Cajun Custom Rods

Cajun Custom Rods will be donating one (1) handcrafted Cajun Custom Rod which will be a U.S. Armed Forces / POW-MIA themed custom rod design, created specifically for this event. Additionally, we’re providing a CCR promotional discount code/gift certificate to each of the HOW anglers in the HEROES Division.

This is a full day of Kayak Fishing and Awards/Prizes for anglers in four divisions: Men’s, Women’s, Kid’s, and a special HERO Division for our Veterans. Be sure to mark your calendars as there will be plenty for everyone at this event … fun guaranteed for the whole family!

With local chapters across the country, Heroes On the Water has teams of volunteers that arrange first-rate, absolutely FREE KAYAK FISHING TRIPS for the men and women. Over the past three years of taking a few thousand men and women of all branches of the armed services out kayak fishing, they’ve learned firsthand the ‘triple therapy’ of kayak fishing: 1) physical with paddling and fishing, 2) occupational in learning new skills (a sport they can do for life), and 3) mental in the relaxation and freedom out on the water.

Cajun Custom Rods will be present and is supporting the “Annual Heartland HOW Kayak-A-Palooza & Fundraising Event” on 11 August 2012, at Holmes Lake in Lincoln, Nebraska. This will be the third year of this awesome August fundraising event!!

Heartland HOW Kayak-A-Palooza III     -     August 11, 2012     -     Holmes Lake Lincoln, Nebraska

For more information on how your donation will help make a difference, we invite you to visit the HOW National website at: http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org

Visit the Kayak-A-Palooza II Registration Site to find out details and get registered now:

Kayak-A-Palooza Registration

“We’ll see y’all there and always ‘Support Our Troops!’”

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

New Mexico fishing

Over the next two days the fishing bug got the better of me. I decided to make the best of the situation and see if I could drag a few trout through a hole in the ice. I had heard great things about the lake’s current fishing conditions from the locals … the only thing they had failed to mention was that the fish were happily chilling below thirteen inches of ice. I went down to the local K-Mart, the only place in town to get any sort of fishing supplies, and picked up a can of Berkley Gulp Corn and headed up the mountain. I had heard from one of the locals that I could borrow an ice auger from the ranger station halfway up the road. I stopped in and got a little more information along with the ice auger.

When I arrived at the lake I picked a spot near two other fishermen that were enjoying the afternoon sun and upon closer examination had definitely caught a few fish already. I drilled easily through the soft thirteen inches of ice and rigged up a short Cajun Custom Rods spinning rod. I was using 4lb mono with a small red hook and a 1/8 ounce split shot about 18 inches above it. The water was about ten feet deep below me and I let my bait down to the bottom and cranked up until I was just above it. Almost immediately I felt a bite, I set the hook and reeled up a tiny perch … lame. I dropped the bait back down and waited…and waited…and waited. To make matters worse the older gentleman next to me was reeling in a nice trout every two minutes. I decided to swallow my pride and ask for help … he obviously knew what he was doing.

He let me in on a local secret … when the trout are not biting the only way to get their attention is with dough bait. “What the heck is dough bait and where can I get some?” I asked. He gave me a big chunk of it and told me that is nothing but tortilla shell dough with some garlic mixed in. I smashed some around the hook still skeptical that it would attract anything but the dumbest trout in the lake. I let the rig down through the hole and waited … about 3 seconds. There was nothing subtle about the bite. A trout attacked the bait and seconds later I was holding my first Lake Maloya Rainbow Trout. It was a scrawny little trout that was only about ten inches long but it was the first of twenty seven trout that I was to catch in the next two hours the biggest of which measured sixteen inches.

I never thought that ice fishing could be as fun and relaxing as open water fishing but it doesn’t get more relaxing than sitting in the 65 degree sun on top of thirteen inches of ice in jeans and a t-shirt catching trout that seem all too eager to eat garlic laced tortilla shell dough.

Stay warm, be safe, and tight lines!
- Jonathan Vroom, Cajun Custom Rods

The process of developing Bushido blanks continues. It was a collaboration of fishermen, rod builders and blank engineers beginning the quest for the Bushido freshwater and inshore blanks. Combining the desired specifications to new materials and practical manufacturing takes time to perfect. Each round of samples produced must graduate an exacting series of evaluations. Their weights, tip/butt target sizes, as well as applicable action deflections are critiqued and refined every step of the way. Most of the process is done in-house however, once prototyped, many models are built and fished for final approval and we seem to have a lot of volunteers for that part of the process! Look for the Freshwater & Inshore Bushido’s to arrive in Mid-2012.

Here’s a close-up of one of the Bushido Nano Super Composite Offshore Jigging & Popping blanks:

Bushido Offshore Jigging / Popping Blank

And here’s the info we’ve been waiting to see … from the American Tackle website:

COMING IN MID 2012 … Bushido Inshore & Freshwater blanks. Focusing on extreme durability and performance by matching advanced technology in material and design to newly refined actions and lengths in spinning and casting models. Born for perfect bait presentations, instant reaction timing and the strength to get the job done.

• High Strain Japanese carbon fibers
• Increased material recovery
• Increased sensitivity
• Advanced resin systems
• Multi-pattern material designs rolled under high pressure
• Refined-Purpose actions & lengths
• Comprehensive application specific model selection
• Stealthy durable “Black Satin” finish

Tight lines!

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

     It was a “no brainer” choosing Jaesen Yerger for ATC’s newly formed Pro Staff team. Jaesen’s enthusiasm and expertise will play a pivotal role in showcasing a variety of rods built using American Tackle components.

Jaesen’s company, Cajun Custom Rods, has an unwavering standard when it comes to perfecting a rod for its customers. With a recently retooled web site, the process of choosing the components for your own custom rods has never been easier. Check out the IFP (Individual Fitting Process) on the site. It’s fresh, innovative and forward thinking. Jaesen’s approach to building rods for others is simply stated, “I want those folks to have what I have … a better fishing rod for their hard earned money. I know folks like me want more ‘bang for their buck’ and I know how to make sure that happens.”

Jaesen’s partners in this venture are his wife, Stacy and Jon Vroom. Each person plays an integral part in making someone else’s custom rod dreams a reality.

We look forward to Jaesen’s contributions to Pro Staff. Visit Cajun Custom Rods at www.cajuncustomrods.com

We are extremely excited about our future relationship with American Tackle and ecstatic about their expertise, precise engineering, and performance rod components – “ATC always brings their ‘A-game’ when it comes to custom fishing rod components!  Wow!  To be associated with American Tackle’s existing staff of professionals is truly a blessing and we’re chomping at the bit to our future partnership and opportunities!”

For those of you who didn’t know, American Tackle has been supplying America’s best performance rod components for over 25 years and and they back their products with a lifetime warranty!  American tackle sets a high standard for their products and they have redefined rod components through increased quality, innovation & unique design, and rod-building focus … which allows Cajun Custom Rods and rodbuilding enthusiasts to do what we love best … to build the best fishing rods possible.  Be sure to take a few moments and explore the American Tackle website for your next cutting-edge rod components at:

www.americantackle.us

Tight lines and take a kid fishing!

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

At Cajun Custom Rods, not only do we build the best performance and custom fishing rods in the world, but we always go the extra mile when it comes to our customers and their satisfaction.  This time, we’d like to show you a few reasons of just how we do this … from every meticulous step we take in building your custom fishing rod design to how we ship your rod.  Recently, we coordinated with one of our Pro Staff Team to get a rod in that needed some TLC before the “heat” of the spring thaw, spawn, and tournament season kicks off.  We had our Pro Staffer ship the rod back to us and here’s what arrived (see for yourself the damage):

As you can see from the images above, the tube that the rod was shipped in withstood the poor handling of an “UNNAMED” shipping system.  Aside from the fact that we ship with FEDEX (who does a fantastic job), we ship our rods in specially fabricated tubes that are designed for our custom fishing rods and that can withstand even the harshest of shipping (in this case … Holiday shipping) conditions to include, bending, warping, crunching, punctures, exposure to the elements, and best of all … conveyer belt damage.  The good news is when we received the tube and removed the Cajun Custom Rod … everything was where it was supposed to be … no breaks, bends, dings, or cracks … the fishing rod arrived as originally intended .. .even with the best efforts of “UNNAMED” shipper to damage the rod.  I cannot say the same for the tube … which though completely wrecked … served its purpose faithfully … to protect its Cajun Custom Rod!

So, the simple point that we’re making in the above comments and pictures: when you want a fishing rod that performs right the first time, every time, and is hands down the very best rod that your hard-earned money can purchase … why not go to the folks that care … the folks that always got the extra mile for their customers … and the folks that build custom fishing rods the way they were meant to be … perfect in every little detail?  Here at CAJUN CUSTOM RODS, our custom fishing rods are always ready for whatever you can throw at them … to include our rod shipping process

Happy Holidays, Tight Lines, and Take A Kid Fishing!

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

We’ll start off with a “monster” of an update from Jon vroom and his family for their summer outing at lake Of The Woods, Canada. Jon worked on several custom fishing rods for his brothers and his dad for the trip and from the pics below, you’ll soon agree that the Vroom family certainly put those rods through their paces. Wow! Check out the size of those Northern Pickerel (aka Pike)! Jon’s two biggest each measured at 37 inches and Heather’s came in just under at 33 inches … not too shabby for a few custom spinning rod designs from Cajun Custom Rods.

Below are a few pictures taken while my oldest (Tristan) and I spent a few days over the Labor Day weekend at Lake Okoboji, Iowa.  We were targeting bass (both largemouth and smallmouth) but managed a few decent Northern Pike of our own  while fishing a handful of handcrafted fishing rods designed by Cajun Custom Rods.  All I can say is: “I will absolutely remember those smiles on my son’s face … every fish landed had him beaming … even with 25+ know winds and temps in the upper 40′s/low-50′s throughout the mornings and evenings!”  He did well and we spent a weekend that we’ll both remember for years to come.  Nothing like wrapping up a “road trip-fishing trip” with a nice 4 pound smallmouth.

Jon's 1st "Monster" Pike

37-inch "gigantic" Northern Pike

Mr. Vroom Lands A 30+ inch Pike

Heather "Hammers" a 34-inch Pike

Tristan & His Largemouth - "All Smiles"

Tristan & "Bruce the Pike"

"Curtain Call With A Smallmouth"

Nice fish young man and thanks for the fishing memories … just be ready to share those “fishing tales” of old with your children one day … and most importantly … be sure to make some memories of your own while fishing with your kids.  There’s nothing quite like a family fishing trip, especially when you take a kid fishing!

Tight Lines! – Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

For instance, one company had too few micro guides on their rod whereas another had an excess of micro guides (yep, we learned that too many guides actually detract from rod performance) … both demonstrating their complete lack of “rod-guide tuning” for optimum casting and fish landing performance. In another instance, a few of the manufacturer’s micro guide design had flaws such as “pop-in” guide rings, shortened guide feet, angled bends as opposed to smooth bends for the guides … we only found two guide styles from two separate manufactures that “held their own” … and one of those manufacturers had several micro guide styles that just didn’t make the cut (with their top-end being a guide Cajun Custom Rods would carry for rod builds). So, we went to the drawing board … for almost a full year (literally back to rod-building fundamental principles) and worked what we believe (and have tested to demonstrate and prove – albeit independently) to be the optimum set up of micro guides on a fishing rod blank.

We learned that to get the line tapered through the “zero point” of the guides along the longitudinal axis (the bullseye of every guide down the rod shaft … or that point in space centered within the guide ring), we HAD to use a mixture of traditional and micro guides. Sometimes three traditional guides are needed whereas at other times, only two traditional guides are needed to work the line taper into the correct position along the rod …setting up the “zero point” for the micro guides. We soon learned from our testing, that the following occurs if the micro guides are set correctly, with the proper balance, tuning, and complimentary traditional guides:

- When micro guides are used versus traditional guides, the rod is ultimately lighter at the tip … which changes overall rod balance and especially rod tip balance. This reduction in weight has to be accounted for when the rod is initially balanced (i.e., handle system lay-up). Due to the lighter weight of the micro guides versus traditional guides towards the rod tip, the reduction in rod tip weight changes the overall rod dynamics … specifically, the moment along the backbone (or spline) of the rod. Additionally, the use of micro guides equates to a rod that weighs less overall which in turn equals more “comfort” over the course of a fishing excursion using that particular rod. The lighter rod tip enables a shift in the rod’s CG (center of gravity) which assists what we call “tip-up” system placement. Basically, when the rod is balanced correctly with all components attached, you effectively have a system of systems supported by the rod blank which when the rod is completed … the rod HAS to be balanced to enable a slight CG shift aft to enable the rod tip to maintain a position “up” … or better stated, slightly forward of neutral (i.e, the tip is 2-5 inches up from the corresponding horizontal plane). So in layman’s terms … less weight in the right spot can have a myriad of changes that must be accounted for to maintain rod balance and achieve the desired end result … better fishing performance in the same rod blank.

Engineering Note: Moment = Force * Distance. Using micro guides generally means a few more guides are required to support the same static and dynamic loads a rod endures when seeking the optimum parabolic bend (not every time, but as a rule of thumb as each rod is different) when compared to how traditional guides support those loads. The force being that which is applied in a static or dynamic load from the tip and tangent to every point along the rod (i.e., where the line is tangent to each micro guide ring) and the distance being the distance each guide is from the rod tip. As load changes along the rod spline, so does the distance of individual guide placement. If the F*D is not accounted for properly in the guide spacing … then you end up with a rod tip that encounters a positive Moment (or torque … commonly referred to as tip twist when the rod is under load). The twist not only deforms the rod, but never truly allows the rod to achieve parabolic bend (where the rod is strongest under load).

- Using the right number of micro guides placed in the right locations on the rod blank, the rod can be easily placed into its optimum parabolic bend … which is where we strive to have the guides placed EVERY time … this is a “fine-tune” requirement and is directly associated with guide placement for “zero point” as well as rod bend … one change affects the other and neither can be neglected to achieve max sensitivity and power for any rod. BTW: no two rods are the same as every rod is constructed of non-homogenous graphite or carbon material/etc. … therefore, the balance and bend of every rod is different and as such, the locations for guides must be different as well.

Ex: Pick up the exact two casting rods off-the-shelf, put the same reel on each of the two rods, and then place them into their respective “optimum” parabolic shapes by pulling the rod tips using the line. Note where the line begins to touch the blank on each rod. Note the tip twist of each rod. If the rods were the same, the line will touch at the same points on each of their respective rods and the twist (or hopefully, lack of twist) would be equivalent as well. Now cast the rods … distance and accuracy should be equivalent between the two rods. In every case, this will never happen with an “off-the-shelf” rod as every rod is manufactured using guide placements in the exact same spot of every blank being constructed in a similar rod … and I know of no company that mass produces fishing rods and takes the time to individually tune every guide under both a static and dynamic load … both of which are required to achieve optimum guide placement and ultimately rod performance (not to mention a few requirements that are never achieve before guide placement … such as rod splining, rod balancing of the handle system., rod re-balancing for guide systems, etc.). Don’t get me wrong, there are companies that take the time to complete a step or two of the overall “right” process … but there are none that perform all of the required steps. At Cajun Custom Rods, we strive to get the very best out of every blank for our customers … they painstakingly choose rod components that compliment their fishing style, technique, and specification … so we work hard to ensure their finished custom rod performs the way they expected it to … and then some if done right

- Casting accuracy is significantly enhanced due to the smaller “zero point” of the micro guides, but must be optimized to achieve that accuracy. The guide placement of both traditional and micro guides has to be completed accurately to enable the line to pass through each guides “zero point.” If the fishing line is passing in the “wrong spot” through the guide rings, then the line will slap the guides … ultimately reducing accuracy (not to mention chaffing of the line itself). Go back to the example above … when each rod is cast, the accuracy of each rod will differ due to improper guide placement and line slap (or in layman’s terms, friction of the line against each guide which causes drag to the line as it passes each guide). The drag not only reduces casting accuracy, but distance as well.

- Casting distance is not just power of the angler, but more importantly, how the rod is engineered (most importantly where the guides are placed and zero point as discussed above).

So, in our independent testing of “new technology” (in this instance … micro guides), here’s what we learned and ultimately why we now offer micro guides as a rod component selection to our customers at Cajun Custom Rods … the bottom line is that micro guides provide: lighter rod weight (overall), increased sensitivity, increased casting accuracy, increased casting distance, and enhanced comfort for the angler. A win across the board. The negatives: it takes time to set the rod up properly using the micro guides … not a significant difference when compared to traditional guides, but noticeable enough (at Cajun Custom Rods, we build rods one at a time … so this was not an issue – when you’re manufacturing hundreds/thousands of rods for retail … you can see the where the additional time required to build a rod properly equates to added cost and ultimately “corporate overhead.”

Our testing of new rod components is ongoing as the fishing industry is always changing and new technologies are introduced often – technology can be a good thing if managed accordingly. At Cajun Custom Rods we take the time to not only try what we believe “might” be an enhancement, but also take the time to listen to what our customers tell us. I’ve been asked often why we do not carry EVA foam as an option for our handle systems and the answer is simply stated as “durability.” Yes, the foam is durable and initially more so than a comparable grade cork. Yes, EVA foam grips are initially comfortable. Yes, EVA foam grips are aesthetically “good looking” and come in a wide range of colors that would match many of our rod components. Yes, EVA foam is much less expensive than cork. Yes, EVA Foam is easy to work with, or at least comparable to working with cork. So why then? Well, let’s wait a year after we’ve fished an EVA foam rod and a higher grade cork rod handle (i.e., the Super Grade cork or Super Grade Premium cork that we offer at Cajun Custom Rods) – not a lot of difference, they are both holding up pretty good. Two years … about the same with each with normal “wear” beginning to show. Now what I’ve found is that sometime between two and three years, the foam begins to deteriorate and break down. It is no longer supple and soft to the touch, it has begun to gray, some areas have either been chipped as they’ve dried out or harden, and there are areas where continuos use have “crushed” the grip and the taper is no longer constant. The high grade cork, well, those issues don’t really begin until around years 5-7 … and when they do, occur at a slower rate. When we build rods, we build them to last and EVA foam just doesn’t last. I’ll be honest with you … I do not enjoy (nor my team) nor do I want to remove a damaged grip on one of our handle systems … to turn right around and have to place a new one because the grip is worn out. More times than not … this requires a complete rod rebuild which equates to time and money (maybe off-the-shelf rods replace their handles/grips easily, but at Cajun Custom Rods … there’s really only two things that can remove one of our handle systems once it is set … God or a hacksaw . I’d rather build a rod right the first time, using the right materials and the right building processes … that way, there’ll be longer periods before rod refurbishment, rebuild, or repair is required. I guess if a company is putting out a few thousand rods, replacing a rod is no issue … to me, once I get comfortable with a rod … I prefer to have it around for awhile and not have to break in another

Times are hard and folks are working twice as hard for less money … so when it comes to spending a hard-earned dollar and folks having discretionary income to spend on a fishing rod … we’re here to make it worth their while and provide those folks with the piece of mind and confidence to trust their gear and know that Cajun Custom Rods is still here … building one performance fishing rod at a time. One of my favorite movie lines/quotes is spoken in the movie, “The Patriot” by Mel brooks to his two boys when ambushing the English in the woods, “Aim small, miss small.” It applies to so much that we do here at Cajun Custom Rods and in our daily lives … always striving to “get it right the first time.”

Tight lines!
- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

After just a few casts on the still water, we found what the bass wanted … frogs!  The sky was dark overcast with little to no wind throughout the day so that’s why we opted to pitch frogs that had darker colors … so the silhouettes could be seen by the fish as they looked overhead to their target.  Our planning paid off as we didn’t have but a few missed hits … and good follow-ups on the ones that did strike and miss.  We pitched frogs to timber and cover on the deeper drop-off banks for the rest of the afternoon into the evening and did well for never having fished the reservoir.  All in all, we managed 22 fish, with a solid 10 of them in the 3 pound range and a few in the four pound weight-class.  The remainder of the bass we caught were smaller ones from 9-14/15 inches.

For those who don’t know, Three Mile Lake has excellent cover and in its deepest area (about 1/4 mile from the dam) is only 35-40 feet.  Much of the cover is old timber with lots of brush and old fall-downs along the banks.  The vast majority of the banks slope to shallow, but within 10 yards of the bank drop to deeper water in the range of 15-20 or so feet.   There are weed-lines (now submerged), but prevalent throughout the lake and surrounding its perimeter.  Several rock jetties extend into the lake in and around the boat ramp, near the dam with lots of rock banks around the dam area.  The day we fished, there was very little wind and air temps were 80-85 degrees.  Water clarity was maybe a foot and stained (tea color).  Water temp throughout the lake was a solid 80-81 degrees and overall, the day could just be called “muggy.”

Here’s a few pictures of a few of the fish we landed at Three mile Lake:

Three Mile Lake Largemouth Bass

Three Mile Lake Largemouth Bass

Three Mile Lake Largemouth Bass

All-in-all, the trip was a success and we accomplished what we set out to do … see some new areas and try out a new lake in Iowa.  I am not certain the next opportunity we’ll have to get back to Three Mile Lake, but I know Tristan is already asking to get back and catch a few more large Iowa largemouth.  No matter, the trip was enjoyable for the two of us and I especially enjoyed watching that young man set the hook and pose for a few pictures with not only the bass he caught, but wanting to take one with his old man   Fish and travel safe on your own adventures, take a kid fishing whenever you get the chance, and tight lines!

Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

Phone: 904-738-0301

Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com

As soon as we arrived at the boat ramp, the skies opened up.  We stayed in the truck for about an hour until the heavy rain had passed and then began rigging out … readying for the day of fishing.  Since we were successful on crankbaits the previous day, we opted to start out with the same set up for our custom fishing rods on this day: Jack threw a pearl-white-iridescent Bomber crankbait that ran 6-8 feet and I was throwing a KVD sexy sunfish pattern crankbait that ran 3-5 feet.  After another 30 minutes of light rain, the sun finally shown through the clouds and we dropped the boat in and hit it!

We weren’t even off the dock and Jack was already catching fish … so I had a good feeling that today would be another banner day for catching fish … and we’d not have the opportunity to give the I-80 Lakes a try! We headed up the southern arm of Elwood Reservoir and began fishing the cranks – boat in 15-20 feet of water and baits to the bank and pulled out to us.  Slam, slam, slam … fish after fish we wandered the shore and points of this amazing reservoir and managed to catch just about every species offered by the lake: Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Wipers.  The only fish we didn’t manage to take for a free boat ride and a picture were: Walleye, Muskie, and of course … the ominous Nebraska Catfish (we didn’t catch any).

We fished through the evening and because we had light rain sprinkles throughout the afternoon, were a little damp and cool.  So shortly after sunset we decided to call it an “earlier” day/night of fishing and headed for the ramp … both of us grinning from the second amazing day of fishing in Western Nebraska on Elwood Reservoir.

As soon as we got back to the hotel … we crashed and when we woke the next day (3 July), packed up the truck and boat and hit the road east for home.  Little is spoken of the “middle-size” lakes or reservoirs in Nebraska … but from what I’ve learned in the short 2 years living around them and having the opportunity to fish a few … all are “gems in the rough” and waiting to be explored and fished – each with a character and uniqueness of their own.

Elwood Reservoir "Big" Largemouth Bass

Elwood Reservoir "Big" Crappie

Elwood Reservoir Northern Pike

Elwood Reservoir Wiper

Elwood Reservoir Yellow Perch

I’ll always remember the road trip with jack, a few days scouting and fishing in western Nebraska … and the smiles on my son’s face every time he held up his fish for a candid photo … something in me seems to think that in every photo … the fish were also smiling … that they had given such joy not only the young man that caught them … but to his proud father who watched his little boy catch a “piece of joy.”  Remember to be safe, take a kid fishing, and tight lines!

Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

Phone: 904-738-0301

Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com

On the July 1, the sun was shining with the occasional pocket of clouds and a light breeze (3-5 knots) out of the southwest … just enough to put a ripple on the water in the middle of the reservoir – still water around bends that were out of the wind.  Water temp throughout the reservoir held between 79-80 degrees, water clarity was an easy 4-5 feet on the main lake (1-2 feet in the back channels and fingers of the lake), air temp was 92 degrees … all excellent conditions for a great afternoon/evening of fishing.

No sooner had we dropped the boat and began to round the first bend to the northwest of the lake (from the dock) … our own fireworks began … the fish were hammering our lures.  Jack threw a pearl-white-iridescent Bomber crankbait that ran 6-8 feet and I was throwing a KVD sexy sunfish pattern crankbait that ran 3-5 feet.  We couldn’t keep the fish off the lines!  At Elwood, there is an abundance of good to great fish to include: Northern Pike (a lot of these from small to 30+ inches), Largemouth Bass (fair to good numbers in the 12-18 inch range with a few nice 20+ inchers), Yellow Perch (fair numbers in the 9-10 inch range), Walleye (folks we spoke with were catching them 15-18 inches pretty good … we never hooked into one though), Wipers (huge schools of big wipers in the 15-18 inch with a few monsters embedded), Muskie (we didn’t land any but saw a few 30+ inch fish destroy baitfish while fishing), and of course … the ominous Nebraska Catfish (we didn’t catch any).   We wrapped up the day around 10:30 PM that night and headed for the motel to get some rest … it had been a great day and we wanted to be sure we were prepped for the following day … with enough energy to do it again!

Below are a few more pictures of some of the larger fish we managed over the course of the day and evening while fishing Elwood Reservoir, just south of lexington, Nebraska:

Elwood Reservoir "Big" Largemouth Bass

Elwood Reservoir Northern Pike

Elwood Reservoir Wiper (White Bass)

Now that the Nebraska warm summer weather is here for awhile, there will be plenty of days and evenings to catch a few fond “fishing” memories of your own.  So when you get the chance, head out into the wild, find a lake, pond, stream, or river and take part in the Nebraska summer fish bite!  Remember to be safe, take a kid fishing, and tight lines!

Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods

Phone: 904-738-0301

Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com