Finally went fishing!

[coreynov902]

I didn't get out for long, but was able to go fishing for about two hours this past Saturday, 4/2. I went to Plainfield Lake, which is a very small lake close to where I live. The water is about 8 feet low right now so I wasn't able to put in my boat. I would guess the water to be in the mid to upper 30's still (the lake had skim ice on it a couple days ago). I only caught two. One was a really nice 5.88 pounder off of a football head jig and the other was probably 2 1/2 to 3 pounds (didn't weigh it) off of an LV500 lipless crank. Both fish were really healthy looking and the 5.88 had a massive gut on it so I know it's been eating well. Not sure when I'll get out again although my fishing partner and I are going to try and head down to Mozingo Lake in northern Missouri late next week if the weather cooperates.

[coreynov902]

Sorry for the poor pics. I didn't want her to be out of the water too long and was there by myself.

[Redog]

Thanks for the report! Those are the right bass to be catching for sure.

[basscat tyler]

Nice fish. I haven’t been on Plainfield in a few years

[coreynov902]

Nice fish. I haven’t been on Plainfield in a few years

I hated fishing there up until a couple years ago. Hardly ever caught anything bigger than 14-15 inches and most were 10-12 inches. The last couple years the average size for me has really gone up (I think that's because I've started fishing deeper) and there are some really big bass in there now. The one I caught this past Saturday was the largest one I've landed and weighed, but I had one on last spring that got off right at the shore that was at least 6 1/2 pounds. Unfortunately the lake has been really low all of last year and into this year and the boat ramp is several feet out of the water. Every time I've fished there since the beginning of last year I've had to shore fish, which I really don't like doing. I bought a kayak this past winter and will be using that if the water doesn't come up. It's become a good bass lake but I'm afraid if we have another really dry year it might get low enough that it ruins the lake. That would be a real shame considering how many nice bass are in it right now.

[basscat tyler]

Yeah the last time I put my boat in the end of the ramp was out of the water. Is the other lake down the road by highway 3 still the Dead Sea?

[Redog]

That’s great you have a good lake there!! I’ve had 2 good lakes that I think have went through a big bass Cycle. Interesting to hear you talk about how you did better the deeper you fished, there could be a lot of truth in that as well. But the more experience I get I think lake go through cycles (I have done some reading and research on the Internet Lol) Some of those small lakes that don’t get much fishing pressure can be pretty good.

[coreynov902]

Yeah the last time I put my boat in the end of the ramp was out of the water. Is the other lake down the road by highway 3 still the Dead Sea?

I'm pretty sure you're referring to Avenue of the Saints lake, and yes it's still the Dead Sea. That place was always a real mystery to me. I had a handful of days there where the bass fishing was really good, but most of the time it sucked. I've only been out there once in the last 2-3 years and I haven't heard anyone talk about the fishing being better. Considering that I live only a few miles away from that lake, I had really hoped that it would come around and be a great place to fish, but I don't hold out much hope for it.

[coreynov902]

That’s great you have a good lake there!! I’ve had 2 good lakes that I think have went through a big bass Cycle. Interesting to hear you talk about how you did better the deeper you fished, there could be a lot of truth in that as well. But the more experience I get I think lake go through cycles (I have done some reading and research on the Internet Lol) Some of those small lakes that don’t get much fishing pressure can be pretty good.

I believe you are definitely correct in that lakes go through cycles. I have fished several that used to be really good and then have gone through a period where they are not good at all. Two in particular come to mind and I'm hoping they both start to swing back to being good again. Plainfield Lake actually gets a pretty decent amount of fishing pressure and considering it's only 25 acres it has handled it quite well. However I think a good chunk of the people who fish there are fishing for bluegill or crappie.

[basscat tyler]

Yeah Avenue of the Saint’s is the name. I’ve fished it 3 times with little to show. I use to work with an electrician on job sites from time to time that claimed it was awesome. Showed me pictures of multiple 5-6# bass from there. But this was 15 years ago.

[coreynov902]

Yeah Avenue of the Saint’s is the name. I’ve fished it 3 times with little to show. I use to work with an electrician on job sites from time to time that claimed it was awesome. Showed me pictures of multiple 5-6# bass from there. But this was 15 years ago.

Wow! Never knew it used to have that kind of quality in it. The biggest I ever caught out of there was about 3 pounds. It was a very big hit-and-miss kind of lake when I used to fish it. It seemed like you either went out and caught 10+ fish or you caught nothing. Water clarity always seemed more murky than other lakes as well. I think the last 3-4 times I fished it I never even got a bite, so I haven't gone back in the last year or two. I don't drive by there too often, but I rarely see anyone fishing it when I do. I've thought about contacting DNR to ask them about the lake and see if it even still has many fish in it, but considering how dilapidated the fishing pier is, I don't think they really care about it much anymore.

[NEbass97]

I didn't get out for long, but was able to go fishing for about two hours this past Saturday, 4/2. I went to Plainfield Lake, which is a very small lake close to where I live. The water is about 8 feet low right now so I wasn't able to put in my boat. I would guess the water to be in the mid to upper 30's still (the lake had skim ice on it a couple days ago). I only caught two. One was a really nice 5.88 pounder off of a football head jig and the other was probably 2 1/2 to 3 pounds (didn't weigh it) off of an LV500 lipless crank. Both fish were really healthy looking and the 5.88 had a massive gut on it so I know it's been eating well. Not sure when I'll get out again although my fishing partner and I are going to try and head down to Mozingo Lake in northern Missouri late next week if the weather cooperates.

Great fish! I see you’re from Waverly, out of curiosity, do you know the Jahnke’s, Winter’s, or Dewey’s?

[coreynov902]

I know of them, but don’t know them personally. Austin Dewey played football and so does my son, but he’s a junior or senior and my son is a freshman.

[basscat tyler]

Great fish! I see you’re from Waverly, out of curiosity, do you know the Jahnke’s, Winter’s, or Dewey’s?

What Winters? I know Chris Winter the Wartburg head football coach

[NEbass97]

What Winters? I know Chris Winter the Wartburg head football coach

Ken Winter. He was the principal at Waverly-Shellrock for 8 years and now is the Student Teacher Supervisor at Wartburg.

[basscat tyler]

Ken is actually Chris’s uncle. He use to be at Turkey Valley school district

[NEbass97]

Very cool! Small world