Beautiful day as it turned out to be, until the rain. My son and I launched (first time with the boat to Newton) about 1pm, we fished the first inlet on the right as you head north for a couple hours.
We spotted a TigerMuskie in a bush at the corner and tried to temp him. No avail. Moved up the neck, and we saw a number of small fish - schools of small bass, and or perch/gills. Lost track of them, but ran across a number of bass - and realized there were schools of fry, and some of the bass had nice setups, were they could sneak into a brush bed at one end, then appear out the other. Couldn’t get anything to piss them off enough to attack. Even dragging swimbaits right through the fry - thought maybe a perch pattern would trigger a defensive reaction, but alas no.
Gotta say - some good looking fish! We were also visited by a few tigers while up there. Even saw a smaller one - maybe 12 in, plus the big ones - probably up to 30"
It’s pretty impressive to look down and see those stripes pass by. Put several patterns right in front of them, but couldn’t get “the look”.
We trolled a little with some pop gear and lures on the rigger. I didn’t realize how deep much of it is. Saw a number of bass boats working the shore zones through the middle of the lake. We boogied up into the weedy end zone, and sat on a number of bass-fry, and taunted the daddies, but couldn’t get any takes. Again, caught Tigers drifting through.
So it’s this game of - light tackle, snag free rigs, but then keep a steel leader handy with a perch swimbait, in case a Tiger passes. Too weedy back there for cranks. Tried some worms and crawdad patterns. Bumped into a pair who said they’d caught some bass and tigers.
But alas, we went home empty. I DID have a perch nibble a gulp minnow, but only the tail. Was hoping to start off with some fresh bait. Really didn’t see much for BG/Perch - and I hear Crappie? Where are the crappie?
Maybe the tigers have been too efficient? Did see some young bass, but not schools.
There really wasn’t a lot of traffic, so that’s good for our little flattbottom. Several canoes and cayaks too. Beautiful sunset, with a rainbow - as we passed Benson Marina. Tempting to toss a worm for a kitty, but it was already late.
Newton is a pretty lake, and there ARE some nice fish. I just fear they have such a high pressure, and with the musky - such an experience level, that it may be harder to land them. Might have to practice at Mantua some more.