Over the last month, I’ve spent some time on Quennell Lake, and the fishing has been pretty dang good. A few trips in particular stand out, days where it seemed like every spot held fish. From the moment we launched the boat until it was time to head home, we were catching bass consistently. Those are the days that make it hard to leave the lake.
As spring transitions into summer, water temperatures are rising and the bass are becoming more active. Whether we were fishing under overcast skies or bright, high-sky conditions, the fish were holding around key structure and ready to eat.
The Most Productive Areas
- Laydowns
- Overhanging cover
- Rock beds
- Timber
One thing these trips really reinforced for me is just how effective soft plastics can be. Some of the top producers have been the CrushCity Cleanup Craw, Salted Ned Roll, and skirted jigs. The Chile Craw and Green Pumpkin colours have consistently been putting fish in the boat.
For my spinning setup, I’ve been throwing these baits on a 7’1” medium 13 Fishing Fate rod with 20 lb braid and a 10 lb leader. Around heavier cover, I’ve been using a 7’4” medium-heavy extra-fast 13 Fishing Jinx casting rod paired with 17 lb fluorocarbon.
If there’s one takeaway from these recent trips, it’s don’t overlook soft plastics. They allow you to fish slowly, stay in the strike zone longer, and pick apart the cover where bass are feeding. When the bite gets tough, they often continue producing.
A lot of the tackle that’s been working can be found at Harbour Chandler, and the CrushCity lineup from Rapala Canada has definitely earned a permanent place in my boat.
If you’re heading to Quennell Lake in the coming weeks, tie on a soft plastic and spend some time around structure. There’s a good chance you’ll have one of those days that’s hard to walk away from.
