Bass Report? Chester? Mississippi? Winona?

[Cove]

Gonna get my son up early some day this long week end and try for some bass. Haven't heard / read much about Chester, Winona lake or the Miss for bass lately. What's cooking?

[CrappieJohn]

Chester has tossed out some decent fish of late. While some people are finding them troublesome to get to hit, I think it is more of an issue of how they are fishing rather than the fish are not there or are stunted. I know of three or four 14+"ers coming to the net in the last week.

Weedlines and wood with plastic has been the key. Purple firetail worm got two of these fish mentioned, if you are looking for a color to start with.

The Zumbro will give you bass using a number of techniques, but I'd say working weedlines, docks and shallower wood will produce the best right now. Jig/pork and plastics.

There were some reports a week or so ago that Lake Winona was showing some bass activity, but it has quieted down again.

The Miss. River backwaters at Wabasha and down stream will be about nuts with bass. And the smallies should put on a show for you if you hit on the Tipiota Point riprap.

If you want to stay on foot, you could do the Country Club pits. I'd concentrate on the smaller pit directly behind the Mayo parking lot. Plastics.

[BigDoctor]

The weedbeds in the backwaters of the Mississippi have been producing largemouth with plastics along the edges and some have been taken off topwaters too...

[Cove]

Thanks for the comments, Crappie Tom and Big Doctor.

I fished out of Wabasha last late August and did well for bass on wing dams etc. Didn't know if this time of year would be OK or not. And the water level is in the 9 foot range vs. 7 foot last August but sounds like could be OK...especially if went early enough to beat 4th of July boating traffic. I don't think of Zumbro enough. Haven't really tried it at all for bass. Just crappies years ago.

[CrappieJohn]

Cove....

The Zumbro has a decent bass population, but the traffic can be real agitating.

River levels are considerably higher than a year ago.We've had tons of rain where the watersheds affect the big drink and the corps of engineers is holding water back to allow for the drawdown on pool 5. Wingis should produce fish if they can find the current breaks.

[Cove]

Yeah, Thanks Crappie Tom. I have decided to wait on the Miss until water is down some and go to Chester tomorrow instead. Will see how goes. If calm may start with surface stuff early then switch to Gulp stuff etc. I will probably be too dirty to see week lines but will try and will fish timber areas. I will leave a post upon return.