SE Iowa Bass'n

[Chopper]

Well this year I have got hooked on bass fishing, I'm not real sure why, maybe the challenge of learning something new, and 'trying' to master it. lol.

I mainly fish the Mississippi River near Muscatine. The backwaters have been producing some decent fish, mainly caught on shallow cranks, or 7" worms, both fished near cover. Preferably cover near deep water since the river is very low and the water is warm. Since the low water and decreased current some bass have moved out to the channel, throwing mid-range cranks and if the current is slow enough using worms or crawdad soft plastics.

I fished lake Geode at the beginning of the week and it was a little tough for a rookie, the wind was blowing fairly strong and the fish were deep, like 15 to 20 foot deep, by the time your worm hit the bottom the boat was blown into shore or away. That lake is deep, 4 foot off the bank and it's 15 feet deep. All in all it was a nice day did catch some bass but nothing huge, biggest was 2.2 lbs.

Wednesday of this week I checked out a farm pond, caught a 3 lb'er on the second cast with a buzzbait, I thought I was in for a great day. Ended up catching a lot of bass, but nothing else bigger than 3 lb. Did do a little gill and crappie fishing while I was there, plenty of gills with a few crappie all biting on small jigs tipped with a piece of night crawler.

Thats my fishing update for now, back to the honey-do-list til it quits raining. Good luck fishing, stay safe.

[Schoe]

Thanks for the update Chopper, we really apreciate it. It sounds like you have been doing pretty good down your way. Keep up the good work.

Let us know if you come up to our neck of the woods. Schoe

[capt.kirk]

Hey Chopper,sounds like you are getting to know MR.Bass better with
each outing,hard to beat those 7 inch curly tail culprit worms in purple
black and black cherry,and that old floating rapala still works well by
throwing it around the banks and twitching it around the cover.Good Luck
KIRK

[Chopper]

Thanks guys, I'm learning!

Kirk, I like the action of the Culprit worms, but I was using 7" Berkley power bait worms in basically the same color, I found them on sale at wally world for $1.00 a pack! Bought up dang near all of them. I haven't tried the jerkbaits much, but I'm up for anything. I'll give it a try, I've heard they do work. Thanks again.

Schoe, Colbyjack and I are trying to get together for some fishing sometime, as soon as he gets his new job squared away and I get some days off we may be able to work something out.

[capt.kirk]

Chopper,when they get pickey,i will use a live night crawler with the
point of the hook buried in the head where the point dont show,and
use it like you do the artifical only a little a very slow retrive,as long as
the hook is not exposed it is weedless,i have 3 bass in the 8lb range
and 1 10lb+ using this method,Schoe has seen the pictures when he
stayed with us last feburary,he had come down to fish our TURKEY CREEK
CATFISH RODEO ,which is being held in march 07 you may need a break
from the winter by then,if you can come we got room.:cool: KIRK

[gofish]

chopper try addin the floatin rattl trap ,and shallow shad rap to your arsenal. rattl trap works better in off colored water and shad rap in clearer. went out yesterday nettin bait and the little shad are about 2 " now.started casting parrellell to shore with the floatin rattl trap,got six up to 2 lbs in 1/2 hour.not big but fun. windy days on sharp banks try a 3 1/2 " or flippin tube rigged with a jighead in it.pumkinseed works real well for me,gets down quick and lots easier to feel in the wind. real short hops and follow it down on a tight line,or too windy leave a bow in the line and watch it. have you tried any of the new rattlin fat raps? have fun ,good luck

[Chopper]

I'm on 3-11 this week Chris, til Thursday anyway. :(

[gofish]

forgot to mention.the floatin rattl trap will come thru heavy cover (laydowns) without gettin hung once you get the hang of it

[Chopper]

Gofish, I have gotten the hang of the cranks with the square bill in cover. It seems to me you just have to keep your rod tip down and let the bill work the lure over the log or stick. I actually watched a couple bass take the bait right as it was climbing over a log. It was a little tough learning that cause I instinctively want to lift my rod tip as you come to a log, but you need to keep it down. Of course you will still get an occasional snag, probably more then with a spinnerbait or such, but hey, it's has six hooks hanging under it.
I'll check out the float'n rattle traps, I like the normal ones, so adding a floater will be a good thing. Thanks.

[gofish]

slow and steady crawlin it over em with it. you usin bandits or manns? i use a lot of the bandit 100 and 200 series,anything deeper i switch to a fat rap or shad rap,depending on time of year

[Chopper]

I am using a Storm, I can't remember what it is called, might be the Mid-Wart.???

[gofish]

only storms i use are the swimbaits, really fond of em. didnt know they had a square billed crank.

[wewamohawk]

hi there chopper i do not fish much for bass but i have got a few when did fish for them i just wanted yto wish you lots of luck the mohawk

[GotstaFish]

Won't be long now before I reaquaint myself with Ole' Bucket Mouth. Can't wait to hear more from the lower Iowa Mississippi River. I'll post for pools 13 and 14 when Spring hits ;)