Fish Catching Travel
I really did not think that I would be fishing today. My friend Jeffish had said he might be able to go, and at 8:30 this morning he called and we made plans to fish the lake. I met him at the ramp, and we were fishing by 10:45.
It was interesting how last week I fished Coleto on Sunday and there was only 5 trailers at the ramp. That was not the case today. There must have been a club tournament, in addition to everyone else.
We headed up lake and started on one of my favorite flats. We were sitting in 4 – 5 feet and throwing to the bank. Jeffish was throwing a bl/bl Strike King Swim Jig with a Rage Craw, I was throwing the summer craw. We eased down the bank, around the mouth of one cove, and to the next point. It probably took an hour and a half on the first bank, and we put 13 in the boat. None were real big, but we had lots of bites, missed a few, and lost a couple. So it was looking pretty good at the time.
Eating that Strike King Summer Craw Swim Jig.
We were just swimming that jig with a steady retrieve with an occasional hop in case they were tracking it, with half of the hits right on the bank, and the other half coming half way back to the boat. Jeffish had a little tough time getting the hang of the bite, but so did I when Aaron first taught me. The majority of bites on the swim jig are subtle, few just whack it. I have caught enough lately I was on them. I did break one off, but I can not say it was all that big. I ended up catching 5 or 6 like this, but just have not stuck a big one lately.
5 of these makes for a nice limit, but it was just not what we were looking for.
Today was one of those days when the cool front had definitely backed them off the shallower coves and flats. We fished a first cove and caught only one, and that is a place I have been catching them. We then fished a long bank just covered with grass, and the 3 that came over the side were right on the bank, but it was long stretch with only few hits.
At this point I knew we might be in trouble. So it was time to make a stand, so I headed to the back of a big flat cove, and we fished quite a bit of it, and only ended up boating another 3 or 4. By then it was clear the cold front had pushed them out of the real shallow water. This was one afternoon where they just seemed to quit. Jeff had to quit early, so we called it a day at 4:30.
It really is kinda funny that you can go out on a cold front, with high skies, during the slowest part of the day, and catch 20 and think it wasn’t that good. There have been many days when I would have killed for 20 bass with a limit around 14lbs. This weather has definitely backed them out and off the real shallow places. A crankbait in a little deeper water would have probably been the way to go. So pray for a few days of calm, sunny, warm weather. As soon as that happens it will be back to game on.
But as usual I enjoyed fishing with Jeffish, to bad that after catching 5 or 6 right off the bat he never boated another one. The Strike King Swim Jig can be a funny bite, and experience with good feel is important. Of the 14 or so I caught at least 3 that totally slack lined me, giving you a split second to set the hook. Catching those bites is just experience, nothing more. All in all we had our usual fish catching travel good time.
So with the weather slowing those bass down a little, it will be back to the Gulf next. I haven’t waded in a while, and since I have caught some trout on corkie, it is time to try to catch a big trout. As I have only really fished for trout seriously 4 years, other than trips when I was living in Arkansas, I am just getting the hang of it. The natural progression seems to be trying to catch the bigger ones. It is one of those things that you have to do with a purpose, hope I can get off my butt and make a serious go of it.
I have $50 worth of points at Cabela’s which is burning a hole in my pocket, so we are off to Buda, then Austin for some tunes, and a tune up on the car. Does that mean we will be all tuned up? Hope so. Then it will back to fishing. So thanks for reading my stuff. I enjoy writing about it almost as much as doing it. Not really, but it sounds like the sportsman thing to stay. So until next time………..
Good Luck and Tight Lines
