FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

If that is not worth getting up for what is?

Though I had a few things to do last week about half the reason I did not fish was it was so hot.  Today was no improvement but it turned out ok.  It was not fast by any means but once the trolling started it was consistent for 2 hours and the only reason I quit was it got freakin’ hot.  The water temp was 91 – 93, fairly clear, and it was flat as a pancake with very little breeze.

Weather

77/95.  Partly cloudy skies. High near 95F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Lake Level

One week ago 97.65 msl.  Today 97.64 msl.

Bite Times

Major  6:00 am to 8:00 am.

************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Biggest of the morning.  Hand to hand combat getting her out of a tree.

I started off fishing the Bang O Lure and it produced 4 bites and 2 came over the side.  Though it has slowed significantly if you find the right point with grass and some deep water close it can produce a big one, and it almost did today.  I went to twitch it and it was hooked on itself and so made a big ruckus on the way to the boat and one rolled on it but did not get hooked.  Tossed it right back in there and she ate it under the surface and took off.  While I thought she was hooked I never actually set the hook and she pulled off.  To bad it was a good one.  The last few trips the Bang O Lure has gotten bit by a good one each time and tomorrow or the next day looking forward to fishing what I found later.

The Bang O Lure doing some work.

From about 8 – 9:00 tossed the watermelon red trick worm with a pegged 3/16 slip sinker to deep wood.  The first one came on a tree in about 10′ of water, the next was the one above that came off a really deep tree on a wooded point.  A classic place to get bit.  It was the only good one today and it took a little rasslin’ around to get her out but it made the morning.  Until…….

Finally, a white bass trolling.

The plan was to troll down lake, but on the way I stopped on a deep bank and tossed the worm some when I saw shad breaking with some chasing in the mouth of a big cove.  Easing over there bass were breaking in small groups and the locator was lit up with shad.  One that jumped right next to the boat while being chased was a threadfin a little over an inch long.  I tried to make the perfect cast with the Bang O Lure but it was just a hair to big so out came the small crankbaits and the bite was on.

And a ton of these on the troll.

The bass bit until I quit at 11:30 and it was nice to boat a good white bass and finally a good size blue cat.  Unfortunately, I forgot the camera this morning and some of the phone pics did not come out but suffice to say while it is hard to estimate how many bass jumped on, but it was at least 15 easy.  And they were hammering it.  Some would have measured but most were in the 12 – 14″ range.  But they sure are fat and sassy.  I found some in another place that is one of my go to trolling places but the interesting thing was the cove that was full of them.  Can’t wait to give them a go at daylight.

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I am very happy that by closing the comments it has completely ended the spam.  Of course, not hearing from folks is not great but I will give it a couple of weeks and turn it back on.  That crap is computer generated and once it starts it has been impossible to stop but at least I do not have to mess with it every day.  Thanks for sticking with me.

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Looney Gilmore

Not sure how old these are but Looney used to come by my store in the early 70’s.  A real character he was a traveling lure guy.  In those days you actually had suppliers calling on you and bringing lures and supplies.  He made tons of different lures including the first wooden Devil’s Horse, (At least the first I ever saw.) including a wooden one for peacock bass fishing which was a brand new thing then.  My buddy Tom has these and there are not many in existence, especially in the package.  Not exactly sure as it was 50 years ago but I believe he invented the Devil’s Horse and sold it to a Louisiana company.  It has been a staple in bass fishing for decades and still is.

One thing about living in North Arkansas in the early 70’s it was a time of innovation including the first real bass jig, the Sam Welch jig.  One year we had real high water and my friend Buddy Meador wanted his Rebel minnow to slow sink to keep it next to the brush longer, so he experimented with solder on the trebles and actually invented the first suspending jerk bait.  During that period we took the old red Ambassador and put bigger handles and changed the gears to get a 5 .0 retrieve, we were the shit.  And when we got the first Fenwick graphite blanks it was a game changer from fiberglass.  Then the first Lew’s Speed Spool appeared, and it was on.  From the Ranger cigar style boat to the Champ and big V’s boating was changing constantly.  Heck my first graph was an X15 which was a paper graph like a lie detector.  Who would have guessed it would lead to all this.  It was a time of innovation and I am glad I was there.

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Going to take a look at tomorrow’s weather because I want to be on that cove at daylight the next day or two.  It just might be a good Bang O Lure bite first thing.  It seems it lasts about an hour of a little more but when it is over it is done.  Then I will troll up a fish fry for the Boss when she is done with a 4-day rotation.  I might drive her nuts at times, but she will tell you, I am a fish frying fool and she loves eating them from the water straight to the pan.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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