I briefly tried a Foam Diver and a big Black Marabou Banger. A Chartreuse Banger was getting rushed but no hookups. Then this smaller 2/0 Black Creature Popper was getting hit and hooking fish. The first one worth a picture was this best of the year 22 inch bass that fought hard in the giant lily pads, wrapping the 15 pound leader around those unbreakable stems.
The midday slump hit and I tried chartreuse again before a 3/0 White Marabou Banger got a few hits from mostly small fish. In some clearer water with small minnows, a small 2/0 White Marabou Banger got hit an missed by a pike. In the early evening they began biting aggressively again and the big flashy White Banger was getting hit hard.
I finished the day with 15 bass 15 to 22 inches and 2 medium pike like the one shown. I had one big looking pike rush the big white Banger as I was hauling it back fouled with some weeds.
Two good fish got off, one going out and one coming back through a spot I call the tight funnel. I left the Black Creature Popper sitting out about 10 feet from the kayak after a retrieve while distracted by some thing. When I looked back it was gone, no sound, not a ripple. This happens routinely here as bluegills are often pulling on a bit of the tailing material. I lifted up a big bass that got of on one head shake. At dusk casting the big White Banger here it got hit big in shallow water. The very big strong bass made a couple of sideways runs and an unstoppable run away when the 3/0 hook pulled out. I never got her head up or saw her in the shallow water.
Black poppers like the 3/0 Black Marabou Banger have been disproportionally effective here where I am usually throwing White or Chartreuse Flashy Bangers. A 1/0 Black Creature popper had a big day for me on Wakeley Lake over 10 foot deep clear water. Here in shallow dark water this 2/0 version worked well today.
h to pull it down