FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Weather

83/71  Thunderstorms and rain.  80% chance.  Wind NE 5 – 10.

Solunar Times

Best  11:24 am to 1:24 pm.

Lake Level

Today  94.16 msl.   20 days ago  94.14 msl.  (It has come up .04 in the last 24 hours.)

********************A new bait coming soon!

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Let the fishing begin.  I wanted to run the boat and make sure it was all good before hitting the road, and if I ever saw a day that had bass written all over it today was it.  It has been tough so was hoping it was going to improve on Coleto.

It was raining right along when I got up.  So as soon as it slacked off around 9:30 it was time to load up and hit the lake.  As the title of this post says – this is my kind of day.  Drizzle, rising water, and a light wind says bass all day long, and it was a major improvement from my last few trips.  Fall is coming and I am about to fish until I puke.

The rains have come just in time.

The lake was just about to drop to the level of a few years ago during the drought, and the water had receded to the end of the piers.  So be advised that the end of the ramp is not that far out and so until the lakes comes up some be careful.  There is a sign on the pier telling you how far the end of the ramp is, so beware.  The water has some color, more as you go further up lake, and the water temp has come down 6 – 8 degrees.  Today was a perfect bass fishing day.

A real Bang O Lure kind of day!

Starting up lake one jumped the buzzbait on my 3rd cast.  Like they have been, that one, and most of the others, came out of wood or dam close to it.  Keeping with the buzzbait for an hour only produced 1 other half-hearted attempt so it was time to pitch the 4″ craw with a 1/4 tungsten sinker on 15lb. fluoro.  Over the next hour or so I boated 5 or 6 on plastic.  The one below came out of a green tree in about 8′ of water.  After releasing her I made a half-hearted cast to the edge of the tree as I stepped up on the deck and a good one jumped it.  Not sure what it was, it was not well hooked, and after a pretty good struggle it pulled off.  It acted like a catfish, which I have been catching on lures all year on Coleto.  To bad, it was quite a bit heavier than this one.

The line jumped 6″ when she hit.

As I worked that bank there would be the occasional shad flip.  A balsa shad crankbait did not work, which surprised me.  So around 1:00 it was time to head down lake and fish some clear water.  With a nice drizzle and clouds there should be some up.  I figured the Bang O Lure could produce some bites and it did.  They wanted it right on the bank next to a piece of cover.  The 3 best ones hit it almost the minute it hit the water.  The big girl (first pic) above was on a gnarly  stump and just sucked it under.  They were definitely not interested in chasing anything.

First one of the morning on the buzzbait, then the first one on the Bang O Lure.

As you can see it would rain a while, and then drizzle lightly, then nothing for minute and it would start up again.  Today was one of those throw it on their head days.  The wind was up a little so I did fish 2 windy banks with spinnerbait without a bite.  But I wanted to cover most of the stuff I fish so it was a serious try.  By then it was apparent that the topwater in the clearer water was best, though no particular typed of bank or structure was a pattern.  The big girl came on a point in less than a foot, then another on a channel bank, and even a couple in a cove.  Since there is very little cover due to the low water it seemed like a good piece of cover no matter where it was had a good chance of having a fish on it.  Definitely classic rainy day fishing, and boy I do like it.  Plus those days you have it all to yourself.

Unfortunately I had to quit early, it had almost quite raining so no excuse not to get the grass mowed.  Since I am fishing somewhere in a couple of days it would have been a mess if I did not get it done.  You know, “that guy” who doesn’t mow his grass as much as the neighbors.  But the day was definitely a success.  With the forecast calling for several days of rain, and the lake finally starting to rise, the bite will be on for several days.  And nice that the early rain was in the 70’s, with the water cooling added to the mix it should be good.

I did check on a guy in an old Ranger who was having motor troubles.  The boat was plowing then it would die.  He had the cover off so I made sure he was ok.  He said no problem I can make it, so I kept track of him until he made the ramp.  Always remember it could be you next so help a brother fisherman out when you get the chance.

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Topwater Billy sent this question along after I posted the marlin picture.

Couple of things.
I can’t make out the marlin photo. What is stuck on it’s bill?
That being said, until you captioned it, I thought it was a painting as opposed to a photo.

If the forecasters are anywhere near right, you best have some wet weather gear if you’re going to be on the water this week.

The marlin stuck that turtle through and through.  Chris said it looked like there was a line in the marlin’s mouth.  Here is my guess and I am sticking with it.  If they had it hooked and it was going nuts it could have easily headed up to jump and impaled the turtle.  Obviously he was not going to eat it.  And today’s forecast was right, so it was rain suit on and sack them up.

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The next time you hear from me I will be “somewhere.”  Louisiana has been the plan but I have not committed after watching the weather.  There is an alternative or 2 so weather watching the next 24 hours will ultimately decide where I am headed.  Actually it is kind of fun to be weighing the alternatives because it is happening, where is the only question.  The only downside to Grand Isle is going through Houston.  It is always an adventure towing the boat, especially with all the construction.  But it is only 8 hours, an easy trip, and I can feel them thumping that spinnerbait as I type this.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines