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Braidwood Lake

26K views 68 replies 16 participants last post by  bassdrum 
#1 ·
Gonna head up to the wood after work. Should be fishing by 8 am. Anyone have a recent temperature(within the last week) for hot and cold sides? Thinking I'll just launch at the north ramp. Thanks in advance, I'll attach a report(hopefully with pics) sometime soon. Might be after the long weekend. Good luck out there guys and of course everyone be safe and responsible out on those vessels. Watch out for yahoos this weekend
 
#2 ·
Fished from 9am til 1pm Friday morning/afternoon. Hot side was 95 degrees. Cold side was 85. Caught fish in flurries, maybe 6 at a time then that would be it til we found another school of 12"ers. At least 20 bass total all under 15" though. Funny to see the guys sit there and try to gaurd the spots where the schools were. Had a rather ugly incident involving a couple 20 somethings and us catching "their" fish that I would rather not share on here. That being said, caught fish on jigs, senkos, and rattle traps. They probably woulda bit anything you threw in there though, it was just a matter of running into the fish
 
#9 ·
Nice Braidwood bass :)2

I will probably give it a try a few times in early March.

.
 
#16 ·
#13 ·
Oh yea that looks like a solid 4-5 pounder there! :)2 Plenty of those in there if you're willing to work for 'em. Any truth to this other post on here I saw? Guy was talking about a large fish kill out there, post dated 8-30 of this past year. Hope that's not true. It had been a couple years since I heard of a major fish kill up there and the fishery had been improving each year
 
#14 ·
The "big fish kill" out there last year was almost entirely shad. It happens every year and is nothing to worry about. Some people blew it out of proportion, word spread and it got a lot of attention. I never saw any dead bass or any other game fish.

I know I'm getting pumped for the opener. It'll be here before we know it!
 
#18 ·
The "big fish kill" out there last year was almost entirely shad. It happens every year and is nothing to worry about. Some people blew it out of proportion, word spread and it got a lot of attention. I never saw any dead bass or any other game fish.

I know I'm getting pumped for the opener. It'll be here before we know it!
Thanks for the clarification about the fish kill Yak Man. The lake has improved over the past few years and it would be awesome if that trend continues. I might fish the April 3 tournament. I've fished three of those 100 boat events in the past. Best finish was 10th - those boys in the tourneys know how to fish!
 
#25 ·
Tire Wheel Sky Vehicle Automotive tire

My Braidwood fishing partner runs a 2014 Ranger Z520C (he has a good job). Mercury 250 ProXS - Minn Kota 36V - Lowrance bow and console - two 8 foot power poles. It's an amazing rig. Truth be told the fisherman trumps any bass boat. Years ago we fished a 100 boat tournament on Braidwood. It was like a boat show of sorts. Back then it was a 6 fish limit. The winners came in with a limit weighing 18.5 lbs. Their boat - a 16 foot camo jon boat with a 50 Mercury!
 
#26 · (Edited)
=bassdrum;633865] View attachment 5865
Truth be told the fisherman trumps any bass boat.
Amen to that! The fish don't mind coming aboard my old '86 Champion. Other anglers in the mazonia circuits can attest to that. My brother and I have won 3 AOY awards out there. Doesn't happen by accicdent, surely doesn't happen by owning a nice boat. Ask the guys with the expensive boats :cool: I'll edit and say I have lost to some big rigs too. More in the stick, I agree
 
#27 ·
=bassdrum;633865] View attachment 5865
Truth be told the fisherman trumps any bass boat.
Amen to that! The fish don't mind coming aboard my old '86 Champion. Other anglers in the mazonia circuits can attest to that. My brother and I have won 3 AOY awards out there. Doesn't happen by accicdent, surely doesn't happen by owning a nice boat. Ask the guys with the expensive boats :cool: I'll edit and say I have lost to some big rigs too. More in the stick, I agree
My buddy with the 2014 Ranger Z520C had 2 Champions prior to his current boat. The last Champ was a 2000 201 Elite with a Mercury 225 EFI. It was white with red interior. Maybe you saw us on Braidwood in it (not a million Champs around like Ranger). That boat actually took rough water better than his Ranger.
 
#28 ·
That boat sounds familiar bassdrum, probably have crossed paths. Mines old and brown lol and sometimes have my yellow lab. Don't get me wrong I would LOVE to own the boat pictured though. On a side note Strictly called today and the troller will be picked up and installed by the end of the weekend. Great weather to get out and work on the boats gents
 
#29 · (Edited)
Gotta love the ever-changing 10-day forecast of Illinois. Now calling for rain on March 1st. Fingers crossed I can still sneak up there and wet a line that morning after work. Not looking promising at the moment. If the forecast does hold true, and there is open water, I'll be hitting Mazonia Saturday.
 
#30 ·
AS of morning coffee they say rain in the noon, I'll still get out for 1/2 day anyway. Money says that'll change too. I'll be out this weekend running the gas motor for sure, well depending on this snow and the ability to get my boat out of the barn.
 
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