Lake of the Pines 1/26 and 1/27

I Hit the lake on Saturday around 3:00, during a break in the weather. I was out there looking for a bass in the 12"-15" range, for my wife and the nanny to steam for dinner. At first, the wind was pushing me around a bit, even with my highly sophisticated 4 lb Salmon ball "anchor". I picked up two fish - 19" and 18" that I released. The bite is slower than I'm used to, but I attribute that to the weather. I was drop shotting cut tail Senkos in 40-45 feet of water. Surface water temperature is 43 degrees. Not as cold as I've fished it, but the overall feeling is that it is a cooold day. About the time I was going to head back home, I saw another kayaker out on the previously completely empty lake. Lo and behold, it's rigged for fishing, crate with multiple rods, rod holder etc...  "Another one with the madness" I thought to myself. I wound up talking to Justin for half an hour or so. He's lurked here at NCKA, but as he bought a bass boat about a year and a half ago, is only using his kayak on LOP. He's mainly up there hunting for trophies, with a best fish of 10 lbs 11 oz.  I get back well after dark, telling myself that I need to wear more insulation under the waders and shell the next time I go out.

So, it's raining like stink on Sunday, but I still want that fish for dinner. And yes, I have the madness... I also have a new FF that I need to get accustomed to. So I head out around 2:00 in the afternoon into 10-15 mph winds and a light rain. The bite seems much slower, and the "anchor" is definitely dragging now. Not enough weight, and nowhere near enough scope, as I'm trying to hang right over some marks. Anyway, I wind up after a couple hours with a 16" fish that I was very tempted to keep, a fish that was lost while it was still down deep, and then finishing with a 12" Crappie that came home for dinner.

I've got pictures in the camera, but can't seem to find the cable. I'll get them posted soon.

Scott

Scott,.....THANK YOU!   even sans a pic, it was the best report in a while.
...looking for a 15" but got a 18" & 19"?...well!  the nerve of some fishmen!
standing by for the pics!   

Scott-

Lake of the Pines... Isn't that a private community lake up there...? I'm assuming that you live in that community then. I do some work in there from time to time and always wondered about fishing there. It looks like it would hold some nice fish in it... I guess it does. The next time I'm up there, I'll have to be sure to have my yak on my truck... 

Freddie

Scott-

Lake of the Pines... Isn't that a private community lake up there...? I'm assuming that you live in that community then. I do some work in there from time to time and always wondered about fishing there. It looks like it would hold some nice fish in it... I guess it does. The next time I'm up there, I'll have to be sure to have my yak on my truck... 

Freddie

Freddie,

Yep, that's us.

Be forewarned that you may get hassled at the gate with the kayak on your rig. Any "vessel" on the water is supposed to have an LOP permit, but that only seems to be enforced from Memorial Day thru Labor Day.  The "Public Safety" types are mostly cool, but I've seen some over the top  mall ninja behavior on their part as well.

Wacky rigged Senkos are incredibly deadly here Spring through Fall. So much so, that I've moved away from them to see if I can improve my skills using other techniques.

Adam,

Honestly - a 1.5-2 lb fish is perfect for steaming, bigger fish don't cook as well, and more likely to have portions wasted. Plus, it's just my wife and the nanny that are so in love with largemouth. I'd rather have the 3 lb fish back in the lake to be caught again.

Scott

..i wasn't frowning on the small bass gettin eatin....only that when your lookin for big ones, you get small and visa versa.
i work with a guy who eats/removes 10lb LMB.....i just want one for a pic. op!

10lb LMB.....i just want one for a pic. op!

I just want one for AOTY!  

Michael

excellent report! looking forward to the pictures. 
sounds like this could be a hot spot when things warm up, esp if you knew someone with access.

Hmmm... bummer about the vessel permit thing. I guess I can't really fake it without getting busted if I'm ever checked. It's all good though... I got a little lake in my backyard as well. It's called Folsom and I've done pretty good in there without the hassels. It's all good... I just need a big'en... just one.

Freddie

I fished the lake a week ago but it was real cold and I was fishing the dam (not my favorite spot). My personal best from that lake is 9lbs.

Here's an LOP bass

Hey Baymaster,

That's a nice fish, especially if you caught it right there from Sandy Point. We should coordinate a kayak fishing outing some time. Maybe share locations/tactics?

Surface temperature doesn't seem to be an issue here, the bite can be on all year round. These two photos are from mid-January last year:





I can only estimate the size of my biggest fish from the lake as approximately 8 lbs or so. I was so concerned at getting it back in the water after hooking it deeply, that I didn't measure it. When it hit the water, it went ballistic and popped out of my hand. All I can say, is that it made the 5 lbers I've caught there look puny, and that its jaws were about 5" inside diameter. Big enough that I had no need for pliers to get the jig out of the bass, as my hand easily fit inside its mouth.

Anyone that wants to fish here is welcome as my guest. We just need to work out logistics. March is P-R-I-M-E time. You might need to fish off of one of my yaks, but that's no big deal, right? Get enough folks, and I'll break out the cataraft - it's easy to get 3 guys fishing off of it at one shot.

Scott

Scott,
 That sounds great but unfortunately I do not have a kayak, yet. I've just been a lurker on this board until I have the fuds for a yak. I love LOP and have never had better success bass fishin as I have there. My father-in-laws dad lives there so I've been fortunate to be able to fish there for the past 3 years. I have used numerous types of baits but what I have had the most luck with and what I only fish with in that lake Are #1) Brush Hogs and #2) Rattle Traps. I've been out there in March and caught 6 LMB over 4lbs from a loaner yak in 2 hours. The marina is my personal favorite spot because you can go out on the docks and fish deep or stay on shore for some great sight fishing. I also love that lake because no one can fish it. From what I have seen it is impossible to get in there unless you live there or know someone who does. They even have there own police force. Well I'm done ramblin, shoot me an e-mail with your phone # as I'm up that way around every 6 weeks. rdavis650@yahoo
-Ramsey

Ramsey,

I've got two sit on tops and a non-permitted sit inside (shh!!! don't tell the Po-Po! ), a float tube, as well as the cataraft. If you get up here and I'm around, we can work something out.

Don't be fooled about the amount of fishing that goes on here. This place gets pressure year round. But I'd reckon that very few of the LMB wind up on a plate.

Scott

So Scott

Maybe a pre-spawn MBF before the LOP permits are enforced? 

scott

So Scott

Maybe a pre-spawn MBF before the LOP permits are enforced? 

scott

I'd be up for it, but it all depends on whether or not the "Public Safety" folks at the gate would allow a fair number of folks coming in with kayaks on their rigs. Of course, you could fish this lake hard with a float tube (no permit required). As far as permit enforcement is concerned, this could happen at any time, but so far I've only seen it during "tourist" season.

We could do a "longest fish wins" contest, make sure that everyone had a tray type measuring device similar to the one given out to AOTY participants, and then do a Catch-Photo-Release format.

I'm out of the country for a couple weeks, but will be pondering this. It has possibilities.

Scott