Fish Catching Travel

Tough conditions?  Throw the Redfish Magic!

I had an appointment I could not get out of so it was 10 by time I shook loose.  It was cloudy and the forecast was for the wind to switch out of the north, clear up, and blow to 30 mph.  My hope was to get out enough before the wind change to catch a few bass, and it almost worked out.

Gust to 40mph with a Gale Warning on the coast.  That was the forecast at 6 yesterday.  I can sure attest to that, when the wind switched it started blowing hard enough I called it a day before 2.

When I got to the lake it was clearly up and the water color seemed to have clouded up again.  The skiff has the transducer in the hull so I have no clue what the water temp was, but it was cool to the touch.  The wind was still blowing out of the west and it started to rain pretty good as I approached the first bank.  So I struggle to get all the rain gear on, and of course it quits raining.  And worse the sky was starting to clear.

I fished main lake stuff around the dam and in those coves with spinnerbait, which they were not having, and topwater.  It was an easy hour before I had my first bite.

This one fooled me and it went downhill from there.

The first, and only fish I caught, ate a topwater balsa minnow in less than a foot of water in a big cove.  I kept after that for a while without success.  For the last 4 years on Coleto topwater has been the first real indicator of the spring bite beginning.  As  I fished to the end of one of the main lake banks it turned to timber so I tossed the senko around the first tree and one ate it immediately.  I always say it is the little things, and  I watched as a really good fish rolled over and broke my line on a branch.  I forgot that last time I fished I broke a couple off and decided the leader from the braid was weak.  To bad I forgot to change it.

So I retied with a new leader and tossed it back in there and one swam away with it, I set the hook, and about halfway back it comes off.  To make it more perfect the wind really started to blow out of the north, and then it blew harder.  I fished a couple of other places but it was just impossible.  I am just not that mad at them anymore.  When I got to the ramp a guy was having a heck of a time getting his aluminum boat on the trailer.  It took me 2 runs at it to get mine on.  And a as a side note they have fixed the approach to the one ramp with concrete.  It is still roped off, I am sure to cure, but it will be an improvement.  It would not hurt to fix the other side also, the holes are pretty big.

I admit I am trying to hurry spring along with my bait choice.  But in spite of my best efforts the forecast for this weekend, possibly below freezing tonight, will keep things in winter mode.  My only real hope is that it stays clear enough for the vegetation to grow at the lake.  Luckily the water level is getting up in the stuff, and when they start biting it should be really good.

******************

My last couple of trips have been a little rough, but the Shoedog had a good trip, without even leaving his house.

Nice one.  Love catching that size on a spinnerbait!

There is a little pond in his backyard that was empty a few years ago, but is full now.  It has bass, catfish, and bluegills in it.  He had trouble catching any bass out of it last year, but that surely changed the other day.

A couple of nice bass out of his small pond.

 So congrats on that first one, really a nice bass.  And I am already thinking about our trip to Bull Shoals and Norfork in Arkansas in April.

*******************

As I write this the wind is blowing about 25 out of the north and it is 45 degrees.  Looks like it will stay this way for about 3 days.  Not sure when the wind will quit, but hopefully it will be soon.  One thing I have been meaning to do is answer this question –

I am a novice coast fisherman. usually we wade fish with live shrimp on popping corks.
You always talk about baits you use but being a rook don’t know what they are. Could you please include some pictures of these lures. Thanks

Tell you what Glen, I am going to get up and go get an example of the lures I use in the salt and put a face to what I talk about.  It is good to be reminded that some folks who read this are rookies, or maybe just getting back in to fishing.  I hope that lots of you come here, it has become the reason I do this, to help anybody catch one more fish.  So here it comes.   And if anyone else has anything to add keep those comments coming.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines