I would cast upstream, and bump bottom all the way back to me.
Lost many to snags…….
But when I would make contact, and pop that jig off of it, Thump!
Every time.
I moved around quite a bit, but the faster water produced the Bigger Smallies, the slower side perch and smaller smallies.
I ended the day with 8 perch, some were ready to pop they were so fat, and 12 Smallies.

Life Is Good!
Tight lines and MoPaddle safe all.
Rox

Got to Rainbow a little after 11am and was off at 2pm.
It wasn’t as chilly as I thought it would be, but then again I was wearing 3 layers on top and long jons and wool socks.

Armed with three poles, 2 with 8lb test rigged with a  cicada (silver buddy) and a rapala ice fishing jig in perch. The other was a 1/2oz jig&pig. (which I never ended up using) DOH!

I was the only one on the water, one bass boat showed up, but they couldn’t start their motor, and they had no trolling motor.

Water temps were 41 to 42.8 degrees, wind wasn’t as bad as they said it was going to be, but of course, every time I had some action….IT WOULD PICK UP!!!!!!!

I headed down towards the pillars but the temps dropped to 38 degrees so I turned back and I stayed in the north end which was 41 to 42.8 degrees.
All my fish came out of 25′ to 36′ of water.

The Ice jig was the ticket.

I’d let it glide down to the bottom, reeled up 3 cranks, then I would just lift the rod tip, and let it fall back down.

I’d do it a couple of times, then I’d reel up 3 more cranks and repeat, till I’d get a bite.

I was really working the silver buddy when it went mushy on me.
I set the hook, and the battle was on.
What ever it was felt like it was circling around down in 28′ of water, then it went boink, and came up a lot easier?????
There are trees everywhere, and the rig must have been in the junk down there and the limb let free and the rig and twig came to hand!!  I can’t make this stuff up!

Went back to jigging the rapala ice jig in 36′ of water after marking a school on my sonar.
Lost the first 3 fish with out getting to see them. They came unbuttoned on the way up.

I finally landed 2 of the school, then they were gone.

Wind started pissing me off, now I was getting cold feet, because I wore my sneakers instead of my boots, I was grateful the wool socks that helped keep my feet warm for as long as they did.
Not sure if I’ll get back out in the yak again this year, the ice may end my yak fishing. But I know one thing for sure, next season I’ll be in my W500/W300 a lot more.
I spent a lot of my season fishing with my buddy on his Bass boat. Though I did have a good season, I catch a lot more Bass when I fish from my Wavewalk yaks.
Remember, be safe out there always wear you PFD. A fall in the waters now could be a death sentence, no matter how in shape you are or how well you swim, you fall in without one, your body will shut down………………………..so Please be safe.

Happy Holidays, Tight Lines and Paddle safe all.
Rox

And for all of Rox’ fans, here is her latest kayak fishing trip report, a must read for any bass yak angler:

I went to Rainbow Res Sept 18th from 1pm till 4:30pm.
They are drawing it down again, to fix the repairs they did last Year when they drew it down in Oct, 2009.
I am praying they get it right this time.

Water temps were 67 to 70 degrees. Wind was on and off, partly to mostly cloudy.

Fished cranks, spinner baits, never threw my dingers at all. Picked up the Drop Shot rod, and it was off to the races.
Not sure how many fish were caught today. Lots of Perch, and Sunnies,  smallmouth bass and a few largemouth bass.

Funny thing, I was hooking smallies and right in the middle of them, I got slammed………….But the fish would not come up.
Kept digging in until it pooped out. Turned out to be a largemouth bass, but it felt so strange on the end of my line.
I was only in 6′ of water.
I had anchored up in 5 1/2′ of water, then the next thing I knew, I was in 3′ of water, but never moved.
And a new Island rose up to my left, that wasn’t there earlier???
That’s when I realized, they were drawing water down some more!!!
Time to leave then………………………… I get back to were I slide in………………. And it was new Fresh mud, 2′ of it.

So I paddled at full speed and was able to get the tips of my yak up on the mud, and walked out above the worst of the mud.
Then a voice behind me said… “need a Hand”
I thanked the fellow for helping pull the yak up to my launching point.
The fish Gods will repay him for that Muddy good deed.

I took a video of my slide in, but it still doesn’t show just how steep the bank is, that is until I hit the water…. It Was Cool!

Life is Good!

Tight Lines and Paddle safe all.
Rox

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