FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I am really looking forward to fishing with Fred and David today.  A couple of hard core tourney fishermen Fred contracted me a while ago wanting to know if I could fish with him and spread a little swim jig knowledge.  Not sure what I can really show them, but I am looking forward to the day.  For some reason I am always a little apprehensive fishing with new folks, and in this case it is a little more than normal but that is what makes guiding and tournament fishing what it is.  After fishing hundreds of tournaments in my early years the guys now are light years ahead of what we did in the days of flasher electronics, cigar style boats, and when graphite rods were a new thing. And I sure do not want to mess up their practice for a coming tournament, they have their ways and don’t need me to add to their confusion.  But like I always say, you don’t know until you go.

Weather

84/66  Cloudy becoming partly cloudy.  Wind SSW 5 -10.  10% chance of rain.

Solunar Times

Good 11:03 am to 1:03 pm.  (Only relevant period today.)

Lake Level

Today  96.69   Thurday  96.73   (The slow decline continues.)

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All I Have to Say is WOW!

There were people, boats, jet skis, tubers, and a ton of folks fishing.  Every parking lot was full and it was overflow parking.  It has been a while, in fact never, when I have been on the lake and it was that busy.  (Reminded me why I don’t fish many weekends.)  Since David and Fred drove over from San Antonio we met at 8:30.  By time we got on the water the lake crowd had a full head of steam.  And it looked like there was at least 2 tournaments going, not to mention several folks from their club who were practicing for a tournament next week.

We only had one plan, they wanted to swim jig fish, and that we did.  It started off slow, and because we stayed with the swim jig it remained slow.  It took David a little to get the hang of, and unfortunately David never did quite get it right.  It is not as easy as it would seem.

David with one of the 3 or so like this, the rest were small.

We fished from all the way uplake, where it was stacked with boats in the morning, (The most I have ever seen “up” there.) to a big cove near the plant.  If I had to guess we might have scratched out a tournament limit, but only 3 during the day were “ok”.  I give them tons of credit, they stayed with the program in spite of slow fishing.  Occasionally we would toss the senko style bait at hardwoods, and like I said the other day, that is the pattern right now, and for what little we did that the bites were regular.  But we soldiered on.  They were determined to get the feel, the only way to become competent with a bait is to stay with it until you get the “point”.

Unlike the last couple of trips, or months it seems, there was literally no wind.  Oh the lament of the fisherman, “It is windy every freakin’ day, now there is not a lick.”  It is why we keep going, because every once in while it all lays out perfect, unfortunately today was not that day.  But when it is all said and done I hope they learned something.  You have to start somewhere, and while at times they slam that swim jig, today they were just getting on.  It led to them having a tough time when the fish would just do the swim up behind and eat it without having a “hit”.   Actually it might be for the best, as tough as the bite was, next time they give it a go hopefully not only will they catch more fish, but some will actually result in a “hit’, which makes it a lot easier to catch them.  And today was a perfect example of experience, it is amazing how often I set the hook on the swim jig before my mind ever registers a hit.  And the way they have been eating it is not the easiest bite on the lake.

They are fishing today, and the conditions could not be better this morning.  A little windy out of the south, cloudy, and there is a big ass cold from coming with north winds to 30 arriving this afternoon.  Hope they get on the big bite before it gets here, and I am sure the traffic is not nearly as spectacular as yesterday.  My only complaint about our day together, I could have fished better.  Guess that is why they call it fishing.  But it did remind me of why tournament fishing is what it is, you have to catch them no matter what, conditions, traffic, it does not matter.

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I got a chance to stop in Cabela’s Friday and the plan was to pick up some swim jigs and assorted other stuff I can’t live without, but keep it to a dull roar.  But of course we did find a great deal on a pair of Simm’s wading boots that were regularly $225 at $80.  Having small feet, deal likes this come up every once in a while, and at $80 could not pass them up.  And with a trip to Alaska on the bucket list they actually fit the wife so she will be stylin’ when we are there, and I now have a spare pair.  And she picked up a one of those bug repellant Exofficio shirts.  Can’t wait to see how well it works in the Amazon.  I have my doubts, but if you want to put that to the test the Amazon would seem to be the place.   Funny how a couple of swim jigs turns into a couple sacks of stuff.

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There will be some serious fish catching travel going on around here the next few months and I could not be more excited.  First it will be Peru at the end of April with some offshore fishing followed by a little fishing in the Amazon.  How cool is that?  Then a week after I get back it looks like I will be off with the Wade Right guys and some of their friends on a 3 day house boat trip to the Chandeleur Islands.  That has always been on my bucket list and has some of the best wade fishing in the country.  And then a couple of weeks after that it will be joining the Austin Boys for 3 days of fishing in Port Mansfield.  It might have been a little slow around here at times last year but I am back with a vengeance.

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I want to thank Fred and David for taking me fishing yesterday, I really like fishing with new folks, especially when they bring the boat!  And I promise not to whisper a word about the Biffle Bug.  Depending on this front, it is 11:00 Sunday morning as I type this, Jeffish and Korbin are thinking about camping on Coleto and doing some jugging for catfish.  If it happens I will be heading out there later to catch bait and toss jugs.  I have done that occasionally for years, and love finding a big cat pulling the jug under.  As a side note, when we did that for cats on Lake Norfork we would find the occasional big striper on the line.  After that I will be looking for a day or two on the bay.  Then it is off to Nashville for a quick weekend trip, then back on the water.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines