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7/29/07 Madison Chain – Lake Mendota Fishing Report

By Paul Strege

Sunday Morning Conditions: Winds Calm, Sunny, 76 deg water temp.

Sunday morning was beautiful on Mendota. And besides the roar of boats on neighboring Lake Monona , you would not have known a large local tournament was on the chain of lakes. I chose to fish Mendota to avoid the crowds, and it did not disappoint.

I arrived at the ramp early as I have learned that the smallies out on Mendota do not sleep-in. Within 10 minutes of taking off from the ramp, I had boated my first Mendota (>18”) keeper. Mendota smallies seem to fight forever on light line. The drop shot was once again productive for me as I explored 16 to 18-foot weed edges adjacent to rock or hard bottom. For something new this trip, I experimented drop shotting a Gambler Giggy Snake - a slender straight-tail worm with a clubbed tail. The action of the worm was quite impressive.

As this trip was just for fun, I did not try other techniques or water depth. The drop shot produced several other smallmouth bass, but my only keeper was the one that I hooked to start the day. A smallie of that size, however, made the trip worthwhile.

Drop Shot Rig: Rogue Rods Drop Shot rod (DS 693S) with 6 lb Trilene XL and #4 Owner Octopus Hook. Green Pumpkin Gambler Giggy Snake.