8/17-Lake Mur...I mean Miramar

[VinnyBass]

Thought about Murray, but instead headed up to Lake Miramar again for a morning of fishing with my kayak. I figured I would try to go get'em while I can because after Labor Day, there will be no boats, kayaks, float tubes allowed on the water I was told as they will be working on a big water project. When I arrived there was only one boat on the water. As I was getting ready to launch, a truck pulled down the ramp and out popped McFish. So me in my kayak and him in his float tube were basically the only guys on the water for hours. I picked up a few small bass on reaction baits and looked over to see McFish joining in the action.
I have to say this now as it sounds like a broken record, but the bass up at Miramar come unbuttoned more that any lake I have fished. They should be called "Hodini bass" as they escape often. They are hooked and you are not doing anything wrong and suddenly they come unbuttoned. McFish can back me up on that. They fight hard(like I mentioned in another post, that it is like they never been hooked before and just go crazy when you are reeling them in) and even today I could of had around 10 more bass in the kayak.... ......ok enough whining.
Anyway....not much surface action, but I finally did pick up one small bass on a IMA Skimmer. I stayed out in deep water using reaction type baits and was able to land 9 bass. I went back to see how McFish was doing and kidded him how I could catch a bass on a drop shot and he said I couldn't. Of course I had to put one on and missed 4 straight bites while he laughed. Then I had one come off right under the kayak and he said it did not count. I finally landed a tiny bass on a drop shot to give me a total of 10 bass and then it was time to go home. It was a fun morning of fishing and I caught a few healthier bass, but most of the others were small. As always, I enjoyed chatting and telling fish stories with McFish and caught my smallest bass of the day on a drop-shot challenge.....but it still felt very rewarding...ha ha

Just a few pics.....

Talk about fishing close to me...ha ha
(Both hooked up at the same time &
sorry McFish... not an ideal selfie situation.)

Small, but hit a surface bait

And my dink of the day on the McFish
challenge that I could not catch a bass on a
drop shot.

[Mcfish]

You are the Master of the Metal! I'm thinking you cut the barbs off my trebles..I'm not sure how or when you did it, but that's the only way I can explain me losing so many fish!

[VinnyBass]

You are the Master of the Metal! I'm thinking you cut the barbs off my trebles..I'm not sure how or when you did it, but that's the only way I can explain me losing so many fish!

Hey McFish….Other then me cutting the barbs off some of your reaction baits, you still did pretty good. Didn’t you pull in 10 bass also.

[Mcfish]

Yep, 10 fish..some were definitely size impaired!

[bendopolo 44+]

Pretty darn good day of Bass fishing at Miramar. Sometimes they are all over the baits, some days they barely nip at it. Still an impressive haul of Largemouth in the clear waters of that place.

[JWall]

Vinny…pretty sure I’m seeing a blade bait in your pics. I threw some in my freshwater box a while back after slaying the spotties in the bay. Then tried them once or twice on El Cap to no avail so I’ve since ignored them. You give me renewed confidence to keep on trying

[VinnyBass]

Vinny…pretty sure I’m seeing a blade bait in your pics. I threw some in my freshwater box a while back after slaying the spotties in the bay. Then tried them once or twice on El Cap to no avail so I’ve since ignored them. You give me renewed confidence to keep on trying

For me it is a hit or miss with them. Years back after having pretty good luck on them fishing deep in the winter. Even had some luck casting them around breaking bass. Then....as you may have guessed, they ended up being dust collectors like many, many, other baits as time goes by. I just seem to have a pattern where something works and yet I need to try and move on to other baits. A few years ago at Sutherland I had a blade that somehow ended up in a box with jerk baits. I only had braid line but tied it on and vertical jigged it for a nice healthy bass. Then maybe only used it twice since then..go figure. Then when I had some topwater and just below the surface action recently at Miramar, I packed a few of them and glad I did on my last trip. Again, it is hit or miss as I do change baits often and need to have more patience and glad I kept it on for a bit and caught some bass.

[JWall]

Vinny…pretty sure I’m seeing a blade bait in your pics. I threw some in my freshwater box a while back after slaying the spotties in the bay. Then tried them once or twice on El Cap to no avail so I’ve since ignored them. You give me renewed confidence to keep on trying

For me it is a hit or miss with them. Years back after having pretty good luck on them fishing deep in the winter. Even had some luck casting them around breaking bass. Then....as you may have guessed, they ended up being dust collectors like many, many, other baits as time goes by. I just seem to have a pattern where something works and yet I need to try and move on to other baits. A few years ago at Sutherland I had a blade that somehow ended up in a box with jerk baits. I only had braid line but tied it on and vertical jigged it for a nice healthy bass. Then maybe only used it twice since then..go figure. Then when I had some topwater and just below the surface action recently at Miramar, I packed a few of them and glad I did on my last trip. Again, it is hit or miss as I do change baits often and need to have more patience and glad I kept it on for a bit and caught some bass.

Thanks for that feedback AND a new plan…using them in a spoon/vertical jigging application makes total sense now that you mention it. Now if I can only add that style of fishing to my arsenal like you and McFish. My spot lock trolling motor will help but might need to upgrade my fishfinder. Maybe not tho.

[VinnyBass]

In the summer the bass have no problem chasing down a blade as they are in the shad eating mood. But if you find balls of shad the vertical works too. Traditionally in the winter months at Murray, I vertical jig a spoon and ice jigs in deep water and will be trying to use more blades this year. I just tend to work things too fast in the cold water months and have to remind myself to slow down. Hopefully the fish will be cooperating for both of us.
Tight lines.

[JWall]

In the summer the bass have no problem chasing down a blade as they are in the shad eating mood. But if you find balls of shad the vertical works too. Traditionally in the winter months at Murray, I vertical jig a spoon and ice jigs in deep water and will be trying to use more blades this year. I just tend to work things too fast in the cold water months and have to remind myself to slow down. Hopefully the fish will be cooperating for both of us.
Tight lines.

Vinny is Miramar water high enough to launch a boat? Murray is still not, correct?

[VinnyBass]

In the summer the bass have no problem chasing down a blade as they are in the shad eating mood. But if you find balls of shad the vertical works too. Traditionally in the winter months at Murray, I vertical jig a spoon and ice jigs in deep water and will be trying to use more blades this year. I just tend to work things too fast in the cold water months and have to remind myself to slow down. Hopefully the fish will be cooperating for both of us.
Tight lines.

Vinny is Miramar water high enough to launch a boat? Murray is still not, correct?

Miramar is high enough to launch a boat and Murray is high enough also. The thing is Miramar is closing after Labor Day unless things change. You can fish, but no boat, tubes or kayaks after Labor Day.
At Murray you can launch, but the water is still kind of low and word is that they are not raising it anymore soon.