Today was my 3rd time out using the baits that my wife makes and my 1st trip out since Sunday before last . Here's a shot of the dam from walleye park boat ramp just before sunrise.

I idled past one of my favorite spots, but there was nobody home on my sidescan, so I motored up to a boo pile in the middle of a cove. I had a "Baby Blue Glimmer" color Texas toothpick on a rod from where I'd tested the action of the softer plastic that was used for the tail in my neighbors swimming pool. I really wasn't expecting much to happen, but on my second cast, this crappie thumped the living daylight out of it.


This boo pile is in 16 fow water & the crappie were buried almost at the bottom. It wasn't long before I pulled another from there, but nothing but dinks after that.

Here's a close-up of the jig I was using with a 1/16 Crazy Angler jig hook

Next I went further west on the south bank of main lake to an area that has a line of bp's from 19' to 12'. I caught a few small fish there on the "Spring Grasshopper" color & the "Summer Grasshopper" in both the Toothpick & Small Fry bodies. Then I went a little further west & fished a bp in 15 fow & caught a few more.

By now, the sun was up high & it was starting to get HOT. So I went back to the 1st spot that several bp's & a large laydown that leans over a drop off. The fish were stacked up on the outer 2 bp's in 18-20 fow. Once I figured out what they wanted & how they wanted it, it got CRAZY STUPID. One fish after another on the "Summer Grasshopper" on the small fry body. I had to drop the bait all the way to the bottom & SLOWLY raise it 4-5', keeping in contact with the jig both ways. A lot of the time, I'd raise it up & go to lower it, but my jig wouldn't fall, my line would bow - SET THE HOOK.

Sometimes when I tried to raise it from the bottom, it was just heavy - SET THE HOOK

I tried both to keep it on the bottom, deadstickin, jigging or around 16', but no dice, they wanted to see it VERY SLOWLY raise & fall.

I ended up keeping 15 chunks, catching over 50 with only about 10 of them being short.

Had my best day of the summer so far & I owe it all to reading posts here & learning to give different presentations!
And to top it off, I think some of the beauties might be getting ready for a fall spawn!

Here's the jig body that tricked them the most today

Heck of a trip, good job.

Box... U know what I'm thinkin don't ya??? Just seeing those docks, with piles just so close.. its time for a run man. Been to long since I shot a jig up under "the dock" that line of piles u fished... Good good spot usually. if u stayed on the south bank, I bet u missed one of the best out there though. And it shoulda been full cus its the right depth. But if they keep filling up w eggs like that, its gonna be a fun fall...docks will be covered w fish.
Good looking fish man, glad u got on em. That one fish has a lot of bronze on him. Love the baits too... That toothpick looks great

Nice healthy fish Todd. That bottom jig that tricked 'em today looks like a dang goodun'!

Nice Fish. Good job.

Congrats! Nice read, too.

Good stuff right there....WTG Todd....

Way to go tboxfish! Nice fish and photos

Way to go Todd, you caught all of those and more in this dang hot weather? WOW!!! I AM going to have to come out.

Excellent write up tbox. Those are some really pretty ETex blacks. Thanks for the enjoyable post.

when ya told me early today ya was busy ketchn ....
i thunk hmmmm...hope he gets em good ....
seems like ya did to me ...
good read brother ...
good fish ....
good job ....
good pix ...
my testin to resume tomorrow ....

FALL SPAWN ? say it aint so ?

Good report

Great report Todd....and there must be something wrong with my phone It ain't ringing.