Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

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Robbie G
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Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Robbie G » Mon Apr 10, 2017 11:09 am

Last few years we have noticed Bass catches to be mainly under 5lbs, and not many, so wondering if anybody knows the areas of the lake where they have found 6lb+
Please only respond if you absolutely have seen where these lunkers have been hanging. Since water levels are up for once, and early warmth, I think this year has potential to regain its form. Look forward to your responses.
Peace
RG

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by sickntired » Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:24 pm

Everybody knows bass are distributed throughout the lake based on size. I'm sure that someone must know where all the 6 pounders live. If they tell you, I'll give you a good tarter sauce recipe. Wow

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by sasnyder » Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:39 am

I have to laugh at the question where are the big bass. My family has been fishing Black for many many years. The lake definitely has changed. I would say as every one else says start with the hot spot map it can be purchased at most any sports store in the area. But don't expect the fish to stay in any specific area and wait for you to catch them :wink: it does not happen like that. Some times we fish for a few days before we are able to catch any good size fish. It all can change with weather,water temp and so on. The fun is to relax and take it all in and just enjoy the fishing. Good Luck !!
PS I would like to try a good tartar sauce recipe :lol: :lol:

Fishpro
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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Fishpro » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:56 am

I laugh when I read about 6 plus pd Bass at Black Lake. In the 52 yrs of going to Black Lake I have never caught a bass in the six pound range. If there are any out there I would be surprised. Not saying there arn't but highly unlikely. With all the illegal taking of small size bass each year along with the increase of evasive speicies etc. chances are even more against it. Seeing is believing. Then there is the actual realistic weighing of fish . People tend to enlarge the actual size more than not. Ha Ha Catch & Release!!!!

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Robbie G » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:50 pm

I usually don't eat bass, and throw the lunkers back to make more :-)

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Robbie G » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:52 pm

I have the Hot Spot map, been fishing the lake for about 10 years, so thats why I said it aint like it use to be in regards to plentiful big bass, so kind of wanted a location of recent activity, esp Fall

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Robbie G » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:54 pm

I have seen 2 6lb bass pulled from Black lake, one of which was near the old Santa Claus that use to be on the rock, and the other was around bend from Lonesome, however, plenty of 3lbers, and a few 4lbers, but its been a while since I have seen that weight.
Thank you for the replies tho

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by sickntired » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:55 pm

I also have been fishing Black Lake for 30 plus years and have never seen a six caught by me or anyone else. Twos and fours all day and an occasional five+ but six, forget about it. Doesn't matter, there all fun to catch and it beats watching reruns of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire "!

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Robbie G » Wed Apr 12, 2017 2:09 pm

We had to weigh it because it was a tournament between friends..It was 5.10lbs I believe, so of course we rounded up...It was caught in a back bay, over by Santa Claus, in the shallows..Crazy! But that was well over 10yrs ago, and one of the biggest..The other off Lonesome was like 5.8lbs..We also rounded up..LOL..But aint lying, but yes lots of bass, but hoping for a huge one, even tho not many to be had..Hoping the rise in water and early warm temps will def increase the weights

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by fishinmagician » Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:02 pm

Funny you should mention the Santa Claus. I caught the largest of my LM bass in the 12 years I've fished BL near that spot. Didn't have a working scale with me at the time, but had a tape measure, it was just short of 25". I'm guessing it was 6Lbs.+. I took a pic and released it. Figured it would do more for the lake than for me. I also hooked and lost a Northern Pike or a Musky within a couple of hundred feet of the old Santa on a pole stuck in the rocks. If I had landed that fish I would still have bragging rights. That's got to be at least 7 or 8 years ago. The Santa has been gone for a while. I got some strange looks from the guys at camp that evening, when telling them about the big bass I caught by the Santa Claus. No one was fishing that far north of the bridge in our camp, so they were convinced I was nuts. The next day one of the boats from our camp went north of the Edwardsville bridge and confirmed my Santa sighting. If your looking for big bass and northerns, go over to the St. Lawrence, I've done very well over there, but be careful of your position. Watch your GPS and stay in NY waters if you don't have an Ontario license. They don't cut many breaks if they catch you fishing in Canada. Thanks for reminding me about the Santa Claus.
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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by MrSimon » Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:05 pm

Nobody can possibly pinpoint where the 6 pounders are going to be .... you should know that :P

I've seen a good number of 6's get caught from my boat over the years .... some of them fairly recent too! They are in there for sure.

If you want to see the big girls, pick a calm afternoon during the spawn and paddle a canoe slowly and quietly around the bays. You'll see some absolute monsters sitting on beds.

I do agree that the current regulations (combined with a prevailing catch and eat mentality of the area) result in the lake being absolutely stuffed with 14.5" bass .... but make no mistake, there are still monsters in there.

To catch them, you have to think outside the box and try things others won't. I caught (and released) this 6 at midnight last summer.

Image

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by GuidedBassTrips » Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:33 pm

I've been a full time bass fishing guide now for 10 years guiding in Central FL from Oct to May and on Black Lake from June to Sept. The lack of 6lbers in Black Lake is just like the lack of 10lbers in Central FL in comparison to the "good old days". Yes Black Lake did produce 6lbers more regularly at one time. I caught them more commonly when I was young. I hear theories from both biologists and other guides as to why. And they usually center around environmental changes and increased fishing pressure.

What's interesting to me, FL just passed a new statewide regulation that requires people who keep bass to only be allowed to keep smaller ones. It would be like the 15" minimum on Black Lake being changed to a maximum! (FL is 1 over 16" and the other 4 have to be under 16" with no minimum size). They actually believe catch and release may have gotten too popular! The bass keep making babies and we keep putting them back!

And no....I'm not saying you guys should start keeping your bass. I still believe in catch and release and my trips on Black Lake are. But it is an interesting angle. For a bass to get to 6lbs in Black Lake or 10lbs in FL it has to be an eating machine. And if the little ones keep beating the bigger ones to the forage, they won't get any bigger. When I was young, I don't remember catching the quantity of bass we catch on Black Lake today. Its seems you had fewer bites and they were bigger. The old guides that come in the marina down here in FL tell me that their customers didn't get many bites, but one of them would be a 10. On our trips down here now, guides boast about catching numbers, but very few 10lbers are caught now.

And then there are the environmental changes. There are some biologists that don't believe the fishing pressure has anything to do with it. They believe habitat loss is #1. With Black Lake, it may be the algae blooms, soft bottom build up, water quality changes, invasive grasses, etc. The lake has definitely changed since I was a young bass fisherman growing up in Mile Arm Bay.
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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by MrSimon » Fri Apr 14, 2017 8:47 am

This gets discussed all the time, but oh well. Here are my thoughts on the bass fishing in Black Lake:
  • There is no lack of food. There are more perch, sunnies, crappie, and bluegill in Black Lake than any other lake I've ever seen. Black Lake is incredibly fertile and fish all up and down the food chain have plenty to eat.
  • Spawning habitat is just fine. Black Lake sure seems to have a high density of bass. The massive amount of 12-14" fish tells me they are reproducing well. It's also very common to catch baby bass. All of the bass I catch are fat and healthy.
  • Considering the above two points, the lower number of big fish must be a result of over-harvesting. It's not rocket science, and we've all seen it. Groups come up for the week and keep their limit of bass every day and go home with full coolers. Plenty of locals do the same thing.
The lake still fishes great, and there are still trophies .... but just imagine how much better it COULD be with a small change in regulations. Lower creel limits and a slot limit would turn the lake from good to outstanding in only a few years.

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Fishpro » Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:37 am

One of the recent thoughts on the size and quantity of Bass mentioned about there didn''t seem to be the number of Bass in years past. We would be talking about the 50s and 60s. The main reason was that Black lake used to be a Walleye Lake. After the introduction of the Crappie the Walleye took a massive hit. There were also a few other reasons of the demise of the Walleye. Silting over of the gravel beds - taking down the dam at Rossie -removing the brige at Edwardsville for a causeway and of course the final Coup de Gra - intro of the Crappie. The Bass then took hold and filled the void. These last 15 to 20 yrs we have really seen where the lake has changed so much. Invasive speices - overgrowth of weed varieties - cormorants - blue & green algie blooms to name a few. On the plus side we are lucky that there is a high rate o f reproduction of fish species in our lake. Perhaps some further action by the DEC in regulations and enforcement would also be good. So - all you Bass Fisherman - if you should be one of the lucky ones to catch a 6 pound Bass - please take a picture and release it back so it can continue to reproduce. Catch & Release !!!!

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Re: Who knows some 2016-2017 New Hot Spots for Bass

Post by Dwane » Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:37 pm

Wow I can help you out with this. First I need a notarized letter of confidentiality. Then we need to setup a wire transfer for $1000.00. I guarantee a 6lb Bass or your money back I promise. You can check with my other client his screen name is (sick&tired) look forward to doing business with you! Thanks Dwane

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