FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

It rained yesterday, basically all day, so I did not get on the water.  As we got over an inch it will be real interesting how the cool rain affects the bite on Coleto, but if I was guessing, and I am, it should slow things down.  Here is the current water level on the lake.

Today  94.38 msl.   Monday  94.21 msl.  (Last time we were at that level was December 15th.)

So the water is coming up  (I am happy about that!) and I am sure there is more to follow.  As it was in the mid 50’s all day I would expect the rain temp to be in the same category, or even cooler.  As far as water color that remains to be seen, but the couple of creeks close to the house were running right along.  Since I am prepping to head to Travis in the morning to fish a couple of days with Ro and David it will be Monday before I am back on the lake.  So while the cool rain may slow it down some we needed the rain and the lake definitely needs the water.

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Just got some of the new Knockin Tail Lures in a multitude of colors and they look fabulous.  So click on the link and take a look.  Heck pre-order some as it is going to be first come first served.  And now I don’t have to hide them when I catch a fish! 

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Ro is a good multi-species fisherman who catches them doing whatever it takes.  So I expect it will be everything from bass fishing to even some trolling.  Travis has good white bass fishing and stripers, and as we are staying on the upper end it could be a mixed bag.  As Travis is a lot like my old stomping grounds I will be swimming the Knockin’ Tail and adding a little jerk bait for starters.  But like all trips the most important thing is to keep an open mind.  And for me getting to fish out of someone else’s boat is always a pleasure.

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Save Our Waters – This is not off topic!

“the EPA’s proposal would end federal protection for half of the nation’s wetlands and 15% of streams across the country.”

When I was young we used to wade Big Creek north of town.  It had pools, riffles, grass, lily pads, and great bass fishing.  The wading was easy, the fish hungry, and it was a beautiful thing.  Hardwoods lined the creek with beautiful creek bottoms full of morel mushrooms every spring.  Then the unrestricted straightening of the creeks, the use of hard core pesticides, along with other factors, turned that creek, and many others, into a mud hole.  What a loss for those young fishermen on the way.

The governments new proposal to reduce the regulations on a large portion of the water in this country will do nothing but take us back.  As a fisherman, no matter your politics, you should be concerned.  Remember, every little creek or river ends up in our water supply or your fishing hole somewhere.  Sorry but I trust mining, big farming, and the oil folks as far as I can throw them.  But by the same token, as long as they are following the rules I have no complaint with them.  The problem is the rules.  This country has made tons of progress from the days the Detroit River used to catch on fire, but it has taken decades for things to improve.  Of course the current rules are not perfect or fair to everyone, but I will always be in favor of over protecting our waters.  Why in the world we would roll back any of that is beyond me.  If you love to fish, and you would prefer to not have lead or mercury in your drinking water, you should oppose these rule changes.

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Random past fish picture – My Belize Permit. One off the bucket list!

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https://captainexperiences.com/

I submitted my request to Captain Experiences for a redfish fly guide in Rockport.  Though I already made up my mind who to fish with I wanted to sign up to the service and see how the process works so I can let you all know.  And of course will continually follow up on the process and the results.  One thing that is for sure, I will never use Fishing Booker again, really shoddy.  And now that the reservation is going to be made it adds an April trip to what I am fondly calling Trip of the Month Club.

And speaking of that, my trip to Travis fills in the January Trip of the Month.  February will be Baffin or Falcon, or both.  Stay tuned.

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Time for a jig head rant.  Stopped by Cabela’s the other day to pick up a few things, jig heads being one of them.  Needed some light screw locks for bay fishing, and a few old style ball heads to use on the Knockin’ Tail for freshwater.  I will be using it some on Travis the next couple of days.  But my complaint – man are they high.  When we downsized to go to Fort Worth for the Boss’s school I sold my hot pot and molds, really wish I had them now.  This $1 – 1.50 a jig head is killing me.  Hopefully when I get to Arkansas later this spring the little tackle store will still be open.  They poured me a 100 last trip for $30, and it was nice to pick out the specific hook I prefer.  This time I will have them pour multiple sizes and then I won’t have to bitch about how much they cost.

I did make one purchase that I have thought about buying for years, a line stripper.  I hand pulled the line off 7 reels the other day and realized for $12 I could get a tool that would do the job in nothing flat.  The Boss actually commented that she has been watching me strip reels for over 30 years and was surprised I did not have one.  So much cool fishing stuff it takes a whole room in the house to keep track of it all, and now one more thing added to the pile.

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Politics 

This is not a rant to start a discussion.  I have watched a little of the impeachment and it further reinforces one of my pet peeves about both sides, all sides, or any side.  Time for term limits, end of story.  Whether it is local dog catcher, or the US Senate, there needs to be a 2 term limit for anyone who runs for any public office, national or local.  And with that an end to retirement benefits that surpass anything you and I have.  Time for public service, not self service with out tax dollars.

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That will do it for now.  The next time you hear from me will be after a couple of days of fishing on Travis.  The weather looks great and nothing like a little camping with friends.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Weather

It was pretty nippy this morning  (Monday), clear and cool with a brisk north wind, not the perfect fishing day by any stretch.  So I laid up and waited until later in the morning before heading out.  It will be interesting to see what the affects of the last few cool nights will have on the fish and the water temp.

Hail.  Hail.  The gangs all here.

64/40.  Intervals of clouds and sun with a 0% chance of rain.  Wind NE 5 – 15 mph.

Lake level

Friday   94.19 msl.  Today 94.21 msl.  (Holding steady the last 5 or 6 days.)

Prime Periods

Minor 2:25 pm to 3:25 pm  (Only relevant time today.)

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Just got some of the new Knockin Tail Lures in a multitude of colors and they look fabulous.  Full production soon.  So click on the link and take a look.  And now I don’t have to hide them when I catch a fish! 

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The wind was blowing right out of the north at a good 15mph when I dropped in at 11:00.  What little the lake has come up was obvious at the pier, but the color was not near as good as it was Friday.  But the big thing, the water temp was down 5 degree at the ramp.  And for the rest of the afternoon that would be the best of it.

As I headed up lake the water temp stayed around 65, a big drop.  So I decided to head right to where they were and cut to the chase.  How much did it drop?  What is the color like?  And will they bite?  Lots, crap, yes, sort of.

A lot tougher but still managed to catch a couple of good ones.

Idling in the cove it stayed 65, where it has been 70 degrees, and it was murky, not the best combination.  But it was not a complete bust, I boated 6 but they were definitely smaller than they have been.  But the interesting thing?  There were no fish near as far back in the coves like they were.  The problem was the temp dropped to 63, so they moved back out some.  A 7 degree drop with color is usually not happening in the back ends.

Whether slow rolling the swim jig or pitching the plastic, the fish are still tight to cover.  But as an example the cover I caught 6 out of produced one today and I missed one.  Looking at the weather it is going to stay like this, with a big rain Wednesday, then sunny Friday and Saturday when I will be fishing Travis.  I think tomorrow I will clean the boat, it really needs it, and while I am at it do a little screw tightening, a never ending project when you use a boat this much.

I always catch a couple every spring.  This one was a beast.

After fishing some of the uplake stuff I tried 2 other coves without a bite.  Next up was the deep channel banks down lake.  I had one of the new Knockin’ Tail Lures in a green with red flake on the spinning tod, not sure what color he is calling that, so thought I would give it a go.  The second bite was a really nice bass, which I tried to boat flip without success.  So still thinking about messing that up when I get another bite, and it was the tilapia above.  I really thought I was in business.

Swimming the Knockin’ Tail ended up producing 4 or 5 total, and though most were small they were smacking it.  I am not all that much of a swim bait guy in fresh water but that will change.  Made me so excited for Arkansas, with smallmouth, largemouth, white, stripers, crappie, and walleye, all legitimate options, the Knockin’ Tail is going to put fish in the boat.  That bait catches fish, and it is nice a firm, so when on a screw lock jig head it lasts, which is a real bonus.

So while the fishing was slow, I boated around 15, but the real the point was to see how things have changed, and they have.  Actually I am glad it slowed it down, no need to hurry what is coming no matter what next month.  And it just might keep the fishing a little better until we are in full on spring.  Plus, with the forecast for up to an 1″ plus of rain Wednesday maybe we can have a nice steady raise and not that frog strangling cold bit killer.

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Over the last few years the Saturday morning ritual usually involves me watching fishing, just like I did today.  The Boss has joined in for a little different reason, I like the fish, she likes the destinations.  And once they say where they are she starts her research.  This has led to several trips in the past, and our next big one to Africa is a perfect example, and she is currently looking at Alaska.  When you are a fisherman, and your spouse really isn’t, the fact that fishing can take place in the most beautiful places in the world works out just fine for everyone.

What got me started on that is Bill Dance was brown trout fishing on the White River and it brought back some good memories.  It was January, cold, and the water was high.  They were drifting and throwing Smithwick Rogues to post spawn brown trout.  Me and some of my buddies had a roll in developing and spreading that technique on the White.  When the Rogue first appeared we were all over it and smoked the bass on Bull Shoals and Norfork.  So why not take it to the river and catch browns and rainbows?  It worked.  It was amazing seeing a nice brown materialize and absolutely attack the Rogue.  Big fun.

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Speaking of travel we just made our reservations for a week late July in Colorado.  It might be one of those the Boss flies in, and I stay longer and fish more.  The place we often stay has a deal going for returning customers.  The place is run by some folks  (You know, those Austin cool kids.), it, and the customers, are eclectic to say the least.  We stayed there right after they first opened and several times since.  Now I may be back there way sooner than that, but this adds another destination to the Trip of the Month Club.  The calendar is already starting to fill up.

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That will do it for today.  We are now in that early spring weather pattern which can be unpredictable but the fishing finally seems to be straightening up some one the lake.  Not sure exactly how the rest of this week will go, but there is going to be fishing for sure.  And then after I get my fill of the lake and some bass it is time to start working on the bay.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

The weather looks absolutely perfect for another run at the lake tomorrow.  The fish are biting and a big fish just might be in my future.  And with the weather change coming this weekend it might back it off a hair so it is one of those get while the getting is good deals.  One thing about pre-spawn, the chance for a big fish is greatly improved.  So as long as it is not fogged in it will be on the water at daylight.  Love spring fishing!

The Bite is On!

 Could it be an clearer what I am doing?

Weather

66/77.  Fog lw clouds in morning then cloudy with a 25% chance of rain.  Wind SE 12 – 20 mph.

Lake level

Today  94.19 msl.  2 days ago 94.19 msl.  (Stable 3 days in a row.)

Prime Periods

Major 6:25 am to 8:25 am.  12:22 pm to 1:22 pm.  (The times were right on today.)

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Just got some of the new Knockin Tail Lures in a multitude of colors and they look fabulous.  Full production soon.  So click on the link and take a look.  And now I don’t have to hide them when I catch a fish! 

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It was perfect this morning when dropping the boat in at 7:00.  Cloudy with a medium breeze, it had fish written all over it.  The water temp continues to rise slowly, with much of the lake around 70, and find a little warmer and you have fish.  And best of all, not a boat at the ramp.  I have basically had it to myself this week.

After a less than stellar year the lake is off to a big start.  I am not sure how many I caught today in 5 1/2 hours, but to give you an example, I caught 4 on the fist point and 6 out of one top alone.  It was nuts all morning.  8 in the first cove, 15+ in the second and then 5 or 6 each in the next 2.  And the last 2 days when I have hung up the worm in brush when I went to get it lose it popped off, and one rolled up and smoked it right in front of me.  They are biting, end of story.

The solids were on the chew!

Starting with the swim jig I broke one off right off the bat.  Thought I checked my drag but it may have been a bad spot in the line.  But 4 came on that secondary point, then I spinnerbaited the bank when it got windy, finally catching one after having a good one break a spinnerbait.  (A side affect of buzzing the big bladed spinnerbait on top, it does weaken the wire, and your arm)   I ended up fishing it a little more, catching 4 on it, all small, but it is a start.  From that point on it was cove hopping because the pitching bite was to hot to ignore.

Oops.  An all white tandem, old school for me, good in clear water.

I am still slow rolling the 1/4 ounce bluegill swim jig with a Rage Craw.  In fact, the best pattern has been swim jig then back with the stick worm if there is brush.  And the bigger tangle the better.  A couple of the better ones were right on stump/logs in an area where they will be spawning soon.  Today like it has been they were just doing the eat it, then swim, most of the time not feeling the bite.  As long as you are paying attention the line would move a little and it was time to set the hook.  Really a fun bite.

The average size is picking up!

It has been a great week.  I have fished 4 times and am really starting to get them down.  And the bite had gotten a little bit better every day.  The combination of stable water and warming temperature has them thinking spawning.  If the front coming tomorrow is not to ugly we should be in business.  And a good indicator, I saw a spawned out tilapia, and reeling the swim jig over a stump so I did not get stuck a bunch of little fry jumped out of the way.  That is what makes fishing what it is, you just never know.  Every day, every month, every year, it never stops changing.  All I know is I am loving the bite!  Time for a cold one!

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I was in need of some information.  My brother-in-law from Iowa is coming down to Harlingen in late April.  Would love to put him on a redfish.  He has started fly fishing and I would like to hire a fly guide in the Rockport area.  Both of us know just enough to be dangerous and need a patient teacher.  I could maybe put him on one blind casting but looking for the classic sight casting day on a poling skiff.  But wait – brain fart!  I have the resource, so time to use it.

Not 2 minutes after I wrote this I got an email from Johnathan at Captain Experiences and they have the guy for us.  If you did not check out his site the other day do it.  Maybe you don’t have a trip planned, but it is always fun to dream.  And there just may be a little tom foolery involved in our day.  So stay tuned, will be setting the date this week.

https://captainexperiences.com/

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Starting the Trip of the Month Club

And speaking of traveling and fishing looks like I will be fishing Travis with a few of the Austin Boys next weekend.  They are kicking around a camping/fishing trip and since I am headed up there anyway I will be looking to put a few in the boat.  The weather might affect my sleeping choice, but will have no affect on whether I fish.  Travis is so like my old stomping grounds and I really enjoy fishing there.

The next plan, time for a coastal trip not involving driving back and forth.  Maybe the Upper Laguna, or just the motel at POC.  (And of course Grand Isle is not out of the running either.) I got a handful of the new Knockin’ Tail Lures in the new colors from Michael at Controlled Descent, and they are burning a hole in my tackle box.  They look flat awesome and just like the lake, the time to catch a big trout is now.  Still not to old to jump out of a perfectly good boat!

And I am watching the Falcon fishing reports.  Would really like to make it down there next month.  The big girl may not be what she used to be, but my last trip was good and I would like to put a friend on a big one.  Love fishing anywhere the next cast can be “the one”, and Falcon still has them

March is definitely going to be Bull Shoals and Norfork.  Not only the lake but a little fly fishing on the White.  I caught boat loads of trout in the old days but never did get in to the fly fishing thing.  (Fly fishermen were uncommon in those days and when we did see one we called them Beaners.  Now before you got you politically correct panties in a wad it was because they looked like they came right out of the LL Bean catalogue.  Remember this was the hills of Arkansas in those days  Heck I married my cousin. Just kidding!) But since I have a little case of it I know where to fish so why not do some while I am there?

Then April will be the fly fishing day with the guide.  That will be an exercise in putting my brother in law on a redfish.  My sister in law got him lessons so it should be fun to see a real beginner catch his first redfish.  Hell, I hope I catch one!

I went to the financial guy for the free calendar the other day and it is starting to fill it up.  This year will be another great year on the fishing front.    The next 4 months will be fish till you drop.  And you maybe will get tired of me say this, but the anticipation of catching  a Tiger fish on the Zambizi will be the trip of the year.  In fact, now that I am thinking about this I have decided to start the Trip of the Month Club.  So little time, so much water.

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Well there you have it.  Not much else to say but the lake is on.  And now that I have the pattern down pat it is almost call your shot.  The main lake is not as hot right now but that is coming.  Just for your information if you are a crappie fisherman I saw a nice mess in the can at the cleaning table.  (It pays to stop and check that out occasionally, tells you a lot.)   I really need to get my “stuff” organized and new line on every reel.  The fishing has just begun this month and as long as I am upright and taking nourishment I will be on the water.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Weather

69/80.  Fog, then cloudy with a 50% chance of rain.  Wind S 15 – 30 mph.

Lake level

Today  94.19 msl.  2 days ago 94.19 msl.

Prime Periods

Major 11:07 am to 12:07 pm.   Only relevant time.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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First and best bite of the day.

Cooked the Boss breakfast this morning and really did not get in any kind of a hurry as the afternoon bite seems to be best.  It was 9:30 before I got on the water and the wind was blowing fairly stiff right out of the south.  The lake at least seems to have stabilized and the fish are definitely biting.

That is a real one!

As a side note I meet Jeramie at the ramp today and we talked fishing.  He caught a bunch today but they were smaller.  He did have a pic of a real big one  (See above.) he caught yesterday using a crankbait when he hammered them.  The real interesting thing was that he saw bedding tilapia!  This is real early and is a real indication of how far along things have gotten.  Today I was in a couple of places with 70 degree temps.  And as it has been for me, slow roll the swim jig, and if there is some cover toss the plastic in there.  It was about 50/50 between the swim jig and plastic today.  I am fishing a 1/4 bluegill swim jig and a Rage Craw and a watermelon stick worm for pitching.  With Jeramie catching them on crankbait there are several ways to skin the cat.

Just nice solid fish.  It was work but the occasional good one makes the day go away pretty rapidly.

Of course I am still throwing the swim jig at “stuff.”  Stump, past a lay down, over a point, and then reeling it nice and slow.  The bite is so tricky when you use it like that but they do not want it hopped or twitched for some reason.  They just come behind it and eat, and today I missed several, one of those deals where if you think it was a bite you already missed them.  The wind blowing right along at 15 – 20 mph did not help matters.

And speaking of wind, as I have the spinnerbait got a bank or two but they just are not interested.  Not sure why that is but that’s fishing.  And I tried one bank with Bang O Lure and had a small one miss it, but that is definitely not a tactic when it is windy.

The current “run of the mill.”   Happy to have them!

First thing I headed up the plant arm to fish a couple of places.  As I got a little ways up the plant arm the water temp dropped to 66 and stayed there.  Fishing 3 places without a bite I said heck with that.  That is by far the coolest area on the lake.  It is in the high 60’s everywhere else and 70+ in some places in the Coleto arm and some coves.  Unfortunately there were several places I did not/could not fish due to the wind but still managed to boat an easy 15 with a nice average.

And my second catfish of the year on lures.  Starting off just like last year.

FIshing is a little better up lake, but with the wind blowing right down the pike it was hard to keep good boat control and still reel the swim jig slow enough to present it properly.  And some coves have fish and some don’t, but if it stays like this that will change as they move to the bank to spawn.  But the weather was good again today and given the choice I will take cloudy and windy over calm and clear any day.

The weather the rest of the week looks good but there is a small cold front coming this weekend and the 80’s will be a thing of the past.  It will be interesting to see how that affect the fishing.  Tomorrow I have to take a day and get my stuff back together.  All those things that need doing when you fish 6 of the last 10 days.  And the boat is a mess as is the truck.  So time to get back it all back in fishing shape then back on the water Friday.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Disturbing!

The creepiest trash on the shore, ever!

After staying up late watching the game I slept in this morning.  Really did not have a plan for anything particular.  It had drizzled and rained a little all night, and but as I was finishing the prior post the sun made a little peak out of the clouds.  It was already 11:00 so I headed to the lake and was fishing by 12:00.  So no forecast, no fishing times, just go.

Probably the biggest change is the water temp.  It has really jumped up, and up lake it has come up 7 to 9 degrees to 69 degrees in some places.  That is a lot and it made my choice simple today.  Head to the coves where they spawn, concentrate on any swing area, or edges near secondary points.  That is as classic a pattern you can get early spring.  Starting with the swim jig nothing in the first cove, but in the second they were there.

They are definitely in pre-spawn.  Whether that continues is any buddy’s guess.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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From that point on I fished 3 more coves before I quit at 5:00.  One was just loaded, swim jig in, then re-fish the same water with the stick worm pitching to cover back out.  5 or 6 going in, and then 5 or 6 going out.  Nice to catch fish re-fishing an area.  Now there were no big fish, I did break one off setting the hook, it is where they were as much as what they were.  If it remotely stays like this we could have fish on the beds at the next moon.  And most of the lake is clear as it continues to fall.

They wanted the bluegill swim jig at a slow roll.  The stick worm, right in any top.

I caught a bunch, and maybe 3 or 4 actually “hit” either bait.  Almost every one I caught on the swim jig  just started acting different as they swam with it.  None hit it after a hop or any kind of twitch, just a slow steady retrieve.  Made getting a hook in them pretty easy.  The one that broke my line wacked it close to the boat and I wacked him back just a little to hard.  And it was the same with the sinko, several just started swimming out from the bank with it right after it hit the water.  Really cool bites, most coming within 5 foot of the bank.

There were 5 gators warming in one cove, the one with the most fish.  Makes sense.

I did fish a couple of main lake stretches without a bite.  This big warm front has them confused.  It has not been the usual fall, winter, then the slow warm up.  We are talking the water temp coming up almost 10 degrees on the lake in the last month.  A little early for that kind of thing.

The last place.

I did miss a couple that were more of a fast tap, as in maybe crappie.  It really might be time to crappie fish shallow, but just like the bass, it could end as quickly as it has started.  But since the weather is a fickle mistress it depends on her.  But for the moment they are biting.

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And I got this nice offer from SA Joe.

You ever want a ride in a BassCat, all you have to do is tell me. Brought/Bought mine in Dayton ohio in 2003 and love it. 2001 Pantera Classic with 200 Merc. Most expensive fix is going to be the ECM that has been failing me last couple of months. Hope CDI fixes the problem..

Thanks for the offer.  I have actually ridden in several.  Many of the early tournaments I fished were partner with a draw.  Each team would have a boat and a no boater.  Whatever team you drew the no boaters would swap.  So I ended up fishing in lots of different boats over the years.  The Pantera is a great bass boat and I am sure with the 200 it hauls.  Maybe I will take you up on that sometime.  Good to hear from you.

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And Jeramie sent along this one after putting the hurt on them.

I was one of the other boats today. White bass were on! Limited out quickly and started fishing for fun. Caught 4 largemouth bass also had over 15 lbs on 4 fish! Missed one that easily was over eight pound, shook off at boat! This week has been great on the lake.

Nice job!  The bite is on, the big question is will it last?  My real fear is not cold fronts, it is a big cold rain.  If it leads to a massive raise I have seen it ruin a spring or two when that happens.  But a nice warm rise is another story.  But any time you can limit on whites and catch some good bass is a big deal.  Congrats.  And I did learn something cleaning fish the other day.  The can had a nice pile of whites, crappie, and bass.  Folks are catching fish, great to see after a slower year last year.

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1,149th Post

I used to care about the numbers, how many folks, what time, and on and on.  Now I rarely look, as long as I am fishing this blog will exists.  But occasionally I notice what post this is, and this one is my 1,149th post.  That is a lot.  Wonder how many of those are actually days on the water?  The majority for sure.  Good days and bad, it is what fishing is all about.  And today was one of those nice days when the fish bit and the right decisions were made.

Not sure what is next, haven’t even contemplated that.  I need to do a little maintanance on rods and reels, much less give the boat a good cleaning.  And it needs to go to the shop for a quick fix, trying to decide when it can be skiff time for a week while the Mako is gone.  But for now that can all wait, time to fish.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Tomorrow there is only one plan, the Boss wants a fresh fish fry for the big game, so tomorrow I will actually be keeping a few.  What flavor I have no clue, it will depend on what is biting, or how I choose to fish.  But this time of year has one thing going for it, if you want some fish they are usually biting enough to get it done.  Probably should not have said that, but no matter what it will be a good day on the water.

Weather 

67/71.  Mostly cloudy with a 60% chance of afternoon rain.  Wind ENE 5 – 10 mph.

Lake Level

Today  94.19 msl.  Thursday  94.17 msl.  (Down over 4 feet since last year but we got a drop from the last rain.)

Activity Periods

Major 2:31 pm to 4:31 pm.   Minor  8:59 am to 9:59 am.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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It is foggy here in Victoria this Tuesday morning, and like yesterday morning when I fished, it is raining.  The plan yesterday was simple, troll up supper, quit early, hit happy hour at our favorite establishment, then enjoy the game.  And it worked out perfectly.

To make a long story short I trolled up about 15 or so, cleaned 3 for supper, and called it a morning.  The real interesting thing was the timing of the bite.  I putted around an hour or two, getting a half hearted bite here and there until about 10:00 (See Minor time above.) then the bite was on.  Bass, whites, and crappie.  Since it is just me and the Boss I only needed 3 so I kept one of each on purpose.  Time for a story.

When I was living and guiding at the boat dock on Norfork we used to have fish fries in the summer.  We would have everything from bass, walleye, striper, crappie, whites, catfish, and on a couple of occasions we added a ringer to the mix.  Spearfishing was allowed on Norfork and Jerry would shoot a couple of carp.  Clean them carefully and add them to the mix.  Funny, folks ate fish until they foundered and not one person ever asked or said this is carp.  Not one.

If fish is properly cared for, and even on the lake when I am keeping them they go on ice immediately. We almost always eat them that day, prefer to never freeze fish though again, if done properly is ok.  Then cleaned/fileted properly and back on ice in the fridge until cooked.  So with 3 different fish obviously there was a difference in texture and shape, but when it came down to it, no fishy taste, it is all good.  And last night was delicious.

The only thing I did forget as it was raining and they were not all that big, I decided to take a dead fish picture which I do on occasion.  That picture was going to be them on a platter but there was one problem.  We started “testing’ the first piece or two and then the full fledged feeding began.  And of course cleaning up I went “rats”, forgot the picture.  Trust me they were goood!

As a side note on catching white bass in the early spring, sunny days are usually better than cloudy.  Not to say don’t chase them on cloudy days but there is a little difference.  On our area lakes the bite is going to be on big time in the next month, this is just the precursor.  But I am sure our fish are a little confused with the wild water temps swings.  Up lake the temp was as high as 64.9, up almost 4 degrees in the last week.  And as I type this it is 73 degrees outside and projected hit 77.  This has been one wacky winter.

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A big congrats to LSU.  What a game and it was so nice to see Ed’s face.  No bigger dram could come true for him than winning it all, much less in New Orleans!  There were lots of LSU fans, you know who you are, who hated the hire.  But he has grown and adapted to the changing game.  And the players love him, what more could you want?  So hate all you want LSU is the national champion.  It does not get any better than that for a football fan.  So now when you are talking bad about him at some time in the future just remember – He took you to the promise land.

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Oops, there will be an abrupt end to this drivel.  It is 11:00 and the sky is clearing some so time to put this down and load the boat.  So hopefully there will be a good report in a few hours.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

Boat show, fishing show, outdoor show, call it whatever you will, I like attending them.  The Boss was off this weekend, something unusual, see we headed to Houston for the boat show, and her usual trip to Trader Joe’s.  The show always has some good stuff and I often meet some good folks, and this visit to the Houston Boat Show was all that.  Plus, I never met a boat I did not like and was really looking forward to seeing some nice ones, and with the Boss in tow no chance I was going to buy a new boat.  But there is always hope!

And as far as the boats went there was anything your little wallet was big enough to tackle.  My “when I win the lottery” boat was there – Yellowfin.  But first I have to live on the ocean with docking and blue water close.  So that ain’t happening.  I enjoyed chatting with the Bass Cat guy, as they are made in Mtn. Home and I watched them grow up.  And of course the Skeeters looked good as did the Rangers.  There were a couple of smaller/lighter/cheaper salt boats that were not so hard on the wallet.  But of course there were the top end Majek, Shoalwaters, Shallow Sport, and Dargels, all with the price tag of a small house.

My personal preference is the Majek Extreme.  Most at the show were the 22′ models.  The 20″ is more my speed but they do not generally produce them, it is a special order boat.  But as far as a really good looking bass/salt boat it fits the bill.  The only reason I have not taken the plunge a while ago,  I own 2 boats that do what I need them to, and no boat payments.  The internet is full of nice fairly newly  (They wish they had not done that.) purchased boats for sale.  The grass may seem greener, but we need to be happy for what we have and not what we don’t.  Plus, as I have learned owning multiple boats over the last 50 years – the boat does not make the fisherman.  But it sure is fun to look.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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Dennis Chafin – Coastal Bend Fishing

Find of the Day!

If you like to fish new places on the coast you need this site!  I really enjoyed speaking fishing with Dennis at the show.  A sales consultant with Ron Hoover Marine we had plenty to talk about in both boats and fishing.  When we were talking about websites I mentioned how in the beginning folks gave me a certain amount of crap for giving up “spots.”  My site is blog, an ongoing story that mentions places and methods as part of my ramblings, but when I looked up his website I was blown away.   What he has done is a credit to sharing information.  So before I rave any more I want to make it simple for you.

Go to his site.  Then as an example click on fishing maps at the top of the page, then click on wherever you want to fish, then look at the legend when the page comes up.  It includes all the places/names you have ever heard about on a Google Earth overhead.  You can not get any more accurate than that.  It is just plain cool.  Additionally there is plenty of fishing how-to, seasonal trends, etc.  Amazing.  I want to give him big props, the work it must have taken to get this done is something.  Wish I had found it a long time ago.  I have always taken pride doing it all by myself on trips, but a resource like this is invaluable and it should be in your favorites.

(Tip of the day  –  If you are planning a trip to visit one of the places on the site for the first time it will be a real resource.  Choose a couple of places you would like to explore in the area, then organize your route based on hitting them with some kind of order as part of the plan.  Then do a Google search using the name of the “spot”, like Panther Reef, Mesquite Bay, as examples.  There are tons of articles and fishing reports out there, you might be surprised not only at the hits, but what you can learn.  Can give you a real head start to your first visit to an area.)

https://www.coastalbendfishing.com/

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Marker 54

Joshua having a good time!  The reds were lovin’ his baits.  They were freakin’ eating his plastic shrimp, but once he got on his 3″ Hard Shrimp under the popping cork it was really game on!  (From our trip to the Chandeleur Islands 2 years ago.)

The new hard shrimp, a little bigger and just as tough.  It looks real and acts real, and whether tied off to fall forward or backwards, the fish love it.  

I got a chance to chat with Joshua, owner of Marker 54 lures who I fished with in Louisiana.  His booth was hopping, and as I am want to do at times I started helping sell some baits to the crowd.  His hard shrimp is easy to sell as I have seen it and his soft shrimp in action.  He has improved the hard shrimp and in the water it looks even more real, end of story.  Plus it is really durable and generally will last until you lose it, they are stout.  Put it on a popping cork and if there are redfish, or trout, around it will be fish on.  If you have not checked him out before have a look.  His baits really work.  (He does not give me anything to say this, other than some shit!)

https://www.marker54.com/

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Knotty Hooker

I fought the urge to buy tackle, that will come at the Fishing Show.  And though there was not a lot there, I did pick up some jig heads.  I have seen the Knotty Hooker jig head before, to me they seemed a little high, but all jig heads are.  (But since I am an old man who poured thousands in my day everything seems a little high!)  But after giving them a closer look I picked up a bag.  They have all the characteristics I like when trout and red fishing.

This style is often called a stand up jig head.  I have been fishing jig heads on plastics since the 70’s and have come to the belief that shape has more to do with how it falls or swims rather than how it lays on the bottom.

Their 1/8th has the right size head for light line fishing like I prefer for trout.  And with a screw lock, (I am using them more and more.) once you glue the bait on your plastic could last all day instead of continually tearing them at the head.  Nothing like only using a couple during the day instead of a bag when they are biting.  And I like the 3/0 Gamakatsu hook, not to thick as I am often setting the hook a long way out with a spinning rod, tougher on light line.  Apparently that brand does not have a website but you can find them on the Baad Marine Supply website.

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Captain Experiences

I met the owner of Captain Experiences, I think his name was John, (Sorry if I am wrong but will get it right.) who after getting out of the oil and gas business started a guide finding service.  His service is innovative and I love the concept.  After speaking with him and understanding how he is different I would not hesitate to use his service for guides when traveling.

Time for a little story.  As we are headed to Africa, when we first started looking at guides I contacted a guide on FishingBooker.  They claim the captain will get back to you usually within a day.  No response, another email, no response, then contact FIshingBooker x2, “we will find out why”, then no response.  Before it was over nothing from the guide or the company ever.  Think about it – You are planning international travel, shall we say Africa, and you have booked a guide with them and something comes up and they can not even pick up a phone and call the guide?  You want to bet your vacation fishing trip on that kind of shoddy customer service?  You think they would help you in Africa if they could not even help you before you went?  I have had good and bad experiences hiring guides out of the country, you never know.  Captain Experiences is a great way to reduce the chances of a bad choice/trip.

What I like about his service is you tell them where you want to go, they contact their guides for you, then some quotes, and then you make the decision.  Each guide is personally vetted by them and only reviews by folks who actually fished with them are allowed.  No bots or guide’s family members or other bullshit reviews.  They set up payment in a really safe and easy way and they guarantee your trip.  And the best thing – You pay them nothing for their service.

So take a minute to check out their website.  He booked multiple trips for folks at the show and next time we are looking for a guide (See the Boss and flyfishing.) we will definitely use his service.  Nice to see some innovation and they have clearly done that.

https://captainexperiences.com/

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Capt. R. Corey Vinson – nofishnocharge,com

When I walk by a booth with tons of pictures of nice stripers it is hard for me not to stop and chat.  One of the great freshwater gamefish, I caught my share in the 70’s and 80’s.  Hard fighting and great to eat, there is nothing like catching a big fish.  Capt. Vinson and I shared a couple of stories and it was easy to see he and his service are great guys to fish with.  Brought back some good memories.  (I could barely lift these 6!)

They fish Whitney and Richland Chambers south of Dallas/Fort Worth, and should you get skunked they have a no fish no pay guarantee.  But from looking at their pictures and chatting with them there is little chance of that happening.  Many folks who fish the coast have never experienced fishing for stripers, or eating them.  If you have never done it you need to give it a try.  And it is one of the best fisheries for getting the kids and the wife on fish.  So take a look at their site, no better way to fill the cooler.

http://www.nofishnocharge.com/index.html

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Of course there was lots going on but these are my highlights.  It was fairly busy and folks were definitely buying boats.  There were some good deals, and if you were in the market and willing to stand your ground, it looked like a good time to buy a boat.  And being the last of like 10 days of the show the folks had to be getting tired and burned out.  Maybe an easier “yes” when arguing price?   Heck you would be doing them a “favor” by towing it to your house.

I talked to lots of folks, imagine that, easy when everyone speaks the same language, boating and fishing.  So now I can’t wait for the Fishing Show.  And maybe the Fishing Classic at Cabela’s.  Plenty of stuff going on in the fishing world, spring is coming.  For me it will be back on the water in the morning.  First the lake for some fresh fish for the Boss.  Then Tuesday the bay, and the rest of the week will shall see.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

After Mondays post I got this comment from Jeramie.

I was on the lake today as well! I hit the water around three and by 5:30 i had caught 20-30 bass all on crankbait. Ive never tried trolling but after reading your post i think im gonna try it. I ended up with a nice crappie and one of the biggest white bass ive caught on coleto. Keep up the good work on keeping me informed on coleto. Today was first time ive fished it in months

First thanks for the comment and kind words.  I love it when folks send them, it lets me know you are all are out there.  And what makes it even more interesting, the last couple of days as I am trolling it is running through my mind – crankbait.  And though I did not throw it any, just trolled, it will be first up tomorrow.  Clouds and big wind, should be perfect for crankbait so thanks for the tip.  So as I prepare this the night before I reminded – Sometimes when you are fishing listen to the little voice in your head, unless it is telling you to break your rods and jump in the lake when it is going badly.  Nice job on the bass.  Go to the top of the page and click on techniques, there is a new post on trolling for whites.  Good luck, and if you give it a go let us know.

Weather 

62/79.  Mostly cloudy, breezy, and very warm.  25% chance of rain.  Wind SSE 15 – 25 mph.

Lake Level

One Year Ago  98.28 msl!   Tuesday  94.22 msl.  Today  94.17 msl.  (Down over 4 feet since last year and the decline continues.)

Activity Periods

Major 10:34 am to 12:34 pm. Minor  2:28 pm to 3:28 pm.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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Wind, wind, and more wind!

This was a big girl!  The watermelon red stick worm strikes again.

Can you say windy?  It was blowing pretty hard when I dropped the boat in the lake, and it continued to pick up until it achieved “my” critical mass.  But time I finally gave it up it was an easy 25 mph+ with higher gusts.  And coming from the SE there was not many places to get out of it, and most of those were not the “right” place.

Starting up lake fishing a crankbait parralell on channel banks it took me an hour to catch a bass, and it was not much.  The first one hit a DT10 Rapala crankbait.  The wind was pounding right up river and right on where I had been catching them.  So I kept after the crankbait as the wind blew me along until I was almost where they were biting so time to switch to trolling.  To make a long story short, 6 jumped on trolling.  And of those 6 not a one even made me want to get the camera out.  And they were just scattered at that.  So time for one more stretch of crankbait so switched to a 1.5 square bill which only produced one really small bass.

Then anther boat came up and basically fished the same stuff, who knows, maybe a reader.  If it was sorry about that but the wind clearly changed things.  They were just not there like they were Tuesday.  It only took an hour and a couple of passes to get sick of that so time for a change to the swim jig.  And of course caught a small one on my first cast, and then it took over an hour to get my next bite.  It was a little surprising that they were back in a cove, but with the water temp 63 up lake they could be anywhere.  Then as I passed a tree top I tossed the stick worm into it and wham, fish on.  And as you can see from the pic above it was a real one and turned a marginal day into a success.  Winter fishing is inconsistent at times, tough to figure out occasionally, but it does produce some big fish.

A nutria, or one big swimming rat!

After catching the good one I only had one more bite over the next hour, and with the wind howling at this point it was just no fun.  So at 1:00 I tapped out and headed to the ramp.  I was first out this morning and there were 2 boats taking out at the ramp when I got there.  The only other boat was fishing the hot water discharge, where several big strings have been caught lately, and is always an option on any power plant lake.  Other than the couple at the ramp I only saw 2 boats when I was fishing all 3 days this week.  Not sure if that is a function of the fishing or the new $17 entrance fee.  As you know I opposed it, but it looks like one side affect is I have had it to myself.

Looks like this wind will not quit and is expected to blow 30 mph again tomorrow and into Saturday.  There were small craft warnings on the coast, and will be again tomorrow,  rightly so.  It really was humping along today and when the hassle outweighed the fun time to call it a day.  So tomorrow will be a get my stuff together day, new line, check boxes, organize the boat and baits in preparations for another 3 or 4 day fishing next week.    The weather includes clouds and the possibility of some showers, and the wind will be ok.  But they are forecasting a record high in the low 80’s Wednesday.  This has been one crazy winter.  Have a good weekend and if you get out on the water be nice, be safe, and catch em’.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

As I was trolling along today I thought about how much I like trolling.  Whether on the open ocean fishing for sails or marlin, crankbaits for white bass, or gigantic baits for muskie, stripers, it has always kept my attention.  I guess it is just the anticipation and not really knowing what is coming next.  And today was a perfect example of that.  And for you folks who think trolling is just dragging crap around you could not be more wrong.  It is a technique like any other method to catch fish.  Depth, color, speed, location, just like any other technique there is a way to do it, and if done right puts fish in the boat.

Weather 

37/67.  Sunny with a 4% chance of rain.  Wind  NNE 10 – 15mph.  (Small cold front blowing in.)

Lake Level

Yesterday  94.22 msl.  Today  94.21 msl.  (The slow but steady dropping lake level.)

Activity Periods

Major 8:50 am to 10:50 am.  Minor  2:28 pm to 3:28 pm.

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The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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The wind was blowing 15 mph right out of the north when I dropped the boat in at 8:30.  It had cold front written all over it.  Not sure how much farther the lake can fall but it is coming down and the changes are really apparent every day.  First was up lake to hit a couple of spots and then check on the white bass.  Little did I know that after catching 4 on plastics it would be another 24 trolling.  I love this time of year.

The boys are back just waiting on the girls.

With the wind blowing fairly hard out of the north and a mile high sky I managed to come to the right conclusion.  At times in early spring when the whites move up they go to the softer banks, mud, clay, that hold the heat and are out of the wind as much as possible.  I think it probably has more to do with the shad.  Still running a shallow Shad Rap on 10lb line that gets about 4 1/2 foot deep, and the smaller Shad Rap with a bill that runs about 7 foot, and both caught fish.  Trolling about 2.5 mph, it was best right on the edge of the river channel.

2 of the 4 crappies.

They are not as far up as usual, a combination of the white bass hoard is not there yet and the falling water, which is leaving the “good spot” less that 5 feet deep.  Once I figured out the depth, 6 was good, with a few out of the channel in 10ft+, it was consistent.  While not fast by any means these fish are the vanguard, it will only get better.   The bank I was fishing was as protected as it could be from the north wind and fairly calm.  You could occasionally see a shad flip, and of the 24 I caught trolling about half could be seen on the locator.  I like that, see fish, then a little while later whap!

Best of 4 on plastics.  And of the 9 bass trolling this was a good one.

I kept after it until about 3:00 and ended up catching 10 whites, 9 bass, 4 crappies, and one gar trolling.  It is so close to “on” that with the good cold front we have coming, and the next moon, it will be as good as it gets on Coleto.  The white bass are never all that big on the lake, which is puzzling.  The numbers are usually ok, but of all the places I have caught them Coleto just does not have the jumbos.  It is not the Nueces River by any means.   And speaking of that I will be headed that way in a month, or sooner depending on the reports.

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Got the new Bass Pro Master Cataloge and there is nothing particularly new worth mentioning.  They send this one and that one, which I look at a couple of times, save all year, and then in the trash they go.  I rarely buy anything out of the cataloge, usually at the store.  Now if there is something I like a lot and it turns up on the Bargain Cave, maybe, but I like to put my hands on stuff before I buy.

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Tomorrow is installing the new stove.  Then the weather looks like it might go to crap, with high winds forecast.  And once that passes it will be back on the water.  The year is starting off with a bang and the next couple of months will be the usual epic.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

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This guy hangs around a trail were the hogs come down to drink.

This year started off with a bang.  Not because of the numbers, but every once in a while you get a “real” bite.  It has been years since I caught a flathead and today a nice one jumped on.  They are basically live bait eaters and I guess I hopped the plastic just right because he smoked it.

Weather

50/70.  Times of sun and clouds with a 2% chance of rain.  Wind  S 5 – 15 mph.

Lake Level

11 days ago  94.31 msl.  Today  94.22 msl.  (The slow but steady dropping lake level.)

Activity Periods

Major 8:05 am to 10:05 am.  Minor  1:52 pm to 2:52 pm.

That was a tussle.

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

The new Knockin Tail Lures are coming soon.  

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

The water temp was 62 at the ramp when I put in, the fog was lifting, and the wind was dead calm.  The drop continues, and as I have not fished there in a couple of weeks it was real evident how far the lake has dropped.  There was only 2 plans today, first was to check and see if the white bass are there yet, then try some new places.  I got both done.  First was up lake to pitch to a couple of good places, then troll for white bass.  While it is a little early, they are coming.

A couple of nice ones.  Stick worm and Pit Boss.

The Bass were not having it early so I started trolling.  The area the white bass normally go is now only in the 6 foot range and after trolling with Shad Raps I finally got a couple of bites farther down the creek.

Not big but telling.

I spent more time doing that than I should have but did not want to miss them if they were farther down.  Making a couple of passes about a mile long, from 4 foot out to 15 foot the only bites were quite a bit farther down than normal, which  I suppose may be a function of the water level.  So while they did not add up to much it won’t be long and every time I am out I will check them because I love catching them in the spring.  And you never know, crappie and bass hit the Shad Rap so something is usually tugging on the end of the line.

The wind came up and from then on it was hunt and peck.  They would not touch a spinner bait, a couple jumped on the bl/bl swim jig, the others all came on either a stick worm or the Pit Boss.  And I finally fished a white swim jig but not a touch.  Next time it will be back to the bluegill colored one as even in plastics dark colors has been best.  But the Pit Boss has been the most consistent for me and will get bit almost any bank you fish.

The best bass for the day.

For me the wood is still the ticket, but of course not all the wood.  And with the water dropping which piece of cover has fish changes each trip as things  get shallower.  Over the rest of the morning until I quit at 3:00 it was same old, same old, a bite here, a bite there.  Then one thumped it pretty hard and when I set the hook it felt like it was caught on some brush, and then it started moving.  It was real apparent it was a big fish so I took it easy, kept it out of trouble, and then put the Boga to it.  Flatheads are one cool fish.  Huge mouth, they love live bait.  I had a run a few years ago in Arkansas where I caught quite a few one summer on crankbait, though most were small.  It sure was fun catching a big fish no matter the flavor.

So not a bad day, just real spotty.  This warm weather is not helping things along, and when combined with the ongoing drop it is just not “spring” yet.  If the water temps stays in the 60’s, 61 was the lowest I saw and it warmed though out the day, we might have an early spawn.  And the white bass are probably a little confused but the next moon will get things going.  It was around a dozen fish the hard way today, hopefully it will be a little better in the morning.

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For the last 8 years I have done a resolution/plan for the blog in anticipation of the year to come.  Not happening this year.  Of course there are travel plans, new places, and hopefully some new faces.  But there are a couple of goals, but as I get a little older the nature of those goals has changed significantly.  Here is my hope for this year.  Nobody dies, the boat keeps running, and I remember every day on the water is a blessing.  The big adventures we will do this year will take care of themselves, it is the little things that make every day a success.  But most of all the simple plan – Stay happy to be alive and getting to spend it outdoors.   (It has taken me many years to realize the fish will come in spite of my worst efforts.)

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I had a deja vu moment watching Major League Fishing this weekend.  They were on the mighty Bull Shoals Lake and the fishing was good.  The winner was throwing a buzzbait most of the day, I cut my buzzbait teeth on Bull and Norfork, and it brought back tons of memories.  The biggest – When they got ready to take off the comments were “I can see bottom clear as a bell” in what is considered deep water in Texas.  Mid summer it often looked like you could see a dime in 20 foot of water.  And to add to the Bull Shoals moments this week one of my Facebook friends caught the heck out of them there.  Since I am going there early spring it got my blood running.  Throw in a little fly fishing for trout on the White and you have a perfect multi-species trip.

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The only holiday regrets are I was hoping to fish with a couple of folks, one was gone then we were gone, the other I had things to do.  So hopefully that will get remedied fairly soon.  I will be fishing up a storm the next couple of months.  It will be back to the lake tomorrow then Wednesday I have to hang around waiting on the new stove.  And after that it will be back on the water.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines