I wasn't sure if I would be able to get on the water this weekend either, but I made the trip home to my parents and hit the neighborhood lake Saturday evening and all day Sunday to provide a quick fix as I knew I could get on some fish... and possible some big bass.
I had been over a month since my last visit to the lake so I knew it would take a little while to figure out the pattern of attack. Threw my go to Rapala Crank with little to show for, then worked some soft plastics, tried my new curado baitcaster (birdnesting a few times)... Then decided how about I throw a spinnerbait. Went with a white w/ pepper specks even though the water was quite clear (it was the right size I wanted to use and my spinnerbait options were limited).
Made my round trip around the lake and started catching a number of small 12"-15" bass and even a few large crappie.
Eventually I made it back to a cove were I usually have good success and have caught some big LMB. I made an errant cast and it landed between 2 post and some wood on a dock. Almost immediatly the bait got hit on the fall. I was able to set the hook but the fish wrapped me around the wood posts. I tried to react as quickly as possible, paddling to the dock and jumping up on the dock.... I could see the fish and could still feel it tugging on the line. I was able to reach down and undo the line but it had came unbuttoned... Lost a huge Bass and my spinnerbait... :(
A little after this I decided I was going to try and catch some crappie for the dinner table. I would troll a 1/8oz. jig head with a yellow or black grub to find a bite, then I would cast and slow retrieve in the general area. Finished the day with over 20 crappie and about 12 in the front hatch (all over 11").
Sunday rolled around and I got a little later start than I had planned. I hit the water around 10:30am missing the morning bite, but before noon the action was still fierce on a chartreuse spinnerbait (slightly smaller than the one I used yesterday). Again I tore up bass from 10"-15" with one at least every 4-5th cast. Eventually I got a big hit and landed a fat 18.75" LMB. Of course I left my new scale in the car... and when I went to get it later in the day I realized I forgot to put batteries in it. BUMMER....
That afternoon the bass bite slowed down so I decided to challenge myself and conquer some FIRSTS on the Pro Angler. I brought out my fly rod and went to target some bluegill with a small spider popper. It took some getting used too, but I managed over 10 bluegill while snagging my fly line on the mirage drive numerous times (but well worth it for first fish on the fly on the yak!!).
For the evening action I switched over to a topwater popper "bluegill pattern" because my neighbor told me he had good success the day before on the surface. Immediately I was getting action (it was going to be a fun evening)!!!
I caught over 20 LMB on the topwater popper and 3 of them scored for KW. With the largest coming in at 19" and fat, but again no functioning scale (I really want to get an idea of weight compared to length for my lake.
I wrapped up fishing around 7:30pm after a marathon day... Put everything away and cleaned my reels. Finished the night at my Aunt's down the street, she had made some fresh pasta salad and other stuff so I couldn't pass up on a free meal. Was able to see two of my cousins and we skyped with my other cousin who is stationed at Fort Hood, TX. Overall It was a great weekend of fishing and family!
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