Fishing has always been great on the small lake where we have a house, but this spring and early summer catching not so much. The last six weeks it's definitely picked up. Generally put 2-3 bass and a pickerel or two in the kayak every time I go out. Got brave, managed to get my iPhone out of my pocket and took a picture of this 2 1/4 pounder I caught Tuesday. Also including a shot of the lake.

Very impressed with the picture-taking. Haven't been brave enough to try it in my kayak yet, but I may have to give it a shot this weekend. I'm about due for a new iPhone anyway.

Which Black Lake? There are a couple in NY.

Another good late afternoon/early evening. On the water at 5 pm, done by 8:30 - 5 LMB, 1 1/2 lbs. to almost 3 lbs. plus a 21” pickerel. Have to confess I did not allow the pickerel in the kayak. Got him on a Zara Spook, pretty feisty, didn’t want him/her thrashing around the bottom of the boat with those three trebles whipping about. Took it almost 2 minutes shaking its head by the side of the kayak to shake the single hook that had it. Did not regret that escape for a second.

Looks like late afternoon/early evening is when the action is. Came back up to the Lake yesterday, got out on the water around 5:30, lovely day, not much wind. Worked small patches of lily pads in open water with wacky-rigged seiko, landed 4 respectable LMB, 2-2 1/2 lbs, plus an 8" little guy, back home by 8:30 for dinner. Sorry, no pix - wife decided not to keep me company in her Hobie. I know there are skeptics out there who need a picture. Haven't figured out how to manage that on my own. Wife suggested a GoPro - maybe for my birthday!

Prop

Haven't been going out with the net recently. Also added mount for Hummingbird Helix 5 in the right slot.

Have been up at our lake house for the past week - fishing has been just okay. Went ou this morning for a couple of hours. avoided a skunk with a one pound LMB just before I broke for lunch. This evening was more like it - 3 LMB, all round 3 lbs., and one 20" pickerel. Picture was taken by my my wife who was cruising nearby in her kayak when I caught my second bass.

Ice fishing could be part of the problem. It's a private lake with limited access, but a whole lot easier to get on the lake in the winter. I've heard we've had an increasing problem with poachers over the last couple of years who are definitely not practicing C&R.

Been fishing on the same 215 acre private lake for the last 20 years - no motor boats, catch and release for bass and pickerel. For the first several years, I could count on catching LMB almost every time I went out, usually 2 or 3, often in the 3-4 lb. range. Caught several 3 pounders fishing off our shore. Last 5 years, not so much. This spring for instance, been out maybe 15 times, total of 40 hours, caught 10 LMB, most 12" plus or minus, one 3 pounder and one 4 pounder - plus lots of pickerel, couple of smallmouth (small), crappie. perch, occasional bluegill. Pickerel can be good size - lots over 18", caught one 23" this past week.

So, question is, what could be going on? One old-timer swears it's an explosion of the crappie population. They are apparently voracious eaters of bass fry. That's not something I've noticed. No obvious changes in the watershed over this period - vegetation, water clarity, temperature about the same. I don't think there's been a big increase in the fishing pressure over the years. No more than 5 people who fish regularly (two to three days every couple of weeks) plus another 5 once or twice a month.

Thoughts?

Prop - works great. Have to be careful when I'm near weeds or lily pads, but easy enough to raise pedals and clean them off, drop them back into slot and get moving again - or use paddle to maneuver and get to open water. Love to see a pic of your net setup.

Here’s two pics. Don’t usually go out with a net anymore.

Have enjoyed visiting these posts for several years - thought it was about time to contribute. Do most of my fishing for largemouths and pickerel from a kayak on a smallish private lake (240 acres) in the southern Catskills. NY. Hard to take pics since I’m always on my own. Will see what I can do about that.

Concern these days is falloff in LMB catch. No problem finding 18+” pickerel - caught about a dozen (and several smaller) over 2 days (about 8 hours on the water) last weekend. But only half dozen bass, biggest about 2 1/2 lbs., most much smaller. And a couple of those could have been smallmouths - and one was definitely a rock bass (red eyes). 15 years ago could count on catching 3-4 LMB’s, 16-18+”, in a couple of hours, every time I went out.

Old-timer on the lake says it’s an explosion of the crappie population, and that they’re eating all the fry. Any thoughts?