This One's Just For Me

This one truly is just for me, a record of a memorable day on the lake!

November 2nd, 2025

It's a Sunday morning, late fall, but perhaps we might still catch a fish???

It was the first day with low wind in a while, and the last day without wind for the next couple of weeks!

The forecast was calm winds, 0 to 3 mph out of the south till Noon, then shifting out of the west at 5 to 6 mph.

Air temp was forecasted as 33° at daybreak, warming to 55° with clear to slightly overcast skies. 

So I met CJ at Walmart at 5:15a ("Fall Back" DST time changed during the previous night). 

We arrived at Lamoka about 6:00a, just before 1st light - perfect!

The Yamaha roared and then purred...signaling the start of another promising fishing day!

The actual water surface temp was 51°, and ended up warming to 52.8 through the morning.

A dropshot rod was rigged beside me, based on the last trip where we caught a couple of good bass on a steep 10 ft to 20 ft underwater dropoff on the North shore of the lake.

We were going to test if lightening would strike twice!

The first fish of the day was a 20 inch pike hitting a shad colored swim bait on the north side - west end of "The Island".  It's always our starting point to get the cobwebs out.  The Pike was a quick hook up, as CJ was still threading his bait on his jig.

Then it was a 15 inch largemouth near the middle of the island.  A couple more hits, then a Pickeral.  CJ caught a couple of bass also off the island if I recall correctly.

Then across to the North shore, and we started trolling along a 10 ft deep edge that dropped into 25 feet...and the day got real interesting!

Lots and LOTS (we lost count) of 16 to 24 inch, 3 and 4 pound hard pulling, chunky football shaped Smallmouths on the dropshot rig with a Z-Man's small fluke/shad bait (green back, white belly).

I was using a 3/8 oz lead weight hanging about 12 inches below the bait.  We were on the shore side of the edge, casting deep and fishing the bottom, retrieving to shallow up the drop off.

Most effective seemed to be a slow drag and pause retrieve, with minimal motion added to the rod.

CJ was also hooking up with a similar shad colored swim bait fished on a jighead pulled along the bottom.

When I say we lost count, it's because it was easily 20 fish between us, with both the dropshot and the jig catching fish.

There was the Pike mentioned, seven or eight Pickeral, even a big 12 inch Perch and the bass...many, many bass! 

We fished around to the Willow point, taking fish the whole time. I had a gigantic Smallie which might have been 5 pounds (in my eyes!) that hit deep, then freight trained from 18 feet, straight up, jumped, cleared the surface, and threw the bait back at me! A spectacular fish that showed its self and earned it's freedom!

Three or four Smallies were caught on Willow Point drop off using the dropshot rig. While CJ scored 3 or 4 Largemouth in a row off the 8' deep flat on the left side of the point. At one point we even had a double, with CJ and I both horsing in some chunks at the same time. 

Somewhere around this time, the wind died back to a calm, almost no ripple period. 

We then continued proceeding along the North shore and fishing down the East shore using the same deep water pattern, continuing to get hits and hooking fish, though a bit less frequently.  As the shore turned south running towards the church camp, the fishing slowed, though CJ pulled out 2 more Largemouths.  The first was a good 18 incher, likely 3 pounds, but second was bigger yet!

CJ had caught the biggest LM of the day, guessing maybe 4 pounds and 22 to 24 inches.

It was at this point, we noticed the wind shifting around to the west, and could watch as the lake churned a bit as the wind picked up and the water started to ripple and waves moved toward us from a dry front.  It was interesting seeing the change, from calm, no waves to the 90 degree shift in wind direction and increased velocity in reel time...I mean real time!

We fished a bit more, retracing part of our path back to Willow Point, but we caught nothing more, and with the wind blowing steady from the dry front, we called it and headed to the ramp.

In Reflection...

It was our BEST day ever on Lamoka, just full of action from first cast before sunrise to Noon. It was one of those days where we didn't need to scratch our heads and swap baits because we were dialed in and catching 'em. 

These were the first Smallmouths of this year, and all were big chunky adults, hard fighting and just F-U-N fish to catch, plus the Largemouth were twice bigger than typical Lamoka bass.

The equipment all ran fine.  The 30 year old Xpress and Yamaha 115 hp motor still run strong and trouble free!

Next time, I might consider shifting to a 1/4 oz weight if the lake calms like it did on this trip. It might impart a bit more natural movement to the dropshot bait.

All in all, it was memorable.  We had one other big November day on Lamoka about 6 or 7 years ago, casting 12 foot deep running crankbaits for Smallies in the same general area as this day, but that day, was lots of action in a 30 minute window. 

This day it was different, we were on fish most of the morning, using an easily repeatable pattern.  It was the perfect close to what has been a good fishing year...

CJ and I have fished more over the last 3 or 4 months, even during midweek, targeting low wind days, which has been productive, and very enjoyable!

And I'm still checking the "Windy" app!  Ever the optimist, maybe we can get one more adventure in before the hard water hits!

Let the adventure continue...