Kent Lake

I'll share...if you are looking for smallies, concentrate on rock. If you want largies, concentrate on wood and weeds. You can catch either fish on jerkbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Depending on water temp, I will start deep and work myself shallow. The map and article H20 has posted is a very good start in regards to "areas" to fish. I will give you two areas though that have been very productive for me the past couple of years that aren't on that map. The shoreline directly South of the East Launch is pretty darn good for smallies starting early to late May. I find it especially good in the evening throwing topwater, and have had some success throwing jigs, worms buzzbaits and spinnerbaits in the throwdowns along the shore. As it gets later in the morning and into the afternoon, work yourself out from shore until you get near the channel. Find some isolated rock, and wood, and you will be stylin'. The shoreline directly East of the West launch (yes, the side of the island that ISN'T shaded) is also a very good area to fish early and late in the day. At times, you will find fish STACKED here (a lot of walleye and crappie typically, but the bass are there too). You can pick up an occasional fish throwing a deeper diving crank (6-8 foot) thrown into shore and walked down the slope during the day, and a jig can be pretty productive.

jeff,

you forgot one very productive lure. RATTLE TRAP. if i could have only one lure to use out on kent lake this spring i would definatly bring a storm crankbait but if i could pick 2 then of course it would be a rogue but if for some reason i was able to fit 3 lures in my boat thats when i reach for a 1/8, 3/16, or 1/4 oz terminator jig ( depending on the wind ). now since i have 3 of my fav lures im thinking i might as well bring the whole box. which has plenty of rattle traps in it. which you are not going to want to leave at home anytime your heading out to kent lake, especially once the water temps get into the fiddys.

i caught some of my biggest bass last season on the trap. what better way to work a shoreline and find fish than with a 1/2 oz trap. trust me on this, they are deadly in the spring. i caught a smallie that was just under 5 lbs last spring on a trap worked on the surface. i seen the fish surface about 20 yards off an island and tossed my trap over there, started reeling before it hit the water and just skipped across the surface and then WHAM!!!! i love that lure.

i dont know if any of you remember that day we had last season when the wind gusts got up to 57 mph. bright sunny day, incredibly windy. i decided to go fishing anyway. as i got to the lake i was greeted by 5 other boats who were all packing up and heading home. this was at around 10 am. "too windy out there today" they claimed. i decided to press on. i launched my boat and got out around the corner and headed to the first point i seen that had wind beating it up. i stayed back from the point and in some calm water created by the shoreline trees blocking the wind. i threw on the trap and whipped it as far as i could into the wind. let it sink to the bottom and rest in the weeds, then gave it a good rip and started it back to the boat. first cast, largemouth, well over 4 lbs. threw it back out and repeated the the presentation. 2nd cast smallmouth well over 4 lbs. decided i was on a roll so i did the same again. 3rd cast largemouth well over 4 lbs. not believing what i had accomplished on my first 3 casts i dared to cast again. 4 cast largemouth looked big, never got it to the boat tho. it took my split ring and my hook right of my trap.

i repeated this pattern on every point in the lake and caught fish all day. good fish. not the usually 30 dinks and 6 decent fish. i caught good fish all day. it was the windiest day i think i have ever been out on the water but the fishing was unbelievable. couldnt have done it without my trap.

bring some soft jerkbaits too. thats all i can say.

madman himself

you can catch smallies while there is still ice on the lake. as long as you cant get your boat out there in some open water you can catch fish.

the fishing is slow. but not too slow. you just have to work your lure very slow. i caught them last year while the main lake was still iced up. i launched at the east launch and worked the area of the lake that was open with a 1/8 oz jig with a zoom trailer.

be careful when launching on kent in the spring tho. they drop the water level a couple feet just before winter so the launches are tricky. wear rubber boots too, cuz your gonna have to back your truck up into the water a ways. you will be standing in water to unstrap.

if your out there, look for me, i have a 20 foot Ranger with a merc on the back. its red. stop by and say hi.

madman himself

I sure hope the ice is gone by April 1 this year, because I took the 1st and 2nd off to go fish Kent! I wasn't as gutsy as Madman was last year, I didn't launch until the ice was completely gone from the main lake (sometime around April12th or so). If you see a 20ft Ranger with a Merc following a Red Stratos with a Yammie, I'm the Strat, and the Ranger is Madman spying my good largie spots .

and if im not out there and you soo cheetam catching smallmouth, tell him to get off my spots............LOL

take that jeff

madman himself

Touche!

well, if i get my boat back from the dealer in time and its not too busy at work, i might skip out at noon on thursday. as long as the ice is gone from the ramps.

madman himself