Great Lakes bass key more on silver-white baitfish and Bob's Banger with all that silver in it is good. I spent the day using a 2/0 Marabou version of a Bob's Banger popper.
This large pond is connected directly to Lake Saint Clair by a channel that is now barred to bass boats by a very low foot bridge over our now very high water great lakes. Normally average water depth is about 4 feet deep with near total surface cover of lily pads and other weed beds. Last spring I found out that the deeper, muddier, colder water had retarded the early weed growth and the only cover was the brushy shorelines. The fish are now more concentrated.
The first bass didn't hit the popper but just appeared swimming slowly underneath it. When I reflexively set the hook, I had the sluggish fish briefly hooked by the web in his dorsal fin. Second fish was a decent pike that came straight up out of the water taking the popper on his way through the surface. I DID NOT not set the hook and gently tightened up on him waiting about 4 seconds for him to spit out my popper. It was an interesting if not action packed day. I finished with 6 bass landed and a dozen more briefly hooked or missed on lazy strikes. Most of the fish missed at first, then came back again. I also got 6 rock bass, one male in spawning colors was bigger than any I had caught in a while.
Marabou Bob's Banger Popper
- Hook: 2/0 VMC 7250 Preadator Hook
- Thread: 210 Chartreuse Flat Waxed Nylon or similar
- Tail: Generous White marabou set ahead of the bend
- Body Flash: Clump of Ice Dub tied atop the hook
- Tail Flash: Silver and opal pearl Flashabou folded to both sides
- Head: Half of a 1/2 inch white foam cylinder, wrapped with Silver Scale Prism Tape
- Gill: Stripe of Red Nail Polish
- Eye(s): 5/16 Chartreuse-Black stick on eye, one on the bottom or one for each side.
I have twice gotten hit by good muskies on a 5/0 Flash Bang Musky version. I am looking forward to trying a smaller 1/0 version of it for the White Bass run.