Fish Catching Travel
After the commotion of a week with company it was nice to get on the water and do some serious fishing. The forecast was for high winds from the north and a 40 degree temp drop, and they were right on. With the wind blowing 30 out of the north on a huge cold front not many people were out, to bad. This is a set of conditions to store in your memory. I have found over the years that in the spring when this happens the fish seem to be off in the morning, but then midday they turn on, and it turned out to be exactly that.
I started off about 11:00 on the main lake flat behind the small island, and of course I threw the Strike King Swim Jig. It is an excellent choice when you need to slow down. They are still near the grass, and that includes the main lake and the coves. Over the next couple of hours I caught one here and there, but the best places were still in the coves and pockets. There are fish still on the beds and some are done spawning, which makes for multiple patterns right now.
My first bite.
Lots of this size can be caught right now on Coleto.
Another nice swim jig fish.
I started off with a slow retrieve and picked up the speed as they started biting better and better. It is really important to throw it right on the bank right now as close to cover as you can get. Most are coming in the first couple of feet. It was interesting how during the day how they got more and more aggressive. It still surprised me how fast you can reel that jig.
As they became more and more aggressive it reminded me of a friend who is gone now, Jim Wakenight who I guided with back in the 70’s and 80’s in Arkansas. He always said to look at the cows on the way to the lake, if they are laying down the fishing will be slow. That goes along with Rickie Clunn’s views on watching the wildlife activity level, the birds, and other signs, to help you make decisions on where and how to fish. Today that view was spot on.
As the fish started smacking the swim jig hard, I noticed the birds were getting more active, the deer were feeding, and I saw 2 bunches of hogs on the lake shore. At that point I was thinking about Jimmy and his theory, so I decided maybe the buzzbait would work, and boy did it. When I caught the one below who tried to take my rod, it was the last swim jig I threw.
At this point the fish were trying to jerk the rod out of my hands.
Since I was finding the fish in the back of the coves with no wind and lots of grass, I headed back to the coves behind the big island and it was awesome. I caught 5 in the first one, 4 or 5 in the second, and then headed to the long bank out of the wind in the Coleto arm. For the next couple of hours they just ate it. It was not one of those gee I wonder if I had a bite deal, it was all out blowing up on that thing!
I quit taking pictures after I caught this girl on a buzzbait. When they started they were smashing it so it was camera down and game on.
I ended up quiting at 5, and lost track of how many I caught, but it was plenty. It was one of those days a buzzbait fisherman lives for. The few that did miss it you could toss back at them and almost every time I got another hit. They really moved into the back ends and I was tossing it as far as I could over the matted grass. The one above was the biggest I caught, but for me it is a matter of the bite. They were explosive, and I just started covering as much ground as possible reeling it fairly fast.
So it was nice to have a day where the fish did exactly what I thought they would do. The old saying the more I fish the luckier I get is so true. What it really means is that nothing replaces time on the water. And that experience can be translated to more fish by thinking about what you have done in the past, where you did it, and how the conditions work with those experiences. Mechanically I am pretty good, I can cast, tie on baits, run the trolling motor, and everything else that comes with fishing. But that is not what makes me a good fisherman. It is not all the cool equipment, great boats, and all the lures anyone could ever want. It is a matter of putting it all together.
Of course they will fool you. Like when you change baits and catch one on the first cast and then don’t get another bite on it. Or trying to make the fish do what you want. Those traps can stymie any fisherman. As I have said before, listen to the fish and they will tell you what you need to know. So keep and open mind when you head to the lake. Be flexible, everything works together, and like today, when you put it all together the fish gods will smile on you.
I still have not made it to the Gulf. The fishing reports are really picking up and the redfish are hot right now. From the local reports the trout fishing is still somewhat spotty and seems to be a matter of wading through lots of smaller fish to get a limit. I have some trailer work to do so I will be heading to Coleto tomorrow so I can put the boat in and then do the work I need to do on the trailer. But after tomorrow I will be headed to the Gulf as a steady diet. I need my saltwater fix, and with Belize coming in 3 weeks I want to take the fly rod and try to put a redfish in the boat. That should be something, but what that something is remains to be seen.
Thanks for reading my stuff. By writing about my experience I have a chance to review the day and put it firmly in my memory. And some day next spring when the wind blows and the front comes, who knows, maybe I can put it together and repeat today’s success. Like all fisherman hope springs eternal.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
