FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Not a guess what tomorrow will bring on the lake.  Plus now that we set the clocks ahead it will be interesting to see what time I get to the lake, I hope at daylight.  I have a few days to fish this week, then off on a fishing trip.  It will be hard at it and may even hit the bay as Wednesday, the wind looks like it might take a little rest, before it gets right back at it.  Since the wind helps the lake, as long as it does not blow 30 and run me off the bass better look out.

Weather

54/80.  Cloudy in the morning, then intervals of clouds and sunshine in the afternoon with a 22% chance of rain.  Wind S 10-32 mph.

Lake Level

Today   97.35 msl.    2 days ago   97.37 msl.

Bite Times

Major   10:55 am to 12:55 pm.   Minor  4:16 pm to 5:16 pm.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Well now that was just dandy.  First place, catch 4 and miss a couple.  I will not bore you with any pics, not worth showing.  And then, from 8:00 to 1:30 I had 3 more bites and caught 2 of them, and they were even smaller.  For the life of me I do not have a clue what is going on at the lake right now.

To say I fished some great places with great baits would not be an exaggeration.  Even fished one of my catch a big bass cove, which for years I have referred to as Jurrasic Park.  There is enough water and it has produced some great fish over the years, today not a bite.  Fishing recent places and old, different types of banks I just could not get it going.  The first ones came on the 5″ Pearly Knocking Tail on a swimbait hook, 1 on crankbait and 1 on spinnerbait.  But for some reason as soon as the sun it out they give it a rest.

Today it was dead calm at daylight, and blowing 15 mph when I left.  Neither seemed to play a role today, when the wind came up they did not bite, at least sure not where I was.  The water temp is still in the low 60’s and not sure what is the problem with that.  And it seems the farther up I go the slower it gets.

So call me stumped, clueless, old, whatever, successful fisherman is not one of them today.  Of course that is not going to stop me, the boat is still hooked up, and I will bang my head against that same wall tomorrow but with some different tactics.

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My Old Stomping Grounds – It Is On!

My buddy Clyde has been wearing them out on Norfork where I spent much of my early adult life.  Guiding, a little tournament fishing, and just generally being a fishing bum for 25 years it was a great time in my life.  We sure caught some fish.  And it is fishing as good now as it was then, actually better in some cases.  Now that there is also a consistent walleye fishery another element to the catch has been added.

Clyde with a real one!  Plenty of this size around, a great striper fishery.

He reports it is on, which on Norfork means the works.  Crappie, bass, walleye, stripers, hybrids, take your pick.  With the water temp 50 degrees and rising it is perfect for some of the best fishing of the year.  Jerk bait, grub, A RIg, then spinnerbait as the temp rises, they all have a place.

And pound for pound big hybrids are tough as anything that swims.

My last trip 2 years ago we put the hurt on them and I was using a topwater Rapala minnow in the sexy shad color.  It is hard to describe how just insane it is fishing stripers at night on top.  Reeling your topwater along slowly making a light wake when it happens, sounds like someone threw a concrete block in the lake when they hit.  Then it takes off like you are hooked a jeep.  And you never know for sure whether it is a hybrid or a striper, or something else.

This is the color I caught them on last time, only on top.

By slow reeling this medium diver it actually adds additional fish species to the stringer that the topwater generally does not.  Many a big walleye or bass has been caught this way, and when you feel the thump time to see what’s up.  It really is an exciting way to fish.  Unless you have something against catching 20lb fish!

Fresh eats!  This before dark then on to the big boys!

And if you are so inclined do some bass fishing, work over some brush piles for crappies, or chase big white bass, supper is a cast away.  Norfork produces some really big whites, over 4lbs is not that uncommon.  Want to top off your catch, how about some hard fighting smallmouth?

It you want to do it all the White and North Fork Rivers have some of the best trout fishing in the world.  Big rainbows to 20lbs and Browns to 35 have been caught.  Tell me another place where you can do all of that in the same day.

So what brought this on?  Guess I am loading up and heading that way in a few days.  No matter your what or where, when it is time to go it is time to go.  Can’t wait to see what happens.

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Congrats to the Aggies for literally beating the snot out of my Razorbacks in the semi-finals of the SEC tournament.  They are as scrappy as they come and are going to be a tough out for whoever plays them once the NCAA tournament starts.  So good luck today against Tennesse.  (And I just wonder about those fans, of course there were some, who during the 8 game losing streak were calling the coaches head.)  Since I wrote this the Aggies got a good screwing.  Their play in the tournament should have got them an NCAA bid.  Plenty of teams that did would get creamed by the Aggies.

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And this comment from Rick.

Not sure what part of Travis you like to fish, but I live less than 5 minutes from the boat ramp in Jonestown and have a spare bedroom that you are more than welcome to stay in with a free meal to boot. Maybe be even a cold beverage or 2. (And no political conversation, I promise?
Rick

Appreciate the offer but the plan has changed.  (See above.)  After Arkansas not sure what is next.  There are some really big fish being caught on Falcon and it might be next on the list.  Timing is everything so will see how it plays out this spring.  And the price of gas could play a role the rest of the spring.

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Watching boats for sale there are several out there that are low hours but years old.  There was a time when I considered anything over 300 hours on a boat motor to be a lot.  But as my Merc hovers around 1500 hours, it is living proof what doing the maintenance can do.  I know it seems expensive at times, and it is, but it sure is cheaper in the long run than changing engines.  As gas rises, we shall see where that goes, trading engines “just cause” may not be the best plan.  When looking at buying a used boat if it has 300 hours plus just ask for the maintenance record.  Unless an Etech it should have been seen 3 times, annually at the minimum.  And it is the only way to determine what the hours truly are unless the owner has x ray vision.  As boat prices somehow have started to top $100k used may be the way most folks buy one, so do your research, and if no documentation or mechanic you can speak to, move on.

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I was due for a tough day, just have to sit back and think about it.  Plastics and slower may be the ticket, just have to wait and see.  But it will be up and gone in the morning, if nothing else work on my tan.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines