Quennell Lake Bass Derby

[fishhawk8]

Just wondering how many from here would be in attendance next weekend. It looks like my fishing partner and I are going to give it a try this year and see what shakes out. [8D]

 

[Yote]

I'll be there again this year. That'll leave second and thrid available for you and your bud.

 

[Eric]

I wish you guys all the luck. I tried that tournament once and won't go again. Mainly cause I am a non-competitive guy and hate crowds. 2 things that happen at that lake.
I had forgotten all about it so I guess Quennell lake will have next to nothing biting after getting pounded next weekend. Maybe I'll make the drive south to Elk/Beaver or Prospect.

 

[Eagle Eyes]

fished westwood for 2 hrs on sun, got about 15 however only 3 were really of any size being 14-16 inches. all on suspending minnow baits.

 

[Oglthorpe]

Have you ever caught any "trophys" EE. I have fished there a bunch and only have ever hooked into a couple.

 

[Yote]

Why not go for a crack at the 2 grand cash and many other prizes. Last year a boy won the grand prize. I don't find it competative, that's why I do that one and not the one at Shawnigan. Yes it's crowded for that one day but whatever. It's catch and release and I really don't think it hurts the bass population all that much.

 

[Eric]

Yeah, it's catch and release. But all those fish that get caught beforehand while guys 'practice' and during the tournament make the fish little spooky for awhile. That's why I say nothing will bite for a little bit.
Good luck! Tell us how it goes.

 

[Yote]

You are right Eric, they are definately spooky that day. Last year I only caught eight for a full days' fish and in those none were contenders.

 

[Eric]

Well? How was it? All I have heard was that there was the typical 200+ people.

 

[fishhawk8]

I had a good time myself, as I've never fished that lake before. The shotgun start was wild, and I'm glad we had the power to get out front of most of the boats. I certainly wouldn't want to be in a canoe when the horn sounds.[:0] There was a total of 224 entries approx. with maybe 100 boats.
As for the fishing, we did ok in numbers but nothing big enough to qualify for the major prizes. Sounds a lot like Yotes response from last year. There was a tie at the top with fish weighing 3 lbs 8 oz. and 3rd was 3 lb. 4 oz. Lots of good prizes that they drew for and it looked like all of them would have covered the cost of entry. Weather was good too with partly cloudy skies and no rain or major wind.
I will definately try it out again next year, unless I can scoop some tix for the Salmon Derby instead.

Yote, did you make it up there too? Did you camp or arrive in the morning?

 

[Yote]

Hey George, I was there Sat night and stayed for the derby. I caught 22 bass Saturday night with my top one weighing 3 pounds 11 onces, a nice whopper. Unfortuntely out of the 20 I caught Sunday, the biggest was 3 pounds 2 onces. Though there are a lot of people fishing, the fish still bite well. It was a great year for bass on the lake as far as numbers go this year.

 

[fishhawk8]

Yote: What kind of watercraft were you in at the derby and where did you head off to first? Just wondering if I saw you out there amongst the crowd. We were in a 12 ft fibreglass with an 8HP Merc on the backend and mostly fished the back 2 arms.

 

[Yote]

I was in a 12 foot springbock with a 3.3 evinrude on the back and an electric. I start up the right arm from the camp and work my way up the lake from there. We tried the lilly pads more this year with success so it will be something I will work on for next year.

 

[Eric]

That's the greatest part about that lake. The smallies are everywhere. I used the heavily fish the channel banks immediately left of the campground but have had great success everywhere.
Do you guys use soft plastics, spinnerbaits or crankbaits? I mostly use topwater int he summer or Texas rigged tubes.

 

[fishhawk8]

So Yote it looks like we took off in different directions. You off to the right and we stayed left. We managed to manuever ourselves to near the front of the crowd at the start to avoid any hassels with other boaters and that worked quite well. I'm thinking that you guys were at the opposite end of the crowd from us. Lots of fun though and we just may camp there next year too.

Eric, I'm strictly top water for bass - 5 inch floating raps for me thanks.
Checked out the local store last week and they are now $10.50 + each. OUCH!![:0]

 

[Yote]

Actually, I made a mistake. I went to the left like you and started to fish about halfway up that chanel and just worked my way out from there. we'll have to keep in touch for the next years event. One of these times I am going to get lucky and place in this derby. Every year I get so close but that just doesn't count.

 

[fishhawk8]

Heck Yote, why wait, maybe we should go out one night after work while the weathers hot, hot.

One of the feller's I work with here was telling me that, after the last discussion he and I had about bass fishing, he decided to go try it out at Prospect. Well I ran into him yesterday afternoon and he says he picked on up just a bit over 5 lbs on the weekend.[8D]

You should have seen his face, he was truley excited, lol.

 

[Yote]

In the midst of a deck reno. that will take care of after work for a week or two but I will contact you and we'll go after I get caught up for sure. I live right at Langford lake so I might try a couple early mornings this weekend, but then there's salmon too. Too many things to do....

 

[fishhawk8]

I don't think hooking up should be a problem, I live near Glen Lake there nieghbour.

If you would rather. I'm always up for salmon too, if you're lookin to get out. Of course, the half the gas and the ramp and bait, are on me, as usual.

I start my holiday July 15 and will be in and out of town during that time, but anytime before or after will be good. And there's always the night bite after work too.[8D]