Reply With QuoteNice. Good job
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Slabmaster II
dabble-dabble-doo
After the afternoon rain let up, I managed to sneak in some time on a local lake. This one is tough … not easy to find both size and numbers of good fish, many dinks.
I worked the usual spots along the weedy edges and the first shoreline break out to the second inside weed edge. The result? A bunch of 4–5" dinks on my go-to methods and baits. Frustrating.
So I switched gears and pushed out into the big weedy flat you see in the pic. In the heat of summer, it’s normally unfishable with that dense floating milfoil canopy. I started with a slip float, trying to cast into small pockets, but quickly realized it was nearly impossible. I shortened up to little flips instead … and right away started connecting with better fish, mostly bulls.
The problem: the hook only occasionally made it to the bottom. Weeds grabbed it most of the time. That’s when it clicked ... I switched out to the drop shot rig and began dabbling the bait in small open pockets, 8–9 feet down, just above the bottom.
Voila … the payoff came just before dark with this 9.4” bull bluegill. Sometimes it takes frustration and a little experimenting to turn the bite around.
will be out this weekend, continuing with a larger weight and a float to extend this session.
dabble, dabble doo!
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@fishingwithslipS10CHEVY, SuperDave336, 6poundtest, INFrank, JUNGLEJIMJIGS, fiveeyes, gillchaser999, Jamesdean, skeetbum, Cricketcage and 2 others LIKED above post
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Good thinking! Glad it worked out for you. I would not have thought of it.
I really like catching 9"+ gills, totally a blast.......
Yes, I was talking to myself; sometimes even I have to ask for expert advice.
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Worm congratulations on a fantastic outing. Your perseverance paid off nicely.
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Nice one !
I believe that one might have some redear in his genes .
“ The bigger the Bend , the Wider the Grin ! “
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Good job figgerin em out. That’s a good lookin gill, especially from a northern lake. I just watched an In Fisherman over the weekend that dealt with the same scenario. They were whackin em in the weedy flats during warmer months. Theirs were good sized also.
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My thoughts as well , don’t look straight run to me , but a dandy for sure, KABOOMOriginally Posted by gillchaser999
sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whales
Slabmaster II
i wish we need some faster growing fish in this lake that fish right there is over ten years old in michigan. no records of any stocking private permit or dnr... there has never been any stocking of lepomis of any sort. the natural distribution of the red ear is north ohio- southern border MI ... however private lake association permit stocking in some local lakes in mid michigan that have already produced 10-12 " red ear have caught my curiosity.
Last edited by slip sinker; 09-22-2025 at 02:28 PM. Reason: wrong reply
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Slabmaster II
i wish we need some faster growing fish in this lake that fish right there is over ten years old in michigan. no records of any stocking private permit or dnr... there has never been any stocking of lepomis of any sort. the natural distribution of the red ear is north ohio- southern border MI ... however private lake association permit stocking in some local lakes in mid michigan that have already produced 10-12 " red ear have caught my curiosity.
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the more i look at this fishi kind of agree with you guys now it does show a profile similar to the red ear... there is no evidence of any stockings in the lakes history ... the lake has a healthy snail and mussel population it would do well...
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