point.  

Inside the feeder-creek arm, we targeted a long rock ledge, several prominent rocky secondary points, and a cove on the north side of the creek arm. The only productive spots were a rocky secondary point on the south side of the feeder-creek arm and a large patch of Eurasian milfoil inside a large cove on the north side of the feeder-creek arm. Both spots are in the middle portion of the creek arm.  

Both sides of the fruitful secondary point are adorned with thick patches of Eurasian milfoil mixed with gravel and chunk rocks. This point yielded three largemouth bass. Two were abiding in three to five feet of water near a large patch of milfoil on one side of the point. The other one was caught from a cluster of chunky rocks at the end of the point in three feet of water. These largemouth bass were caught on a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s coppertreuse ZinkerZ rigged on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. This combo was employed with a slow hop-and-bounce retrieve.

Inside the north-side cove, we scrounged up only one largemouth bass. It was at the top of a large patch of milfoil, which is covered with seven feet of water. It was fooled by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with the blue-steel Finesse ShadZ combo. We failed to provoke any other strikes inside this cove around several laydowns, submerged stumps, patches of milfoil, and the remains of a clay-and-gravel stock pond wall.

In sum, the black-bass bite was pretty decent. We concluded the outing with 29 black bass, which consisted of 27 largemouth bass and two spotted bass.

It is interesting to note that Bill and I fished this same reservoir on Oct. 10, 2022. During that outing, the weather and water conditions were similar to this one, and we caught a combination of 31 largemouth bass and spotted bass in five hours.

Oct. 11

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing with James Cox, who is his grandson from San Antonio, Texas, at a 63-year-old and heavily fished state reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 11.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 48 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 80 degrees. The wind fluctuated from calm to angling from the east and southeast at 3 to 12 mph; there were wind gusts that hit 18 to 21 mph. The conditions of the sky were fair, foggy, and cluttered with a few clouds. The barometric pressure was 30.12 at 12:52 a.m., 30.09 at 5:52 a.m., 30.07at 11:52 a.m., and 29.94 at 5:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be about two feet below normal. The surface temperature was 72 degrees. The water exhibited about three feet of clarity at the boat ramp and dam.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would occur from 2:37 a.m. to 4:37 a.m., 3:09 p.m. to 5:09 p.m., and 8:35 a.m. to 10:35 a.m.

James is our grandson, and he is visiting Lawrence during his fall break from college where he is studying aeronautical engineering. And shortly after he arrived at 2:20 p.m., we were on the road to a nearby boat ramp. We made our first casts at 3:45 p.m., and after we made our last ones at 5:15 p.m., we returned to Lawrence for a family dinner.

We spent these 75 minutes fishing along the riprap shoreline of the dam, which is 2,280 feet long and 58 feet high. The water’s edge is endowed with three small and shallow patches of American water willows, a few small piles of tree limbs, and a couple of partially submerged logs. It possesses about a 60- to 70-degree slope. It has an outlet tower that allows water to flow out of the reservoir, and there was no water flowing today.  On the shallow-water flats at each end of the dam, there are patches of southern naiad, American pondweeds, and coontail. The underwater terrain is occasionally enhanced with bits and pieces of coontail and southern naiad.

The dam yielded 26 largemouth bass and 18 green sunfish.  Four of the 26 largemouth bass were caught around patches of submerged aquatic vegetation. The others were caught on unadulterated riprap. One largemouth bass was caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes TRD MinnowZ affixed to a baby-blue 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Three largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s California-craw Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Twenty-two largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD on a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

Eight largemouth bass were caught on the initial drop of these rigs in about three to four feet of water near the water’s edge. The others were caught as we employed either a slow swim-and-pause presentation, which polished the tops of the riprap, or a drag-and-pause presentation in water as shallow as five feet and as deep as 11 feet.

Our catch rate was an average of 20 largemouth bass an hour. As we drove home, we were hoping that we could increase our catch rate by fishing on Oct.12.

Oct. 12

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing with James Cox of San Antonio, Texas, and Patty Kehde of Lawrence at a 93-year-old state reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 12.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 59 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 90 degrees. The normal low temperature is 46 degrees, and the normal high temperature is 69 degrees. The wind angled out of the east, south, and southeast at 7 to 21 mph; there were some gusts that howled at 26 to 30 mph.   The sky was fair; a few clouds arrived around 3:00 p.m. The barometric pressure was 29.87 at 12:52 a.m., 29.81 at 5:52 a.m., 29.97 at 11:52 a.m., and 29.67 at 4:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be a tad above normal. The water exhibited more than 10 feet of clarity in areas that were not windblown. The surface temperature ranged from 71 to 72 degrees. Many of the submerged patches of coontail exhibited a brilliant green hue. The patches of brittle naiad and southern naiad looked to be waning a touch. And the thick patches of American water willows that enhance many miles of the shorelines are exhibiting their autumn demise.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 3:45 a.m. to 5:45 a.m., 4:16 p.m. to 6:16 p.m., and 10:01 a.m. to 12:01 p.m.

We made our first casts at 12:10 p.m. Patty made her last one at 1:30 p.m. and returned to Lawrence. James and I made our last casts at 4:11 p.m., when he caught largemouth bass number 101.  At 2:14 p.m., James and I spent about 35 minutes towing a massive pontoon boat, which had outboard motor problems, to the boat ramp. During most of the 205 minutes that we fished, we had to use a wind sock to temper the dastardly effects of the wind. Besides the 101 largemouth bass, we accidentally caught one crappie.

One of the 101 largemouth bass was caught on a Z-Man’s California-craw Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Two of the 101 were caught on a shortened 4.75-inch Z-Man’s purple-haze Finesse WormZ affixed to a baby-blue 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Seven of the 101 were caught on a Z-Man’s The Deal TRD TicklerZ affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Ten of the 101 were caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s pearl Slim SwimZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Twenty-two of the 101 were caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Fifty-nine of the 101 were caught on the Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

Initially, we struggled to elicit a strike, and as we attempted to decipher how to allure this reservoir’s largemouth bass, we used a variety of Midwest finesse rigs.

At the mouth of one of this reservoir’s two primary feeder-creek arms, we failed to catch a largemouth bass around a main-lake point and along about a 75-yard stretch of its main-lake shoreline.

Along about an 800-yard stretch of a shoreline and around two points inside this primary feeder-creek arm, we eventually caught 21 largemouth bass. The underwater terrain of the points and shoreline consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are regularly enhanced with some patches of brittle naiad and coontail. Some of the boulders are humongous. The water’s edge is often garnished with patches of American water willows, many overhanging trees, and a few laydowns. Patches of brittle naiad and coontail are entwined with the outside edges of some of the American water willows, which are becoming leafless.  The slope of this shoreline and its points range from 25 to 50 degrees. One of the 21 largemouth bass was caught on the California-craw Finesse TRD rig. The green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rig allured one largemouth bass. Two largemouth bass were inveigled by the purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig. Five were caught on The Deal TRD TicklerZ rig. The pearl Slim SwimZ rig caught six largemouth bass, as did the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig. Our two Slim SwimZ rigs caught seven of the 21 largemouth bass, and they were caught on either the initial drop in about three feet of water or a swimming presentation about two to three feet below the surface and many feet from the water’s edge. The other four rigs caught the largemouth bass in various ways, such as the initial drop, drag-and-pause, deadstick, swim-and-pause, and drag-and-shake. We caught them in water as shallow as three feet near the water’s edge and as deep as 10 feet and many feet from the water’s edge. A few were caught around patches of submerged aquatic vegetation. A few were caught in the vicinity of a laydown or pile of tree limbs. Because of the effects of the wind, we had a difficult time determining how and where we caught several of these largemouth bass.

In the back of this primary feeder-creek arm, we fished across a portion of a massive shallow-water flat. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt.  This flat is about the size of five football fields, and about a third of it is covered with dying American lotus plants. Some portions of the underwater terrain are endowed with patches of brittle naiad and coontail. Manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees embellish some of this underwater terrain. Two submerged creek channels, which are somewhat silt-laden, crisscross this flat. This flat yielded nine largemouth bass. One was caught on the green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rig. Two were caught on the pearl Slim SwimZ rig. Two were caught on The Deal TRD TicklerZ rig. Four were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD. They were caught on either the initial drop or with a swimming presentation. They were caught in five to seven feet of water around patches of coontail. While we were fishing this flat, we caught largemouth bass number 25 at 1:12 p.m.

As we traveled to another area, we ate a bit of lunch and let Patty off at the boat ramp’s dock. She drove home, and James and I spent the next 190 minutes fishing inside a tiny feeder-creek arm, inside a small feeder-creek arm, around two main-lake points, and inside this reservoir’s second primary feeder-creek arm. We also spent 35 minutes of those 190 minutes towing the pontoon boat to the boat ramp.

The tiny feeder-creek arm and one of the main-lake points were fruitless.

Inside the small feeder-creek arm, we caught 12 largemouth bass on its shallow-water flat and one largemouth bass along one of its shorelines. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt.  Much of its submerged creek channel is filled with silt. This flat is about the size of a football field. We fished less than half of it. We focused on dissecting the edges of the patches of brittle naiad and coontail and several submerged manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. Two of the 12 largemouth bass were caught on the pearl Slim SwimZ rig, five were caught on the green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rig, and five were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig. Five were caught on the initial drop of our rigs. The others were caught on either a swimming presentation or a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation.

The initial drop of the green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ allured the largemouth bass around one of the two riprap jetties that adorn one of the shorelines inside this feeder-creek arm.  Besides the two riprap jetties, the water’s edge of this shoreline possesses some thick patches of American water willows, which are intertwined with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, a few laydowns, and several submerged tree limbs. The leaves on the stems of American water willows are disappearing, and the stems are exhibiting a yellowish hue.

We caught six largemouth bass around a main-lake point at the mouth of this small feeder-creek arm. This point has a 35-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are festooned with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, as well as some manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is embellished with thick patches of American water willows, which are wilting, and the outside edges of these patches are entwined with patches of brittle naiad. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs allured two of the six largemouth bass; one was enticed by the initial drop in about three feet of water; one was caught on a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in four to six feet of water around patches of brittle naiad and coontail. Four of the six were caught on the green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rig; two were caught on the initial drop, two were caught on a swimming presentation, and they were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as about five to six feet.

Along portions of two shorelines, around four points, and across a series of shallow-water flats inside the second primary feeder-creek arm, we caught 49 largemouth bass. This area is the size of many football fields.

The shorelines and points possess a 25- to 45-degree slope.  Their underwater terrains consist of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are often coated with many patches of brittle naiad, southern naiad, and coontail. The water’s edge is furbished with many overhanging trees, patches of American water willows, and a few laydowns.

The flats are inlaid with four submerged creek channels, a small island, several humps, and a few minor ledges. Their underwater terrains consist of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. Portions of the submerged creek channels are laden with silt. Brittle naiad, coontail, a few sprouts of curly-leaf pondweeds, and many manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees decorate this flat’s underwater terrains.

The wind and drift sock allowed us to fish and to repetitively fish many yards of the flats and their shorelines. As we somewhat strategically drifted with the wind around and across these flats, we caught seven of the 49 largemouth bass on our green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rigs, and they were caught on either the initial drop or a swimming presentation. Our hot-snake Finesse TRD rigs inveigled 42 of the 49 largemouth bass.  Most of these 42 largemouth bass were caught on a swim-and-slight-pause presentation, which allowed our rigs to swim across the tops of the submerged aquatic vegetation or eastern red cedar trees. The largemouth bass that were not allured by the swim-and-slight-pause presentation were caught on the initial drop. We caught these 49 largemouth bass in water as shallow as about three feet and as deep as eight feet of water.

In sum, we caught slightly more than 27 largemouth bass an hour.

Oct. 13

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted this log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 13 smallmouth bass outing with Bear Brundrett of Valley View, Texas, at a federal reservoir in southern Oklahoma.    

Oct. 13 was a continuation of summer. It was overcast until 12:46 p.m., when the clouds broke up, and there was bright sunshine and a few distant clouds hovering in the sky. The morning’s low temperature was 73 degrees, and the afternoon’s high climbed to 93 degrees. The wind quartered out of the south-by-southeast at 5 to 15 mph. The barometric pressure measured 29.92 at 8:00 a.m. and fell slightly to 29.91 by 2:00 p.m.

The black-bass fishing in north-central Texas has been fair to middling during the past few weeks. Therefore, Bear Brundrett of Valley View, Texas, joined me for a six-hour smallmouth bass outing at our favorite federal reservoir in southern Oklahoma.

In-Fisherman’s solunar calendar noted that fishing would be poor on Oct. 13, with the most productive periods occurring between 4:56 a.m. and 6:56 a.m., 5:26 p.m. and 7:26 p.m., and 11:11 p.m. to 1:11 a.m.

We were afloat from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The water was the clearest we have seen it this year, exhibiting seven feet of visibility. The surface temperature ranged from 75 to 76 degrees. The water level appeared to be at its normal level.

This reservoir’s submerged terrain consists primarily of pea-size gravel, chunky rocks, and boulders. There are some sections of various shorelines that are adorned with thick patches of American water willows, cattails, stumps, and a few thin sections of decayed standing timber.

During these six hours, we plied two main-lake shorelines, four main-lake humps, five main-lake points, four rocky secondary points inside two large feeder-creek arms, and two rock bluffs inside one of the two feeder-creek arms. These locales are situated in the lower section of the reservoir.

The fishing was stellar; we caught 64 black bass and one large green sunfish. Fifty-five of them were smallmouth bass, eight were largemouth bass, and one was a spotted bass.

One of the 64 black bass was caught on a Z-Man’s coppertreuse TRD TicklerZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Seven of the 64 were allured by a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TicklerZ matched with a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Another seven were attracted to a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s bloodworm GrubZ threaded on a black 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jig. Eight were tempted by a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TubeZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Twelve engulfed a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ affixed on a black 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Twenty-nine of the 64 black bass were inveigled by a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead sporting a Z-Man’s California-craw TRD TubeZ.

Five black bass were caught on the initial fall of our lures. Nineteen were caught on a moderately-paced swimming retrieve about two to three feet below the surface of the water. Forty were allured by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation.

Two of the four main-lake humps yielded a total of six smallmouth bass and one spotted bass. The spotted bass and one of the smallmouth bass were caught simultaneously. The other two humps were unproductive. These humps are many yards from the shorelines and are covered with two to eight feet of water. They are adorned with numerous stumps, boulders, and large rocks. Their sides quickly drop off into 12 or more feet of water.

We failed to locate any black bass or elicit any strikes around five main-lake points. These points are usually very productive this time of year, but not this time. They are graced with many large rocks and boulders.

We probed three rocky secondary points inside the first feeder-creek arm, and one secondary point in the second creek arm. The three secondary points in the first feeder creek are situated in the lower end of the creek arm, and they yielded a combination of 10 smallmouth and largemouth bass. The secondary point in the second creek arm is in the upper end of that creek arm, and it was fruitless. These points are flat and graced with scores of chunky rocks and boulders.  

Eighteen of the 64 black bass were caught near the deep-water sides of the two main-lake shorelines. Their shallow-water areas are bedecked with chunky rocks mixed with large boulders, some standing timber, and a few stumps.

Our two most productive locales were the two rock bluffs inside the second feeder-creek arm. The first bluff is situated on the south side of the creek arm and stretches a considerable distance from the mouth of the creek arm to its upper end. The water depth along this bluff varies from nine to 81 feet.  The second bluff is about 75 yards long. It is located at the north-side entrance to this creek arm. The water depth next to this bluff ranges from 11 to 33 feet.

The south-side bluff was the most productive; we hooked 22 smallmouth bass and landed 18 of them. The north-side bluff relinquished 11 black bass and one large green sunfish. 

Most of these fish were caught around clusters of large boulders at the base of the bluffs in nine to 11 feet of water, and several others were caught as they were suspended 10 to 12 feet below the surface in 77 to 81 feet of water and 10 to 15 feet out from a 35-yard section of one of the south bluff's walls. The patches of American water willows and cattails were unproductive because they were either out of the water or in water too shallow to attract any fish.

Oct. 16

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 16 outing with Frank Gosnell of Sanger, Texas, at a state reservoir in north-central Texas.

The last time I fished at this state reservoir was on Sept. 19, when Norman Brown of Lewisville and I caught 29 largemouth and 18 spotted bass in 5 1/2 hours.

The conditions of the sky on Oct. 16 varied from mostly cloudy with high-altitude cirrus clouds to partly cloudy and back to mostly cloudy again. The morning’s low temperature was 55 degrees, and the afternoon’s high was 83 degrees. The wind was calm for the first three hours of this outing, then it quartered out of the south and southeast at 10 to 18 mph. The barometric pressure measured 29.94 at 8:00 a.m. and 29.88 at 2:00 p.m.      

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar forecasted poor fishing on Oct. 16. It also indicated that the most productive fishing would occur between 1:19 a.m. and 3:19 a.m., 7:31 a.m. and 9:31 a.m., and 7:53 p.m. to 9:53 p.m.

We fished from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

We focused on a main-lake island, six main-lake points, five main-lake shorelines, and a concrete-debris-laden jetty in the lower and middle sections of the reservoir. We also targeted a secondary point and a secondary shoreline inside a major feeder-creek arm in the upper end of the reservoir.

The surface temperature ranged from 75 to 77 degrees. The water exhibited about two feet of visibility. The water level was 3.48 feet below its normal pool.

Around the main-lake island, we caught five largemouth bass and one spotted bass. This island is at the lower end of the reservoir. Its terrain is flat and composed of large chunky rocks and boulders, patches of stickups and partially-flooded bushes, and some standing timber.

These six black bass were abiding in three to five feet of water around the outside edges of the thick patches of partially-flooded bushes and stickups that embellish the east shoreline of the island. Three of them were enticed by a swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl Slim SwimZ matched with a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. The other three were tempted by a swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s bad-shad Slim SwimZ rigged on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

Twenty black bass were caught from the six main-lake points. Three of these main-lake points are steep, and the other three are flat. A couple of the steeper points are adorned with decorative rock and concrete retaining walls with chunky rocks and boulders reinforcing the base of the walls. They also possess several covered boat houses and a couple of concrete boat ramps. These 20 black bass were caught in five to seven feet of water. They were abiding around the chunky rocks and boulders on the ends and sides of the points and the chunky rocks at the base of the concrete-and-rock retaining walls. They were allured by a steady swimming retrieve with the 2 1/2-inch pearl Slim SwimZ combo, the 2 1/2-inch bad-shad Slim SwimZ fastened on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead, and a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s Slam Shady GrubZ rigged on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead, and a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s hot-snakes TRD TicklerZ matched with a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead, and a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ affixed on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.    

The shaded areas of five rock-and boulder-laden main-lake shorelines yielded a mix of nine largemouth bass, two spotted bass, two hybrid-spotted bass, two green sunfish, and one channel catfish. These shorelines vary from being flat to having 60-degree inclines. These fish were caught on a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with either the shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s hot-snakes TRD TicklerZ rig, the 2 3/4-inch Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ rig, or a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TubeZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Eleven of the 13 black bass were induced by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve, and two engulfed the Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ rig on the initial drop. These fish were caught along the deep-water sides and in the openings between the large boulders in five to seven feet of water.

We fished one jetty, which is located in the midsection of the east shoreline, twice. It is overlaid with large chunks of concrete debris and chunky rocks. It yielded a combination of 27 largemouth bass and spotted bass. They were extracted from five to nine feet of water, and they were attracted to a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with the 2 3/4-inch Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ rig, the 2 1/2-inch hot-snakes TRD TicklerZ rig, the 2 3/4-inch green-pumpkin TRD TubeZ, and a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl TRD TicklerZ threaded on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. We also wielded a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s California-craw TRD TubeZ attached to a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead with a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve for five casts, and it inveigled one largemouth bass.

We ventured inside a major feeder-creek arm in the northwest region of the reservoir and dissected a rocky secondary point in the midsection of the creek arm, and a steep shoreline in the upper end of the feeder creek.

We failed to garner any strikes around the rocky secondary point, but we did manage to scrounge up one spotted bass from three feet of water from the top edge of a rocky ledge that runs parallel to a steep shoreline in the upper end of the creek arm on a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with the 2 3/4-inch green-pumpkin TRD TubeZ combo.

Overall, this was a stellar outing by north-central Texas’ standards. We hooked 71 black bass, and landed 67 of them. Fifty-one of the 67 that we caught were largemouth bass, 14 were spotted bass, and two were hybrid-spotted bass. We also inadvertently caught two green sunfish and a channel catfish by accident.

We wielded eight Midwest finesse rigs, and all of them were effective. Twenty-eight of these 67 black bass were beguiled by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Fourteen were enticed by a swimming retrieve with the 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s bad-shad Slim SwimZ on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Seven were tempted by a swimming retrieve with a chartreuse 3/32-ounce mushroom-style jig sporting a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl Slim SwimZ. Another seven were enticed by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s hot-snakes TRD TicklerZ fastened to a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Four were allured with a slow swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s slam-shady GrubZ rigged on a blue 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Three were tempted by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl TRD TicklerZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Another three were fooled by a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TubeZ on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead, and one largemouth bass was caught on a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a 2 3/4-inch California-craw TRD TubeZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

Oct. 17

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing at a 93-year-old state reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 17 with Nick Robertson of Overland Park, Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 62 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 84 degrees. The wind angled out of the southeast, south, east, and southwest at 5 to 17 mph; the gusts ranged from 22 to 28 mph. The sky was fair, mostly cloudy, and cluttered with a few clouds. The barometric pressure was 29.85 at 12:52 a.m., 29.86 at 5:52 a.m., 29.80 at 11:52 a.m., and 29.97 at 2:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be about a few inches below normal. The water exhibited more than 10 feet of clarity. The surface temperature ranged from 70 to 71 degrees. In this reservoir’s almost crystal-clear water, its patches of coontail are thriving and providing Midwest finesse anglers with many areas to explore and dissect.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 7:59 a.m. to 9:59 a.m., 8:21 p.m. to 10:21 p.m., and 1:49 a.m. to 3:49 a.m.

We made our first casts at 10:31 a.m. and our last casts at 2:30 p.m., which was when we caught largemouth bass number 122. We also accidentally caught two crappie and one bluegill.

Two of the 122 largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TicklerZ affixed to a green-pumpkin 1/15-ounce mushroom-style jig. A Z-Man’s blue-glimmer-sparkle Shad FryZ affixed to an unpainted 1/32-ounce jig caught three largemouth bass. A three-inch Z-Man’s The Deal Slim SwimZ affixed to a brown 3/32-ounce mushroom-style jig inveigled five largemouth bass.  Eleven of the 122 largemouth bass were caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s space-guppy Slim SwimZ affixed to a black 3/32-ounce mushroom-style jig. The other 101 largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD attached to a red 1/20-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

Because of the wind, we used a drift sock about 85 percent of the time. The wind made a few areas too uncomfortable to fish.

At the mouth of one of this reservoir's two primary feeder-creek arms, we caught six largemouth bass around the main-lake point and along about a 50-yard stretch of its main-lake shoreline. This shoreline possesses a 45- to 85-degree slope. The point has a 45- to 50-degree slope. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Some of the boulders are humongous. This terrain is occasionally carpeted with patches of brittle naiad and coontail.  Most of the water’s edge is lined with thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows and a couple of well-worn laydowns. Portions of the outside edges of the American water willows are entwined with brittle naiad and coontail. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs allured the six largemouth bass.  Two were caught on the initial drop. Four were caught on a slow swim-and-pause presentation. They were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as seven to nine feet.

Along about an 800-yard stretch of a secondary shoreline and around two secondary points inside this primary feeder-creek arm, we caught 33 largemouth bass. The underwater terrain of the points and shoreline consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are regularly adorned with some patches of brittle naiad and coontail. There are two small shallow-water flats that are abounding with patches of coontail.  The water’s edge is often enhanced with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, many overhanging trees, and a few laydowns. Patches of brittle naiad and coontail are entwined with the outside edges of some of the American water willows.  The slope of this shoreline and its points range from 25 to 50 degrees. Two of the 33 largemouth bass were caught on the green-pumpkin TRD TicklerZ rig. The other 31 were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig. They were caught on three presentations: initial drop, swim-and-pause, and swim-glide-and-subtle-shake retrieve.  These largemouth bass were caught in water as shallow as two to three feet and as deep as six to eight feet.

In the back of this primary feeder-creek arm, we fished across a portion of a massive shallow-water flat. The wind and waves were somewhat troublesome on portions of this flat. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt.  It is about the size of five football fields, and about a third of it is covered with dying American lotus plants; some portions of the underwater terrain are endowed with patches of brittle naiad and burgeoning patches of coontail. Manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees embellish some of the underwater terrain. Two submerged creek channels, which are somewhat silt-laden, crisscross this flat. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs inveigled five largemouth bass around the patches of coontail in five to seven feet of water. One was caught on the initial drop. Four were caught on a swim-and-slight-pause presentation.

At the mouth of this primary feeder-creek arm, we caught two largemouth bass around the other main-lake point. It has a 40- to 45-degree slope.  The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. The water’s edge is garnished with thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, which are intertwined with brittle naiad, coontail, and a few meager tree limbs. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig allured the two largemouth bass with a swim-and-pause presentation in about five to six feet of water.

From this point, we probed about 900 yards of this primary feeder creek’s other secondary shorelines and around this shoreline’s secondary and tertiary points. The slope of this vast area ranges from about 25 to 55 degrees. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and one significant submerged rock-and-boulder fence. Most of the flat and shallow-water sections of the underwater terrain are coated with patches of brittle naiad and expanding patches of coontail, as well as several manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is often lined with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, some overhanging trees, a few piles of tree limbs, and several well-aged laydowns. This shoreline, the points, and shallow-water flats yielded 27 largemouth bass. Three of the 27 largemouth bass were caught on the blue-glimmer-sparkle Shad FryZ rig. Eleven were caught on the three-inch Z-Man’s space-guppy Slim SwimZ rig. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig caught 13 largemouth bass. Some were allured by the initial drop of these rigs. The others were caught as we employed a swim-and-pause presentation and tried to polish the tops of the submerged aquatic vegetation, piles of tree limbs, and eastern red cedar trees. They were caught in water as shallow as about three feet and as deep as seven to eight feet.

We caught 18 largemouth bass along about a 700-yard section of a main-lake shoreline. It has a 40- to 60-degree slope.  The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. One area is enhanced with a stone and concrete foundation of a barn and house. Submerged patches of brittle naiad and burgeoning patches of coontail coat portions of the underwater terrain. The water’s edge is garnished with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, which are intertwined with brittle naiad and coontail, some significant laydowns, and many piles of tree limbs. One of the 18 largemouth bass was caught on the initial drop of The Deal Slim SwimZ rig adjacent to a large laydown in about four feet of water. Seventeen largemouth bass were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs; they were caught on either the initial drop in the vicinity of the outside edges of the patches of American water willows or on a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation around the patches of submerged aquatic vegetation or piles of tree limbs or laydowns in five to seven feet of water.

Inside this reservoir’s second primary feeder-creek arm, we fished along several sections of one of the shorelines, which borders a massive shallow-water flat, and we also battled the wind across portions of the flat.  The shoreline possesses a 25- to 40-degree slope. Its water edge is adorned with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, several overhanging trees, some laydowns, and several piles of tree limbs. This flat is the size of many football fields. It is endowed with four submerged creek channels, a small island embellished with American water willows, several humps, and a few minor ledges. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. Portions of the submerged creek channels are silt-laden. Brittle naiad, coontail, and many manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees adorn the underwater terrains of this massive flat. In due course, we somehow caught 16 largemouth bass; four were caught on the Z-Man’s The Deal Slim SwimZ rig, and 12 were inveigled on the hot-snake Finesse TRD rig. Three were caught around the laydowns and piles of tree limbs. Thirteen were caught around either patches of coontail or eastern red cedar trees, which were intertwined with coontail. They were caught on either the initial drop of our rigs or a swim-and-slight-pause presentation in three to seven feet of water.

On a shallow-water flat inside a small feeder-creek arm, which was protected from the wind, along a short section of its shoreline, and around one of its main-lake points, we caught 14 largemouth bass.  The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt.  Much of its submerged creek channel is filled with silt. This flat is about the size of a football field. We fished less than half of it. We focused on dissecting the edges of the patches of brittle naiad and coontail and around several submerged manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. Nine of the 14 largemouth bass were caught on the flat. They were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs on either the initial drop or a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation in about five to eight feet of water.

Along the short section of the shoreline, we caught three largemouth bass. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and some boulders, which are embellished with significant patches of coontail. The water’s edge of the shoreline has a 25- to 40-degree slope. It is endowed with two riprap jetties, thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, which are intertwined with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, and several submerged tree limbs. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD with a swim-glide-and-subtle shake presentation caught the three largemouth bass around the patches of submerged coontail in about four to six feet of water.

We caught two largemouth bass around the main-lake point at the mouth of this small feeder-creek arm. This point has a 35-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are festooned with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, as well as some manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is embellished with thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs hooked the two largemouth bass as we employed a swim-glide-and-shake presentation in four to six feet of water around patches of brittle naiad and coontail.

In sum, we caught an average of 30 largemouth bass per hour during this three-hour-and-58-minute and windblown outing.

Oct. 18

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 18 outing with Norman Brown of Lewisville, Texas, at a federal hill-land reservoir in north-central Texas. 

It was windy and rainy. The morning low temperature was 73 degrees, and the afternoon high was 81 degrees. The wind quartered out of the west-by-southwest at 15 to 20 mph. The barometric pressure measured 29.78 at 7:00 a.m. and 29.75 at noon.  

We fished from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The water level was 1.42 feet low. The water exhibited 14 to 18 inches of visibility. The surface temperature was 76 degrees everywhere we fished. 

In-Fisherman’s Solunar table indicated that the most productive fishing periods would occur from 2:33 a.m. to 4:33 a.m., 8:43 a.m. to 10:43 a.m., and 9:03 p.m. to 11:03 p.m. The fishing forecast was a poor one.

We spent our time inside a major tributary arm in the lower region of the reservoir. Inside this tributary, we targeted four main-lake points, three main-lake shorelines, the perimeter of a main-lake island, a 50-yard-long bridge embankment covered with riprap, and many areas inside three major feeder-creek arms.

The four main-lake points are flat and spread out from the tributary’s lower end to its middle section. Most of their underwear terrains consist of red clay, small gravel, chunky rocks, and clusters of large boulders. Several segments of their shallow-water areas are embellished with thick patches of buck brush, stickups, a couple of laydowns, and a submerged asphalt roadbed. The first of the four points relinquished two largemouth bass, the second point yielded one largemouth bass, and the other two points failed to surrender a strike. These three largemouth bass were caught in less than five feet of water and within 10 feet of the water’s edge. The first two largemouth bass were allured with a swimming retrieve with a three-inch Z-Man’s space-guppy Slim SwimZ rigged on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead, and the third one was caught on a swimming retrieve with a three-inch Z-Man’s bad-shad Slim SwimZ attached to a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. 

The three main-lake shorelines that we investigated are flat, and one of them is located under a massive highway overpass bridge in the midsection of the tributary arm. The underwater terrains of the three main-lake shorelines consist of red clay, small gravel, chunky rocks and boulders, and a couple of laydowns.

The first two main-lake shorelines, which are situated in the lower end of the tributary arm, were fruitless. We fished the third one while we were seeking shelter from a rain shower. This shoreline is about 30-yards long, and it yielded one largemouth bass and one spotted bass. Both were caught in less than five feet of water and within 15 feet of the water’s edge. They were caught on the three-inch space-guppy Slim SwimZ combo and a steady swimming retrieve. 

A main-lake island relinquished two largemouth bass. This island is in the lower end of the tributary arm. Its submerged terrain is flat and consists of mostly clay and gravel. There are a few patches of flooded stickups. Some crumbling remains of a building’s concrete foundation adorn portions of the island’s perimeter. We caught one of these two largemouth bass near the debris of the building foundation. The other one was caught from a tertiary point on the west side of the island. These two bass were in three and five feet of water. They were induced by a swimming retrieve with the three-inch space-guppy Slim SwimZ rig.

Inside the three feeder-creek arms, we focused on clay-and-pea-gravel flats cluttered with flooded stickups, a couple of laydowns, shallow patches of buck brush, three steep clay-and-gravel shorelines, four rock- and boulder-laden secondary points and secondary shorelines, a submerged ridge of boulders, and the areas around two concrete boat ramps. We fished in water as shallow as two feet and as deep as 13 feet. Most of these areas were unproductive, but we managed to scrounge up nine largemouth bass and one spotted bass.

In the midsection of the first feeder-creek arm, we caught seven largemouth bass and one spotted bass. Three largemouth bass and one spotted bass were caught in three to five feet of water along a 40-foot section of riprap that covers one side of a secondary point and borders two concrete boat ramps. Three largemouth bass were caught in five to seven feet of water from a nearby 60-yard-long clay-and-gravel secondary shoreline with a 20-degree gradient. One largemouth bass was caught in four feet of water from the end of a minor boulder-laden secondary point. Four of these seven largemouth bass and one spotted bass were tempted by a swimming retrieve with a three-inch Z-Man’s space-guppy Slim SwimZ rigged on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. The other three largemouth bass were attracted to a swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s electric-chicken Slim SwimZ affixed on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce mushroom-style jig. 

Inside the second feeder-creek arm, which is located about two miles west of the first one, we caught seven largemouth bass and one spotted bass. One largemouth bass was caught in five feet of water from the end of a partially-submerged laydown situated on a rocky secondary shoreline on the west side and in the lower region of the creek arm. It was enticed by a swimming retrieve with the three-inch space-guppy Slim SwimZ combo. Three largemouth bass were caught from the middle section of the creek arm from a submerged boulder ridge that is covered with three to seven feet of water. Two of them were allured by a swim-glide-and-shake presentation with a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TicklerZ affixed on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig, and the other one was enticed by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s California-craw TRD TubeZ matched with a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. In the upper end of the creek arm, we caught two largemouth bass from a rocky secondary shoreline with about a 30-degree slope. One of the two largemouth bass was caught on a swim-glide-and-shake presentation with the green-pumpkin Finesse TRD rig, and the other one was induced by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with the 2 3/4-inch California-craw TRD TubeZ combo. Another largemouth bass was caught in three feet of water from a large rocky pocket in the lower end of the east-side shoreline. It was caught on the initial drop of the 2 3/4-inch California-craw TRD TubeZ rig.

The third feeder-creek arm, which is situated about two miles east of the first two creek arms, relinquished three spotted bass and two largemouth bass. The first two spotted bass and one of the two largemouth bass were caught from a gravel-and-clay secondary shoreline with about a 30-degree slope. It is endowed with a shallow rock ledge and a small rock pile. These three black bass were abiding in five to seven feet of water along the deep-water side of the shallow ledge. Two of the three were caught on a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with the 2 3/4-inch California-craw TRD TicklerZ, and the third one was caught on a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with the green-pumpkin finesse TRD rig.  The other largemouth bass was caught a short distance from the first three black bass near the outside edge of the small rock pile in three feet of water on the green-pumpkin Finesse TRD and a slow swim-glide-and-shake retrieve. And inside a small creek that lies at one end of this shoreline, we caught one spotted bass in three feet of water near a small pile of rocks and chunks of concrete, and was induced by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a slow swim-glide-and-shake presentation with the 2 3/4-inch California-craw TRD TubeZ combo. 

The riprap bridge embankment in the midsection of the tributary arm yielded a couple of sunfish bites, but otherwise, it was unproductive. 

In conclusion, it was a wet and windy day of fishing, and we had to find shelter from the rain either under a bridge or in an open boat slip inside a marina. Ultimately, we caught 26 black bass; 21 were largemouth bass and five were spotted bass. We also tangled with three white bass by accident. 

Oct. 20 

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 20 smallmouth bass outing with John Thomas of Denton at a federal reservoir in southern Oklahoma.   

Oct. 20 was windy, sunny, and cloudless. The morning low temperature was 62 degrees, and the afternoon high climbed to 91 degrees. The average low temperature for Oct. 20 is 50 degrees, and the average high temperature is 76 degrees. A troublesome southwesterly wind wailed at 18 to 30 mph. The barometric pressure measured 29.97 at 9:00 a.m. and fell to 29.81 by 3:00 p.m.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the most productive fishing periods would occur between 3:46 a.m. and 5:46 a.m., 9:57 a.m. and 11:57 a.m., and 10:17 p.m. to 12:17 a.m. It also forecasted great fishing on Oct. 20.

We fished from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The water exhibited eight feet of visibility. The surface temperature ranged from 72 to 73 degrees. The water level appeared to be at its normal pool.

This reservoir is V-shaped. The east tributary arm has flatter terrains than the west tributary.  The shorelines in the upper sections of both tributaries are mostly flat and adorned with many thick patches of cattails and American water willows. 

The submerged terrains in the middle and lower sections of this reservoir consist primarily of small gravel, chunky rocks, boulders, stumps, and a few thin areas of decayed standing timber. Anglers in pursuit of largemouth bass primarily target the numerous thick patches of cattails in the upper ends of the reservoir, and those who pursue smallmouth bass concentrate on the middle and lower regions. And in our eyes, the west tributary arm is more lucrative than the east tributary. 

We prefer to pursue smallmouth bass at this reservoir, so we spend the vast majority of our time plying the offshore humps and the steeper rock- and boulder-laden main-lake points and shorelines in the middle and lower sections of the west tributary arm. Occasionally, we will venture into the east tributary arm and inside several feeder-creek arms in both tributaries when the main-lake areas in the west tributary arm aren’t producing or we need to find protection from the wind.

During these six hours, we dissected nine rocky main-lake points, four rocky main-lake shorelines, and two boulder-laden offshore humps in the west tributary arm. When the wind and white-capped waves became too intense for us, we retreated inside a major feeder-creek arm to seek shelter from the wind and waves. 

In a nutshell, the smallmouth bass fishing was pretty good, though we found them a bit finicky and scattered hither and yon. We covered a lot of water and relished tussling with 47 smallmouth bass, three largemouth bass, and one spotted bass. We also crossed paths with three green sunfish.

In the main-lake areas, we caught 34 black bass. Thirty-one of them were smallmouth bass, two were largemouth bass, and one was a spotted bass. Twenty of the 34 black bass were caught from four major main-lake shorelines; 12 were caught from two offshore humps; and two were caught from 13 main-lake points. They were abiding in three to seven feet of water.

Inside the feeder-creek arm, we probed two rock bluffs. One is situated on the south side of the creek arm, and it provided us refuge from the wind. The other bluff is located on the north side of the creek arm, and it was being pummeled by the wind and white-capped waves. 

The south-side bluff is approximately 700 yards long. Across the length of this bluff, the water depth varies from about 10 feet at its ends to 81 feet near its center. Scores and scores of large boulders and chunky rocks embellish the base of this bluff. This bluff yielded nine smallmouth bass, three largemouth bass, and three green sunfish. These black bass were suspended about 10 to 20 feet from the water’s edge, and eight to 10 feet below the surface over water as shallow as 23 feet and as deep as 81 feet. 

The north-side bluff was not as productive as the south one. It surrendered five smallmouth bass. This bluff is about 75 yards long with water depths varying from seven feet to 32 feet. Its base is also cluttered with numerous large rocks and boulders. These smallmouth bass were suspended about five to eight feet below the surface and within five to 10 feet of the water’s edge.      

One of these 51 black bass was caught on a Z-Man’s shiner Finesse ShadZ rigged on a black 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Another one was allured by a 2 3/4-inch Z-Man’s Drew’s-craw TRD TubeZ affixed on a red 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Ten were tempted by a three-inch Z-Man’s bad-shad Slim SwimZ fastened on a black 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Nineteen were enticed by a slightly shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s hot-snakes TRD TicklerZ threaded on a red 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Twenty were intrigued by a black 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead dressed with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s bloodworm GrubZ.  

Thirty of the 51 black bass were enticed by a steady swimming retrieve, and 21 were induced by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation.

Oct. 22

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing at a 93-year-old state reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 22 with Stephen Hill of Lawrence, Kansas.

Northeastern Kansas was walloped by the most significant cold front of this autumn. The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 30 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 73 degrees. The wind was calm for several hours, and at other hours it angled out of the north, west, south, and southwest at 3 to 9 mph. The sky was fair. The barometric pressure was 30.13 at 12:52 a.m., 30.13 at 5:52 a.m., 30.14 at 11:52 a.m., and 30.06 at 2:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be about a few inches below normal. The water exhibited more than 10 feet of clarity. The surface temperature ranged from 65 to 66 degrees, which was a radical temperature drop since Sept. 17.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 11:36 p.m. to 1:36 a.m., 5:03 a.m. to 7:03 a.m., and 5:25 p.m. to 7:25 p.m.

This was Stephen’s maiden Midwest finesse outing, and we made our first casts at 10:56 a.m. We made our last casts when we caught largemouth bass number 50 at 1:54 p.m.

One of the 50 largemouth bass was caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ affixed to a red 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. The other 49 were caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD attached to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

At the mouth of one of this reservoir's two primary feeder-creek arms, we caught two largemouth bass around the main-lake point. It has a 45- to 50-degree slope. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are occasionally enhanced with patches of brittle naiad and coontail.  Most of the water’s edge is lined with thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows and a couple of well-worn laydowns. Portions of the outside edges of the American water willows are entwined with brittle naiad and coontail. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs allured the two largemouth bass with a slow swim-and-pause presentation in about four to six feet of water.

Along about an 800-yard stretch of a secondary shoreline and around two secondary points inside this primary feeder-creek arm, we caught 16 largemouth bass. The underwater terrain of the points and shoreline consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are regularly adorned with some patches of brittle naiad and coontail. There are two small shallow-water flats that are abounding with patches of coontail.  The water’s edge is often enhanced with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, many overhanging trees, some piles of tree limbs, and a few laydowns. Some patches of brittle naiad and coontail are entwined with the outside edges of some of the American water willows.  The slope of this shoreline and its points range from 25 to 50 degrees. These 16 largemouth bass were caught on our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs. They were caught on three presentations: initial drop, swim-and-pause, and swim-glide-and-subtle-shake retrieves.  These largemouth bass were caught in water as shallow as three feet and as deep as six to eight feet.

In the back of this primary feeder-creek arm, we fished across a portion of a massive shallow-water flat. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt.  It is about the size of five football fields, and about a third of it is covered with wilting and dying American lotus plants. Some portions of the underwater terrain are endowed with patches of brittle naiad and burgeoning patches of coontail. Manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees embellish some of the underwater terrain. Two submerged creek channels, which are somewhat silt-laden, crisscross this flat. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs inveigled seven largemouth bass around the patches of coontail in five to seven feet of water. One was caught on the initial drop. Six were caught on a swim-and-slight-pause presentation.

Inside this reservoir’s second primary feeder-creek arm, we fished along several sections of one of its two shorelines, which borders a massive shallow-water flat. The shoreline possesses a 25- to 40-degree slope. Its water’s edge is adorned with patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, several overhanging trees, some laydowns, and several piles of tree limbs. This flat is the size of many football fields. It is endowed with four submerged creek channels, a small island embellished with American water willows, several humps, and a few minor ledges. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. Portions of the submerged creek channels are silt-laden. Thick patches of brittle naiad and coontail, burgeoning patches of curly-leaf pondweeds, and many manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees adorn the underwater terrains of this massive flat. Along the shoreline and across the flat, we caught 19 largemouth bass on our hot-snake Finesse TRD rig. They were caught on either the initial drop of our rigs or a swim-and-slight-pause presentation in three to eight feet of water.

  Inside a small feeder-creek arm, we caught three largemouth bass.  Two were caught on the shallow-water flat. One was caught along a short section of its north shoreline.

The underwater terrain of the flat consists of gravel, rocks, and silt.  Much of its submerged creek channel is filled with silt. This flat is about the size of a football field. We fished about forty percent of it. We focused on dissecting the edges of the patches of brittle naiad and coontail and around several submerged manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The two largemouth bass were caught on a swim-glide-and-shake presentation with our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig in about five to seven feet of water.

Along a short section of the shoreline, we caught one largemouth bass. This shoreline’s underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and some boulders, which are embellished with significant patches of coontail. The water’s edge of the shoreline has a 25- to 40-degree slope. It is endowed with three riprap jetties, thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, which are intertwined with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, and several submerged tree limbs. The green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ rig with a swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation caught the largemouth bass around the patches of submerged coontail in about five feet of water.

We caught four largemouth bass around the main-lake point at the mouth of this small feeder-creek arm. This point has a 35-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are festooned with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, as well as some manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. The water’s edge is embellished with thick patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows. Our hot-snakes Finesse TRD rigs hooked the four largemouth bass. Two were caught on the initial drop in about three feet of water. A swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation allured the other two in four to six feet of water.

We caught largemouth bass number 50 along the main-lake shoreline immediately adjacent to the main-lake point at the mouth of the small-feeder-creek arm. This shoreline’s underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and some boulders, which are embellished with significant patches of coontail and some sprouts of curly-leaf pondweeds. The water’s edge of the shoreline has a 25- to 35-degree slope. It is endowed with some overhanging trees, patches of wilting and yellowish American water willows, which are intertwined with patches of brittle naiad and coontail, and several submerged tree limbs. The largemouth bass was caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swim-and-short-pause presentation around patches of submerged coontail in about five feet of water.  

In sum, we caught an average of 16 largemouth bass an hour. Five days ago, which was three days before the arrival of this fall’s first significant cold front, we caught an average of 30 largemouth bass an hour. We never know why we catch and do not catch largemouth bass. All we  know is where, when, and how we caught them. However, some anglers tell us the demise of our hourly catch rate today was created by the post-cold-front conditions, such as the rapid drop of the water temperature, high barometric pressure, and what they call bluebird sky conditions, which exhibit a very negative consequence on waterways that are extremely clear, as this state reservoir is. But on Stephen’s first Midwest finesse outing, he was very pleased with our catch rate. Furthermore, he relished fishing in the nearly crystal-clear water.

Oct. 22

Bob Gum of Kansas City, Kansas, posted a brief log on the Finesse News Network about his outing at a 54-year-old power-plant reservoir in northeastern Kansas on Oct. 22.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 35 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 75 degrees. The wind was calm for several hours, and at other times, it was variable or angled out of the southwest, west, and northwest at 3 to 12 mph. The sky was fair. The barometric pressure was 30.11 at 12:53 a.m., 30.12 at 5:53 a.m., 30.15 at 11:53 a.m., and 30.07 at 2:53 p.m.

The water level was about 1.5 feet below its normal level. The surface temperature warmed to 69 degrees at the dam. The water clarity was about 1.5 feet.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 11:36 p.m. to 1:36 a.m., 5:03 a.m. to 7:03 a.m., and 5:25 p.m. to 7:25 p.m.

I made my first cast around 7:30 a.m. and the last one at 2:30 p.m. I spent the entire outing in the lower third of this reservoir.

Along about a 150-yard stretch of a riprap shoreline north of the power plant, I caught two largemouth bass.

From this shoreline, I traveled to the west end of the dam’s riprap shoreline. The dam is 6,970 feet long with a height of 76 feet, and I fished its entire shoreline and portions of it twice.  The initial bite along the west end of the dam was very strong. I thought I was on my way to catching 100 fish, but the bite petered out, and the fishing for the remainder of the day was slow and spotty.

As I fished in an easterly direction along the shoreline of the dam, I was facing into the morning sun, which made it easier for me to see my fluorocarbon line and to more easily detect when I had a strike or when my Midwest finesse rig touched the submerged riprap.

About halfway down the dam, I encountered an enormous school of gizzard shad, which encompassed an area that was about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide.

Eventually, I made my way to the spillway and fished along some of the riprap that lines the cutout portions of the spillway and extends along the shoreline northeast of the dam. Here, I kept my boat in 12 feet of water and made casts into five feet of water. This area yielded a couple of largemouth bass.

Then I fished the flat adjacent to the spillway and an offshore hump that is about halfway between the spillway and the riprap shoreline of the power plant’s access road. My catch in these areas was minimal.

I finished this outing by returning to the dam and fishing again along about fifty yards of the riprap shoreline of the west end of the dam.

My most effective Midwest rigs were a 2.5-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin-red-flake ZinkerZ affixed to a red 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jighead and a Z-Man’s California-craw TRD HogZ attached to a black 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jighead.  I retrieved these rigs with a slow swim-glide-and-shake presentation.

I caught 36 largemouth bass, three freshwater drum, and one channel catfish in two to 10 feet of water.

Oct. 23

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 23 outing with Norman Brown of Lewisville, Texas, to a north-central Texas federal reservoir that seems to produce more headaches than black bass.

Overall, we have enjoyed some bountiful outings at several other state and federal impoundments in north Texas and southern Oklahoma during the past several weeks, so we thought we would see if our luck would hold up at this stingy reservoir. And to our chagrin, this turned into another one of those headache-type outings.

The sky was mostly cloudy. The morning’s low temperature was 62 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature peaked at 83 degrees. The wind quartered out of the southeast at 5-10 mph. The barometric pressure measured 30.07 at 7:00 a.m. and 30.05 at noon.

According to In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar, the most productive fishing would occur from 5:47 a.m. to 7:47 a.m., 11:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m., and 11:59 p.m. to 1:59 a.m. The fishing forecast was average for Oct. 23.

The water exhibited about 20 inches of visibility. The surface temperature was 72 degrees. The water level appeared to be about three feet low.

This reservoir’s underwater terrain consists of red clay, gravel, rocks, and countless submerged boulders. There is no aquatic vegetation, but there are a few areas in the back of the larger feeder-creek arms where the decaying remnants of flooded standing timber and submerged stumps still exist.

We made our first casts at around 7:40 a.m., and we were overjoyed to make our last ones at about 12:40 p.m.

We have not had any success in the upper end of this reservoir this year, so we opted to fish in its middle and lower regions this time. It was a slow day of fishing. Thus, we had to work hard and cover a lot of water for the few bites we could muster.

Ultimately, we garnered 14 largemouth bass and one spotted bass. We also inadvertently caught two white bass, one freshwater drum, and a large green sunfish.

We investigated three feeder-creek arms. The first one is the smallest of the three and is located in the midsection of the reservoir. The other two are much larger and are situated in the impoundment’s lower quadrant.

We caught three largemouth bass in the middle section of the first feeder-creek arm, four largemouth bass in the upper end of the second feeder-creek arm, and one spotted bass from a boulder-laden entry point to the third creek arm.

Except for the one spotted bass, the other seven largemouth bass were caught from rocky secondary shorelines and secondary points with gradients that vary from 15 to 35 degrees. There were also significant schools of threadfin shad present at these locations. These eight black bass were abiding in three to five feet of water near clusters of large boulders mixed with small gravel and chunky rocks.

Around the perimeter of a main-lake island, we caught four largemouth bass that were extracted from two to five feet of water. Because of the lower water level, many of the flooded stickups and laydowns that normally enhance this island’s shallow-water areas are now out of water. These four largemouth bass were associated with a small clay-and-gravel point that extends a few feet from the west end of the island. The remainder of the island’s perimeter was unproductive.

We also slowly dissected the center section of the dam in hopes of crossing paths with a few smallmouth bass. This dam forms the reservoir’s eastern boundary. It is blanketed with riprap. It is 12,850 feet long and 137 feet high. The southend of the dam was occupied by a boat angler, and another boat angler was probing the riprap at the water’s edge about 50 yards in front of us. Ultimately, we failed to locate any smallmouth bass, but we did dredge up three largemouth bass. These bass were caught in five to nine feet of water along the submerged riprap at the base of the dam and within 10 feet of the water’s edge.

In conclusion, these 15 black bass were scattered here and there, and we were unable to establish any reliable location pattern.

We wielded a total of 12 Midwest finesse rigs during this outing, and six of them were productive. Three of the 15 black bass were enticed by a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Finesse TRD matched with a green-pumpkin 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig. Three more largemouth bass were tempted by a Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Finesse TRD rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig. Another three largemouth bass were induced by a Z-Man’s coppertreuse Finesse TRD affixed on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig. A Z-Man’s pearl Baby Goat attached to a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead fooled three largemouth bass. A slightly shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s Junebug TRD TicklerZ on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead attracted one largemouth bass. Another largemouth bass was caught on a Z-Man’s 2 1/2-inch pearl Slim SwimZ rigged on a red 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. The one spotted bass was allured by a slightly shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pearl TRD TicklerZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Jig.        

These six Midwest finesse combos were employed with a steady swim, swim-glide-and-shake, drag-and-deadstick, hop-and-bounce, and swim-and-constant-shake presentation. The steady swim, swim-glide-and-shake, and slow swim-and-constant-shake techniques were the only effective ones. 

Oct. 27

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his outing on Oct. 27 at a 63-year-old and heavily fished state reservoir in northeastern Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported that the morning’s low temperature was 50 degrees. The afternoon’s high temperature was 57 degrees. The wind varied from calm to angling out of the southeast and east at 3 to 10 mph. The sky was overcast. The barometric pressure was 30.04 at 12:52 a.m., 30.02 at 5:52 a.m., 30.04 at 11:52 a.m., and 29.97 at 3:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be more than two feet below normal. The surface temperature was 61 degrees. The water exhibited 3 ½ to five feet of visibility.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would occur from 3:12 a.m. to 5:12 a.m., 3:38 p.m. to 5:38 p.m., and 9:25 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.

I made my first cast at 1:18 p.m. with hopes of tangling with at least 25 largemouth bass in two hours, but those hopes were never realized. I made my last cast at 3:49 p.m., when I caught largemouth bass number 20. During this two-hour and 31-minute outing, I also caught four crappie.  

One of the 20 largemouth bass was caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s The Deal Swim SlimZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. A Z-Man’s Junebug Finesse ShadZ affixed to a chartreuse 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead inveigled one largemouth bass.  Three largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s coppertreuse TRD TicklerZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Fifteen largemouth bass were caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.

I was hoping to catch a significant number of largemouth bass on a gigantic shallow-water flat in the back of one of this reservoir’s major feeder-creek arms. This flat is the size of many football fields. Its underwater terrain, which consists of gravel, rocks, and silt, is graced with hundreds of patches of coontail and sago pondweeds. It is also enhanced with numerous manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees. A submerged creek channel twists and turns along portions of the western, southern, and northern edges of this flat. I fished around an area about the size of two football fields, and I struggled to catch four largemouth bass. Two were caught on the coppertreuse Finesse TRD rig; one was caught on the initial drop around a submerged pile of eastern red cedar trees in about seven feet of water; the second largemouth bass was caught on a swim-and-pause presentation around patches of coontail in about seven feet of water. The other two were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swimming presentation around patches of coontail in about eight feet of water.

I eked out five largemouth bass on a flat in the back of a small feeder-creek arm. This flat is about the size of three football fields. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and silt, and small portions of it are bestowed with meager patches of coontail and a multitude of manmade piles of eastern red cedar trees.  A small submerged creek channel, which is partially filled with silt, traverses pieces of this flat. One of the five largemouth bass was caught on the initial drop of The Deal Slim SwimZ rig in about four feet of water around thin patches of coontail. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swimming presentation caught two largemouth bass around the meager patches of coontail in about four feet of water. Two largemouth bass were caught on the initial drop of the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig in about four to five feet of water immediately adjacent to two different piles of eastern red cedar trees.

One of the main-lake points at the mouth of this small feeder-creek arm yielded a largemouth bass. This point is flat with a 25-degree grade, and it possesses a significant ledge many yards from the water’s edge. The underwater terrain consists of gravel and rocks on which there are several patches of coontail and several piles of eastern red cedar trees. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swim-glide-and-shake presentation caught this largemouth bass along the edge of a patch of coontail in about six feet of water.

Ten of the 20 largemouth bass were caught along the riprap shoreline of the dam. It is 600 yards long with a height of 85 feet. It possesses a 35- to 75-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of riprap. The flatter and shallow-water sections at each end of the dam are enriched with submerged patches of coontail and emerged patches of American pondweeds. One of the 10 largemouth bass was caught on a deadstick presentation of the hot-snakes rig in about four feet of water in the vicinity of a coontail patch and some American pondweeds. The hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with either a drag-and-shake or a slow swim-and-pause presentation caught seven largemouth bass in four to eight feet of water. The initial drop of the coppertreuse Finesse TRD rig allured one of the 10 largemouth bass in about two feet of water. The Junebug Finesse ShadZ rig with a slow swim-glide-and-subtle-shake presentation inveigled a largemouth bass in about five to six feet of water.    

In sum, it was a struggle to catch an average of eight largemouth bass per hour.

Oct. 27

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his smallmouth bass outing on Oct. 27 with Brad DePrater of Sanger, Texas, at a north-central Texas federal reservoir.

Brad and I fished at a federal reservoir in north-central Texas, which is known more for its striper fishing than its black-bass fishing. Brad targets striped bass at this reservoir, but this time, our main focus was on locating and catching smallmouth bass.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the most productive fishing periods would occur between 3:21 a.m. and 5:21 a.m., 9:34 a.m. and 11:34 a.m., and 3:47 p.m. to 5:47 p.m. The calendar also forecasted poor fishing for Oct. 27. 

We fished from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

  The sky conditions varied between mostly cloudy and overcast. The wind quartered out of the southeast at 10 to 15 mph. The barometric pressure measured 29.99 at 8:00 a.m. and fell to 29.88 by 4:00 p.m. The morning’s low temperature was 56 degrees. The afternoon’s high was 72 degrees.

The water was dingy and exhibited a brownish hue with 18 inches of clarity. The water level was 0.56 of a foot below its normal level. The surface temperature ranged from 71 to 73 degrees.

We concentrated on portions of four feeder-creek arms, the riprap covering a dam, an offshore main-lake rock pile, and six main-lake points in the lower end of the reservoir, and it was a grind to catch 23 smallmouth bass and two largemouth bass. We also inadvertently caught one striped bass, one black crappie, two freshwater drum, and three green sunfish.

We wielded 12 Midwest finesse rigs, which is a sure sign of a slow and trying outing. Of these 12 Midwest finesse rigs that we employed, we caught one smallmouth bass and one striped bass on a steady swimming retrieve with a Z-Man’s The Deal Baby Goat rigged on a pearl 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig. Six smallmouth bass, one black crappie, one freshwater drum, and two green sunfish were tempted by a slow-swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a slightly shortened 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin TRD TicklerZ affixed on a chartreuse 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig. A moderate-paced swimming presentation with a three-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ Jig enticed 16 smallmouth bass, two largemouth bass, one freshwater drum, and one green sunfish.

We caught two smallmouth bass from a rock ledge in the middle section of the first creek arm. This feeder-creek arm contains a large marina, several rocky secondary points, two small secondary coves, and three submerged rock ledges. The submerged terrain of this creek arm consists primarily of sand, gravel, baseball-size rocks, and boulders. These two smallmouth bass were caught around a submerged brush pile located on the slope of one of the three rock ledges in 12 feet of water. The other two rock ledges, a sand flat at the back of the creek arm, a 30-yard section of a rocky shoreline, and three rocky secondary points at the back end of the creek arm were unproductive.

We failed to elicit any strikes inside the second feeder-creek arm, which is located a short distance from the first creek arm.

The third and fourth feeder-creek arms are adjacent to each other and lie about two miles west of the first two feeder creeks.

The third feeder creek surrendered two smallmouth bass. One was caught in 13 feet of water from the tip of a secondary point adorned with large boulders, and the other one was caught in five feet of water near a cluster of shallow boulders from one side of the same point. This secondary point is located in the middle section of the creek arm. We failed to locate any other smallmouth bass from a rocky secondary shoreline, a sandy secondary cove, and another shallow rock ledge in the lower and midsections of this creek arm.

The fourth creek arm also yielded two smallmouth bass that were abiding in five to seven feet of water along a rock ledge that parallels a flat secondary shoreline in the lower portion of the creek arm. We also probed three minor secondary points near this shoreline, but they were unproductive.

We spent about 30 minutes dissecting numerous boulders and large rocks of an offshore rock pile that is located in the midsection of the reservoir and about two miles west of the third and fourth creek arms, but it was to no avail.

Of the six main-lake points, one of them yielded one largemouth bass, and the other five points were fruitless. This largemouth bass was caught in six feet of water from the deep-water side of a huge boulder situated at the end of the point.

The most productive area was the dam. It is 15,200 feet long, 165 feet high, and has about a 50-degree slope. The core of the dam is rolled-earth fill, which is covered with riprap. We fished about 80 percent of the dam, and it relinquished 14 smallmouth bass and one largemouth bass. Two of the smallmouth bass were caught simultaneously. These 15 black bass were abiding in three to seven feet of water and within 10 feet of the water’s edge.

In closing, this reservoir’s smallmouth bass fishing has always been a challenge for us. For example, the last time I fished this reservoir was on April 15, 2025, with John Thomas of Denton. We fished for five hours and struggled to catch 12 smallmouth bass, which is a catch rate of two smallmouth bass per hour. During this Oct. 27 outing, Brad and I caught 23 smallmouth bass and two largemouth bass in eight hours for a catch rate of three black bass per hour.

Oct. 30

Steve Reideler of Denton, Texas, posted this log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 30 outing with Roger Farish of Highland Village, Texas, a federal hill-land reservoir in north-central Texas.

Fall has finally arrived in north-central Texas. A major cold front arrived on Oct. 28, and it was accompanied by much cooler temperatures and high winds that reached 55 mph.  

On Oct 30, the roaring winds had subsided; thus, Roger and I fished at one of several federal hill-land reservoirs in north-central Texas.

We were afloat from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was intensely bright. The sky was clear without a cloud in sight for miles. The morning's low temperature was 40 degrees. The afternoon's high was 68 degrees. The barometric pressure was 30.19 at 11:00 a.m. and 30.07 at 4:00 p.m. The wind was light and variable.  

In-Fisherman’s solunar table noted that the best fishing would occur from 5:58 a.m. to 7:58 a.m., 11:46 a.m. to 1:46 p.m., and 6:23 p.m. to 8:23 p.m. It also noted that the fishing would be poor.

The water level was 0.71 of a foot below normal pool. The water clarity was 18 inches. The surface temperature was 68 degrees.

Since the latter part of August, we have been monitoring the progress of the annual fall migration of black bass and threadfin shad into the feeder-creek arms and bays of the federal and state reservoirs in north-central Texas and southern Oklahoma. During this time, we were able to determine that the bulk of the threadfin shad and black bass were still inhabiting their summertime haunts, such as rocky main-lake points and shorelines. Some of them, however, were beginning to gather around the mouths of the feeder-creek arms, but few had moved inside of them.

During this five-hour endeavor, we thought we would check on the progress of the black bass’ migration at this reservoir. We opted to spend our time in the reservoir’s southwest tributary arm, which contains several major and a couple of minor feeder-creek arms. We concentrated our efforts inside three of the more promising feeder-creek arms. We also investigated eight main-lake points and a main-lake bluff for comparison purposes. By the time we had made our last casts and retrieves, our mechanical counter had tallied nine spotted bass and five largemouth bass.

The submerged terrains of the creek arms and the main-lake points and bluff are mostly similar; they are composed of red clay, small gravel, chunky rocks, and large boulders. A few places are adorned with a laydown or two or a patch of flooded stickups.

We discovered the largemouth bass and spotted bass were scattered, and the threadfin shad were scattered, too. Some of the shad were flickering about on the surface of the water, but we didn’t see any bass foraging on them. We caught 13 of the 14 black bass in water as shallow as five feet and as deep as 10 feet. They were around clusters of large rocks and boulders that are situated at the ends and sides of the steeper rocky secondary points in the lower and middle sections of the three feeder-creek arms. Flat secondary points, gravel flats, secondary shorelines, and secondary coves were fruitless.

In the main-lake areas, we caught one largemouth bass in five feet of water from a congregation of boulders that are situated on one side of one of the eight main-lake points, and the other seven points and the main-lake bluff failed to yield a largemouth bass or spotted bass.  

We employed an array of Z-Man’s Midwest finesse combos, and six of them were productive.

One largemouth bass was caught on a slow swimming retrieve with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s slam-shady GrubZ fastened on a chartreuse 3/32-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Another largemouth bass was enticed by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s pumpkin-chartreuse ZinkerZ affixed to a 1/16-ounce chartreuse Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. One largemouth bass and one spotted bass were induced into striking a 3 1/2-inch Z-Man’s white-lightning Trick ShotZ rigged on a chartreuse 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig that was employed with a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation. Two spotted bass engulfed a 3 1/2-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Trick ShotZ attached to a chartreuse 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Finesse ShroomZ jig that was implemented with a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve. Two more spotted bass were tempted by a slow swim-and-constant-shake retrieve with a Z-Man’s blue-steel Finesse ShadZ fastened on a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead. Four spotted bass and two largemouth bass were allured by a slow swim-and-constant-shake presentation with a 2 1/2-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin ZinkerZ matched with a chartreuse 1/16-ounce Z-Man’s OG Mushroom Jighead.

In conclusion, it appears that the black-bass’ fall migration has finally begun at this reservoir. The bite was much slower than what we expected, but we managed to eke out nine spotted bass and five largemouth bass on a slow day of fishing.

Oct. 31

Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas, posted a log on the Finesse News Network about his Oct. 31 outing with Rick Hebenstreit of Shawnee, Kansas, at an 85-year-old community reservoir in northeastern Kansas.

The National Weather Service reported the morning’s low temperature was 39 degrees, and the afternoon’s high temperature was 62 degrees. The sky was fair, mostly cloudy, and overcast. The wind angled out of the northwest and west at 3 to 10 mph. The barometric pressure was 30.02 at 12:52 a.m., 30:04 at 5:52 a.m., 30.08 at 11:52 a.m., and 30.03 at 3:52 p.m.

The water level looked to be about eight inches below its normal level. The surface temperature ranged from 57 to 58 degrees. The water exhibited about seven to nine feet of visibility. Potions of the underwater terrain were endowed with meager patches of coontail, wilting southern naiad, and wilting brittle naiad. Wads of filamentous algae are flourishing everywhere. Duckweeds cover the water’s edges of several shorelines and some of the shallow-water wads of filamentous algae. The American water willows at several nearby community and state reservoirs in northeastern Kansas are wilting, but the American water willow patches that grace this reservoir’s shorelines are still green and flourishing. To our chagrin, however, someone has uprooted this reservoir’s most significant patch of American water willows.

In-Fisherman’s Solunar calendar noted that the best fishing would take place from 6:35 a.m. to 8:35 a.m., 6:59 p.m. to 8:59 p.m., and 12:23 a.m. to 2:23 a.m.

We made our first casts at 10:44 a.m. We made the last ones when we caught largemouth number 60 at 2:32 p.m. We inadvertently caught five bluegill, and one green sunfish. We elicited a significant number of timid strikes that we failed to hook; we suspected these strikes were by panfish. On some retrieves, we elicited as many as three strikes.

One of the 60 largemouth bass was caught on a three-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Slim SwimZ attached to a baby-blue 1/10-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Two were caught on a Z-Man’s hot-snakes Finesse TRD attached to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Eight were caught on a shortened 4.75-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin-red-flake Finesse WormZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. Twenty-four of the 60 largemouth bass were caught on a 4.75-inch Z-Man’s green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ affixed to a red 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead.  Twenty-five were caught on a shortened 4.75-inch Z-Man’s purple-haze Finesse WormZ rigged on a baby-blue 1/15-ounce Z-Man’s Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead. (Unfortunately, the green-pumpkin-red-flake and purple-haze Finesse WormZ are no longer manufactured.)

We fished about 150 yards of the north shoreline in the upper half of this reservoir, where we caught five largemouth bass.  It has a 30- to 45-degree slope and three small main-lake points.  Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders. Parts of this underwater terrain are graced with wads of filamentous algae and some patches of submerged aquatic vegetation. The water’s edge is endowed with 14 docks, a few patches of American water willows, one overhanging tree, a partially submerged picnic table, two concrete and one boulder retaining walls, and a few piles of tree limbs. Two largemouth bass were caught around one of the main-lake points on the green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ rig with a dragging presentation in about seven feet of water around the rocks and boulders. The green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ rig caught one largemouth bass with a dragging presentation along the outside edge of a series of submerged patches of aquatic vegetation in about seven feet of water. The purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig caught two largemouth bass with a drag-and-pause presentation in about six to eight feet of water; one was caught adjacent to some submerged patches of aquatic vegetation; the second one was caught among the rocks and boulders.

We fished along about an 800-yard stretch of another shoreline and around its main-lake point in the upper half of this reservoir. This area possesses a 25- to 60-degree slope. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. Parts of this terrain are quilted with wads of filamentous algae, coontail, and other kinds of submerged aquatic vegetation that we did not identify. The water’s edge consists of several concrete retaining walls, some riprap, 10 docks, one small rock bridge, a few laydowns, several piles of brush, some patches of American water willows, a lot of duckweeds, and a few overhanging trees. We caught 13 largemouth bass. Two of the 13 were caught on the hot-snakes Finesse TRD rig with a swim-and-pause presentation around shallow-water patches of submerged aquatic vegetation in about five to six feet of water. Four of the 13 were caught on the purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig; one was caught on a deadstick presentation along the outside edge of a dock in about eight feet of water; three were caught on a drag-and-pause presentation along the rocks and boulders along the steeper shorelines in seven to eight feet of water. Seven were caught on the green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ rig; two were caught on a drag-and-pause presentation in six to seven feet of water; five were caught on a swim-and-pause presentation around the relatively shallow-water patches of submerged aquatic vegetation.

We caught 23 largemouth bass along about an 850-yard stretch of another shoreline in the upper half of the reservoir. This area possesses a 25- to 70-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt. The shoreline is cluttered with 33 docks, some concrete retaining walls, a few rock retaining walls, numerous overhanging trees, two massive laydowns, some small laydowns, a few piles of brush, and occasional patches of American water willows. There are wads of filamentous algae and a few patches of submerged aquatic vegetation gracing the underwater terrains between the scores of docks. We failed to garner a strike along about a 300-yard stretch of this massive shoreline, and this section was virtually devoid of any patches of submerged aquatic vegetation. Nine of the 23 largemouth bass were caught on the green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ rig, and 14 were caught on the purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig.  Fifteen of the 23 were caught on our Finesse WormZ rigs in seven to 12 feet of water and many feet from the water’s edge. Some were caught adjacent to a dock. Some were caught adjacent to either piles of brush or the laydowns. Others were caught on the rocks and boulders. One of the 15 largemouth bass was caught on the initial drop in about seven feet of water; the others were caught on either a drag-and-pause presentation or a drag-pause-and-subtle-shake presentation in seven to 12 feet of water. We failed to detect several of the strikes from these 15 largemouth bass; it seemed these largemouth bass caught us rather than us catching them.  Eight of the 23 were caught around submerged patches of coontail in about five to seven feet of water as we employed a swim-and-pause presentation with Finesse WormZ rigs.      

We caught three largemouth bass across a main-lake flat at the beginning of the upper half of this reservoir. This flat has two tiny feeder creeks wandering across it, and many yards of these creek channels are laden with silt. The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, boulders, and silt, which are coated with some patches of coontail, southern naiad, brittle naiad, and filamentous algae. The water’s edge has some shallow-water patches of American water willows, a variety of terrestrial vegetation, and six docks. One of the three largemouth bass was caught on the green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ with a swim-and-pause presentation across the patches of submerged aquatic vegetation in about four to five feet of water. The second largemouth bass was caught on the purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig in the same way and same place as the first largemouth bass was caught. The third largemouth bass was inveigled on the Slim SwimZ rig with a swimming presentation in about five feet of water.

Four largemouth bass were caught along a massive shoreline in the middle portion of this reservoir.  It has a 30- to 40-degree slope. Its underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders; some of the boulders are humongous. This underwater terrain is enhanced with occasional patches of filamentous algae and unidentified specimens of submerged aquatic vegetation.  The water’s edge is lined with 20 docks, some shoddy stretches of riprap, several concrete retaining walls, several overhanging trees, and a few patches of American water willows. We fished about two sections of this shoreline; one section is about 35 yards, which was fruitless; the other section is about 100 yards, and it yielded the four largemouth bass. Our purple-haze Finesse WormZ rig allured these largemouth bass. One was caught on the initial drop in about five feet of water in the vicinity of some patches of submerged aquatic vegetation. The other three were caught on a drag-and-pause presentation in six to eight feet of water and many feet from the water’s edge.

Along portions of two secondary shorelines inside a small feeder-creek arm in the lower half of this reservoir, we caught 12 largemouth bass. The shorelines have a 25- to 30-degree slope.  The underwater terrain consists of gravel, rocks, and boulders, which are occasionally coated with coontail, wilting brittle naiad, wilting southern naiad, and filamentous algae. The water’s edges are lined with 15 boat docks. We dissected about 100 yards of each shoreline.  Four of the 12 largemouth bass were caught on the green-pumpkin Finesse WormZ rig. Eight were caught on the green-pumpkin-red-flake Finesse WormZ rig.  All of these largemouth bass were allured as we were employing a slow swim-and-pause presentation in about four to six feet of water and many feet from the water’s edge.

Three main-lake points in the lower half of the reservoir were fruitless.

In sum, we caught an average of slightly more than 15 largemouth bass per hour.