Been out on the water since 7am, entered at 31 and have camp set up in clear lake.. fished the entire way over and then went exploring on clear in the bays and around the islands using all different kinds of lures and jigs. Not even a sign of a fish.
Advice? Suggestions?

Driving home to SC. spent last week on crab and Cummings , fishing was slow. The smallmouth bass are still in deep water had most luck trolling deep running minnows and Shad raps. Only small smallmouth bass caught on topwater in the evening hours.

Caught a few Pike and the 27 to 30 inch range trolling deep as well. All together very little action casting to shore with whatever.

After much effort our group of nine still managed to have three fish dinners.

How deep of water were you fishing? I usually start shallow and move out from there.

quote drrick: "Driving home to SC. spent last week on crab and Cummings , fishing was slow. The smallmouth bass are still in deep water had most luck trolling deep running minnows and Shad raps. Only small smallmouth bass caught on topwater in the evening hours.


Caught a few Pike and the 27 to 30 inch range trolling deep as well. All together very little action casting to shore with whatever.


After much effort our group of nine still managed to have three fish dinners."

It has just been too cold and a little early in the season this year at least for smallmouth bass fishing too be really hot.
Done awesome in Cummings in past years when temps get into the low 60's for so many days.
Even down Brainerd way bass are not spawning yet.
There is some nice pike in Cummings.

Sounds like you had plenty to eat so that is good.

Its 4:30 in the morning we're almost at Asheville North Carolina ,been a long day. SMB on Crab over1.5 lbs. Were all caught in middle of the back bay to the right off the long postage. Trolling 8 to 12 feet deep. Minnow type baits,blue with silver was best. All pike were caught same way and with a few exceptions, on spoons.

Well, I wish your fishing would have been better. However, my son and I are going into the Q on June 4th for 9 days and I guess I won't have to hear about how we should have been here last week.

quote drrick: "Its 4:30 in the morning we're almost at Asheville North Carolina ,been a long day. SMB on Crab over1.5 lbs. Were all caught in middle of the back bay to the right off the long postage. Trolling 8 to 12 feet deep. Minnow type baits,blue with silver was best. All pike were caught same way and with a few exceptions, on spoons.
"

Quite a display.

They sound sluggish. Go small and slow. Also, skitter from spot to spot. They have to be somewhere.

persistence is key. It rained all day and I had nothing to show for it. I was ready to throw in the towel but I thought 2 more hours and then I'll quit. These two beauties were reward.

quote drrick: "Driving home to SC. spent last week on crab and Cummings , fishing was slow. The smallmouth bass are still in deep water had most luck trolling deep running minnows and Shad raps. Only small smallmouth bass caught on topwater in the evening hours.
Caught a few Pike and the 27 to 30 inch range trolling deep as well. All together very little action casting to shore with whatever.
After much effort our group of nine still managed to have three fish dinners."

Hmmmm, I'm sensing that crank baits were used, and that's the reason for the slow fishing.
I try to help you guys, but it falls on deaf ears at times.
SIGH!!!!! :)

Do the lakers up your way have orange flesh?

I don't remember seeing it growing up in Maine, but in the various places in Alaska I've got them, they almost always do.

And it is very tasty :)

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote drrick: "Driving home to SC. spent last week on crab and Cummings , fishing was slow. The smallmouth bass are still in deep water had most luck trolling deep running minnows and Shad raps. Only small smallmouth bass caught on topwater in the evening hours.
Caught a few Pike and the 27 to 30 inch range trolling deep as well. All together very little action casting to shore with whatever.
After much effort our group of nine still managed to have three fish dinners."

Hmmmm, I'm sensing that crank baits were used, and that's the reason for the slow fishing.
I try to help you guys, but it falls on deaf ears at times.
SIGH!!!!! :)"

Awe... we should be tossing Ciscos. We just need a source.

Yep, we were tossing cranks up on Thompson and could slay the pike, but barely had enough to eat and had to resort to a combo walleye/Northern meal. Typically we do very well, this year was very slow.

quote Luckee: "Do the lakers up your way have orange flesh?


I don't remember seeing it growing up in Maine, but in the various places in Alaska I've got them, they almost always do.


And it is very tasty :) "

We can get either... both are good.

THO, we talked to the group of guys on the peninsula campsite at Cummings. They had been using leeches with little success as well.

THO, we talked to the group of guys on the peninsula campsite at Cummings. They had been using leeches with little success as well.

quote Luckee: "Do the lakers up your way have orange flesh?


I don't remember seeing it growing up in Maine, but in the various places in Alaska I've got them, they almost always do.


And it is very tasty :) "

lot depends on diet they have to eat.

quote drrick: "THO, we talked to the group of guys on the peninsula campsite at Cummings. They had been using leeches with little success as well."

That surprises me. Leeches are the jaws of life when it comes to clamped fish jaws.

We just got back from the LLC/Iron area. Weird fishing. Pretty good walleye bite right before dark. Tons of pike the rest of the day. We even picked up pike jigging leeches a foot off the bottom in 20' of water. Picked up some mid day eyes slow drifting jigs and leeches/minnows on Iron over deep to shallow transitions.

drrick,
Did. you take that picture on Cummings last week? We were there the same time as you and I would hate to think I that I slept through that light show! We had a couple of slow days of fishing earlier in the week but it got better as week went on. I'm an early riser and did pretty good on top water the first couple of hours of light in the morning but fishing slowed when the southeast wind picked up. Friday evening after the t-storms moved through was our best fishing of the week. Most fish were caught on flukes and senkos fished slowly.

We were the large group on the island campsite east end of Cummings. We were there Wednesday and Thursday nights. Take a close look at the picture and see if you see anything unusual about it.

Not to be "that guy" but that's a picture of a picture.... The light bulbs and flash reflecting are kind of a giveaway. It is a great picture of a picture though!

You win the prize.

Lol, the only prize I would want, would be to see those Northern Lights in real time. They are incredible. I tried to take a picture something similar, your turned out much much better!

You had me fooled! We were on the island site just north of you.

The turtles ate all the fish.

Turn your flash off on your phone when you take screen shots it works much better!!