Tuesday I ventured to Wolf Lake although the solunar table “Best Day” rating was only a 31 and the moon, although not full, was bright. It indeed turned out to be a bluebird day with no clouds. Cool front came through Sunday. All these things were bad for fishing. A few were caught early on a Booyah and worms but the real drought came in midmorning. At high noon a DT-6 started to work on a deep dropoff that started about 6 feet deep. How can a small bass hit a bait so hard? The one in the picture hanging from the DT-6 hit as hard as one ever has. It almost made the reel handle back up and worked on my wrist pretty hard. It only weighed 1 pound 14 ounces. It got weighed because I was so impressed with the ferocity of its strike. The solunar tables were about right as I only caught 18 which is not too good on that lake this time of year. Size was running about normal with a little more than half being in that 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 pound range . The FOD (fish of the day) was 2 pounds 14 ounces pictured in the water with the bait in his mouth.  River lakes should start to get good .

I read a post on the MDWFP fishing forum saying that the MDWFP lease for the ramp ran out in February and the owner has no interest in renewing it. The ramp is not posted as of now. Someday you may drive down there to put in and find the ramp posted. Trash is the reason for the owner, who is said to be a good guy, not wanting to renew. Recently the ramp at HWY 149 to Wolf Lake was closed also. Again, trash was the culprit. I put in at the free ramp on Wolf Lake and a lot of trash was around. Garbage cans were full and plenty on the ground. A few bad apples can ruin the whole barrel.

Mickey and I went to Lake Atchafalaya Saturday morning and got there early. The first 7 were caught on topwaters, both a chrome crazy shad, clown spook and a buzz bait. Then the Rapala DT-6 took over and the wax job began. A parrot colored DT-6 (pictured) was the bait of the day. By the time the day was over we had caught 15 bass and a catfish and bought two Shimano Curado 100Ds (being discontinued) over the phone. We found them at the Co-op. The wax job, Mickey 11 and me 4, was fair and square. No seine involved. I just could not get my ducks in a row. Fish of the day was a 4 1/4 that Mickey caught (pictured). We both lost two nice fish on the jump as did another fisherman who said he lost 4 that way.

Jackson and I went to Lakes Grampus and Wallace on Thursday the 10th. On Lake Grampus we caught two on a Ribbit frog and one on a grub. There was gin clear water, moss everywhere and it looked as if the Creature From the Black Lagoon was going to appear any minute. When the topwater bite subsided we went to Lake Wallace. There we caught two on a Booyah spinnerbait and one on a worm. Both are beautiful places and I felt that the fish were present but the bite was not on. The picture is in Grampus.

I went to Wolf on Tuesday and caught 22 bass, the largest of which was 3 lb. 1 oz.. Most of the others were in the 1 1/2  to  2 1/2 pound range. They were caught mostly on a Rapala DT-6  (available at the Co-op), and some on a worm, a Booyah spinnerbait and a 1/4 oz. Bitsy Bug swim jig with a Baby Paca Craw trailer. The lake was covered with shad, more than I’ve seen anywhere.  The egrets were lighting in the deep water and eating shad just like the birds do in the Ocean. With that much real food available, I feel fortunate to have caught the ones I did. The bass were schooled up out in the lake too, chasing  the shad. There were large numbers of small 4 inch bass so it looks like the spawn was good there this spring.  The HWY 149 ramp is closed, so you have to use the other ramp.

Saw some fishermen on Wolf Lake Tuesday using the ultimate bait, electricity.  I wish I could add that one to my tacklebox.

I heard a rumor that John Eddleman and his nephew (?) caught a nice bunch of bass in Lake Lee (16 or 18). John’s buddy Fred Abide was spilling the beans on him. He told me once about a road that was good at high water. Very vague story, much like this rumor.

Hal and Richard caught 16 Thursday at BD, one being the 6 pounder in the photo. The fish was caught by Hal but was located by Richard who receives 1/2 credit.  The fish struck at Richard’s bait as he lifted it out of the water and Hal dropped his bait in the hole in the duckweed caused by the blowup.  I also understand Richard continues a demonstration on how to catch bass at BD.

Over the 4th of July weekend, I’ve developed a 10 inch worm with a swimming tail.  The prototype consisted of a tube for the head with a senko inserted for the body and a “claw” from a speedcraw for the tail, all glued together. Then the mold was made of plaster of Paris. First mold was too rough but the second one was good. Pictures show the first mold and prototype and then the results of the second mold.  The plastic was Culprit worms melted in the microwave.  I was not too impressed with the results until product testing at the Lake Ferguson wharf. The worm’s tail has a great swimming action like a Zoom u – vibe, but best of all, when it is on the bottom the tail floats up to where it is straight up off of the bottom. Field testing is next.

Attached is a photo of Jackson Currie and a bass he caught in Bayou Bartholomew behind his house between Monroe and Bastrop LA. He called me to report the purchase of a new G Loomis 7′ spinning rod, noting it was all my fault. I wonder if I can claim credit for the nice bass he caught on it? No word yet on the bait used. UPDATE: 6 pounds , caught with small Lucky Craft crankbait and NOT on the new rod. No credit for me.