Sorry if it's a double-post ...
Q.
Hello all –
When I first joined the group I was looking forward to posting a fair amount of fishing reports, hopefully with some success. Unfortunately, the Spring & Summer found us with some serious med. issues in the house. That pretty much put the kibosh on most fishing. So, my (our … my wife is a pretty decent fisher-woman!) ‘fishing fix’ has been primarily reading other reports … thanks. Thankfully, the med. issues seem to be turning around. (fingers crossed) That left Sept. to ‘wet our waders’ some.
So, here’s my first (albeit late) report to share.
I guess I’ll say that I’m not sure what to title this one …
‘Bait is best’ doesn’t seem quite right … but then, neither does ‘Top water rules’.
Suggestions !?
I took some vacation days (finally) the last week of Sept. … but, as luck would have it my wife Pen had to work that first Monday (27th), and the weather was iffy. I was at odds about what to do, but finally decided to wet a line. I had pretty low energy and was not ‘into it’ as I’d normally be, so chose an ‘easy in, easy out’ pond. We prefer to wade fish and this one is an easy wade. It’s usually good for a few bass and Calico’s, etc. … but, it was noon. There was some wind, and I like to fish windy days, so once I got into the water I went into ‘hunt mode’. I chose a high floating, very shallow diver chunky plug in bright fluorescent orange [though I typically agree that ‘natural colors’ are best]. The bass in this pond seemed to have preferred anything with orange the few times I’d been, and this particular lure on windy days. This time was no different. Within about 20 minutes I had brought to hand two bass the larger of which was a chunky 18 incher. I should mention that I use, almost exclusively, an ultra-light rod with 6 lb line. There was a lull for awhile after those first two bass, and I made a long cast straight out and, a moment after the lure hit the water I had a hit and instinctively set the hook. An instant later a bass of about ten inches rocketed into the air with that orange plug waving. It was a fish, but I was a bit disappointed at the size. As soon as it hit the water it dove down into the weeds, which are only a few inches under the surface. Once it hit the water I felt a bump and a weight, which I took to be it wrapping weeds, so as I usually do with the Ultralight, I re-set the hook. Moments later I was surprised at the power of this little feisty bass, but not at the weight which I was sure was the darn weeds building up. My line sawed back and forth in what were surprisingly long runs for this fish, and after 3 or 4 minutes I had the line a bit closer and in somewhat less weedy water. The dark color of the water made it impossible to see even the orange lure, but when the line was about 30 feet away the fish took off on yet another strong run. I was perplexed, but impressed by this little fish, especially with the weight of the wad of weeds I thought I could feel on the end of the line. I was getting a bit suspicious (there are no smallmouth's in this pond), but still hadn’t reached for the net. Finally, a couple of minutes later I got a glimpse of orange … and, something a lot larger than my little bass.
It was now TOO close to lip as strong as it was swimming … especially in waders (I've had them dive low and hook my waders before ... never good !) … so I had to give line while I quickly reached over my shoulder for my net. I had a couple of more looks at the fish as I tried to maneuver it closer again … and a few moments of ‘oh oh’s’ … a couple more short runs and I slid the net under her. Yikes.
I kept the net in the water and sloshed toward shore. Luckily there was a woman on the shore and she agreed to take a couple of quick photos (I always carry a Digi camera – waterproof!) and I took a length & girth measurement with the fish in the net in the water as the lady watched … then off to the weeds she went back to thrill someone else (the fish, that is!).
Okay all … 25 inch long x 18 inch girth largemouth.
Here’s what I think happened …
The little ten inch bass hit the water, dove for the weeds and, the bump and weight I felt was the big girl nailing the first bass. [Bait is best !? … Top water rules ?! ... certainly ... 'Big lure - Big fish!']
What I thought was the weight of the weed ball was all fish, as there were no weeds at all on the line or lure … which was firmly lodged in her lip by one hook … when I netted her.
Clearly … it paid to re-set the hook … and, to stay focused on playing the fish, even when I thought it was a ten incher with a weed ball. If there’s a next time I’ll pay more attention when my suspicions start to kick-in.
With that Bass I re-took the lead between my wife and I (well, at least length) … as she landed a largemouth 22 May 2010 on one of our very few fishing mornings this year (we actually left shortly after when she felt ill) … hers was 24 inch long x 19 ½ inch girth.
That’s a great story also …
Now … how do I upload photos ?! (though, not great ... she was nice to do it, but not comfortable with the camera)
I have another report from this Sept of my brother and I in western Ma. … another good fish.
I hope to be reporting more frequently now … and … (!) we are now owners of SOT kayaks, with which we will expand our fishing horizons next year ! [can you use those in the tourneys, or are those just for power boats ?]
Thanks for reading … Quack
Last edited by dragonhunter on Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
I have an appt after work tonight, but will try to figure out the photo upload either later or tomorrow. Honestly, the computer stuff is all Geek to me (!), and my son's not home until tomorrow.
11 lb. ?!?!? Geez, she was a brute ... or Bully ! ... but, I'm doubting 11 ... 8-9 would not have surprised me at all. Next year I'm getting one of those Boca scales. Darn heavy though ... but, not as heavy (but I won't admit it to her) as my wife Pen's this May.
She's landed ... in the last three years ... a 24 1/2, a 24.0 and a 24 3/4 inch Bass (different locations). I had a 25 3/4 inch last year (PB) in June, but smaller girth.
Q.
Hello again ... trying (again) to add a couple of photos ... not sure what the heck I'm doing ... here goes nothing ... !
Sorry if it's a double-post ...
Q.
Hello all –
When I first joined the group I was looking forward to posting a fair amount of fishing reports, hopefully with some success. Unfortunately, the Spring & Summer found us with some serious med. issues in the house. That pretty much put the kibosh on most fishing. So, my (our … my wife is a pretty decent fisher-woman!) ‘fishing fix’ has been primarily reading other reports … thanks. Thankfully, the med. issues seem to be turning around. (fingers crossed) That left Sept. to ‘wet our waders’ some.
So, here’s my first (albeit late) report to share.
I guess I’ll say that I’m not sure what to title this one …
‘Bait is best’ doesn’t seem quite right … but then, neither does ‘Top water rules’.
Suggestions !?
I took some vacation days (finally) the last week of Sept. … but, as luck would have it my wife Pen had to work that first Monday (27th), and the weather was iffy. I was at odds about what to do, but finally decided to wet a line. I had pretty low energy and was not ‘into it’ as I’d normally be, so chose an ‘easy in, easy out’ pond. We prefer to wade fish and this one is an easy wade. It’s usually good for a few bass and Calico’s, etc. … but, it was noon. There was some wind, and I like to fish windy days, so once I got into the water I went into ‘hunt mode’. I chose a high floating, very shallow diver chunky plug in bright fluorescent orange [though I typically agree that ‘natural colors’ are best]. The bass in this pond seemed to have preferred anything with orange the few times I’d been, and this particular lure on windy days. This time was no different. Within about 20 minutes I had brought to hand two bass the larger of which was a chunky 18 incher. I should mention that I use, almost exclusively, an ultra-light rod with 6 lb line. There was a lull for awhile after those first two bass, and I made a long cast straight out and, a moment after the lure hit the water I had a hit and instinctively set the hook. An instant later a bass of about ten inches rocketed into the air with that orange plug waving. It was a fish, but I was a bit disappointed at the size. As soon as it hit the water it dove down into the weeds, which are only a few inches under the surface. Once it hit the water I felt a bump and a weight, which I took to be it wrapping weeds, so as I usually do with the Ultralight, I re-set the hook. Moments later I was surprised at the power of this little feisty bass, but not at the weight which I was sure was the darn weeds building up. My line sawed back and forth in what were surprisingly long runs for this fish, and after 3 or 4 minutes I had the line a bit closer and in somewhat less weedy water. The dark color of the water made it impossible to see even the orange lure, but when the line was about 30 feet away the fish took off on yet another strong run. I was perplexed, but impressed by this little fish, especially with the weight of the wad of weeds I thought I could feel on the end of the line. I was getting a bit suspicious (there are no smallmouth's in this pond), but still hadn’t reached for the net. Finally, a couple of minutes later I got a glimpse of orange … and, something a lot larger than my little bass.
It was now TOO close to lip as strong as it was swimming … especially in waders (I've had them dive low and hook my waders before ... never good !) … so I had to give line while I quickly reached over my shoulder for my net. I had a couple of more looks at the fish as I tried to maneuver it closer again … and a few moments of ‘oh oh’s’ … a couple more short runs and I slid the net under her. Yikes.
I kept the net in the water and sloshed toward shore. Luckily there was a woman on the shore and she agreed to take a couple of quick photos (I always carry a Digi camera – waterproof!) and I took a length & girth measurement with the fish in the net in the water as the lady watched … then off to the weeds she went back to thrill someone else (the fish, that is!).
Okay all … 25 inch long x 18 inch girth largemouth.
Here’s what I think happened …
The little ten inch bass hit the water, dove for the weeds and, the bump and weight I felt was the big girl nailing the first bass. [Bait is best !? … Top water rules ?! ... certainly ... 'Big lure - Big fish!']
What I thought was the weight of the weed ball was all fish, as there were no weeds at all on the line or lure … which was firmly lodged in her lip by one hook … when I netted her.
Clearly … it paid to re-set the hook … and, to stay focused on playing the fish, even when I thought it was a ten incher with a weed ball. If there’s a next time I’ll pay more attention when my suspicions start to kick-in.
With that Bass I re-took the lead between my wife and I (well, at least length) … as she landed a largemouth 22 May 2010 on one of our very few fishing mornings this year (we actually left shortly after when she felt ill) … hers was 24 inch long x 19 ½ inch girth.
That’s a great story also …
Now … how do I upload photos ?! (though, not great ... she was nice to do it, but not comfortable with the camera)
I have another report from this Sept of my brother and I in western Ma. … another good fish.
I hope to be reporting more frequently now … and … (!) we are now owners of SOT kayaks, with which we will expand our fishing horizons next year ! [can you use those in the tourneys, or are those just for power boats ?]
Thanks for reading … Quack