BackOnTheWater
Well-known member
I got to sneak out of work at 3 Wednesday and headed to the lake...WITH all batteries functioning properly!emoDance . Hit the water just before 4:30. This is the first time in about 2 months that I was able to get out in the afternoon. During the heat wave I got into a SAT & SUN early morning fishing schedule.
I only had a few hours, as I am not really prepared to fish (OR back my trailer into my driveway!) after dark, so I wanted to get a bait in the water ASAP. I started down the bank just after coming out from under the 58 bridge, working a c-rig along the old roadbed. Not a nibble. I spent an hour working towards skinnier water throwing a small but wide silver crankbait w/ a black back and long lip (I can work it 1 to 7 ft easy)...nothing...on to spot 2.
I headed into the HBay marina area and started working the points and submerged grass...nothing...there's an hour and a half wasted without a hit. When I got to the back of the bay, I finally got a hit on my crank...a 13" LM emoFish . At least I ain't gettin' skunked! After a short time, I switched to a Pop-R and had a 15" LM blow up on it emoFish . I had two others hit but couldn't hook up. I decided to try another spot and left there a little after 7...only another 1/2 hour or so to fish, so I need to make this last spot a good one.
I pulled up to one of my favorite banks, out of the wind, about 50 yards off the main river channel. It was calm and quiet...just my kind of place! There is a 14' deep "underwater slough" running about 50 feet from the bank, and submerged grass between it and the bank in about 4-7 ft. I got started down the wide strip of grass, working the outside edges with the crankbait and Pop-R. I didn't get very far before BAM! The 2nd keeper LM emoFish of the day tried to swallow the Pop-R. I sat still and tossed it around some more, catching a 10" LM emoFish , missing a couple, and losing a couple on the old quick-release. I had occasionally noticed a few minnows flipping around near the bank, inside of the weed bed, but never saw anything attack them. But they HAD to be running from something, I figure. By this time I had picked up my 20-year old pistol-grip 5-1/2 ft medium Lightning Rod (RJScott called it my "kiddie rod"), rigged with a silver Zara Puppy. I use this rod for accuracy and lighter lures...I can put a Puppy on a swirl at 50 feet...anyway, I toss this thing right up to the bank and POW! Just as it hit the water...hit like a brick! I pull back and this little fish starts alternately dancing across the water and digging hard...what the heck IS this thing? It looked too pale to be a smallmouth. Sure enough, it was, a pretty little 10" smallie emoFish . Lightly colored, except for the dark stripes across it's face. Quite cute. I tossed the Puppy at the same 20 ft stretch of beach for about 20 minutes before I busted up the baby SM wolfpack...4 more SM emoFish emoFish emoFish emoFish ranging from 8-14". The biggest one led me on a nice little walk around the boat before it gave in. They were all very acrobatic and, for some reason, seemed quite angry! After I ran them off, I caught a couple of more LM emoFish emoFish and missed or lost several more. Oh, yeah, and one pretty good sized bluegill emoFish who thought he was bad. I quit just before 8.
Not much size, but loads of fun! I ended up with 6 LM, 5 SM (the first time I've ever run into a smallie school on the Chick), and a BG, all but 2 of them in the last 35 minutes.
I only had a few hours, as I am not really prepared to fish (OR back my trailer into my driveway!) after dark, so I wanted to get a bait in the water ASAP. I started down the bank just after coming out from under the 58 bridge, working a c-rig along the old roadbed. Not a nibble. I spent an hour working towards skinnier water throwing a small but wide silver crankbait w/ a black back and long lip (I can work it 1 to 7 ft easy)...nothing...on to spot 2.
I headed into the HBay marina area and started working the points and submerged grass...nothing...there's an hour and a half wasted without a hit. When I got to the back of the bay, I finally got a hit on my crank...a 13" LM emoFish . At least I ain't gettin' skunked! After a short time, I switched to a Pop-R and had a 15" LM blow up on it emoFish . I had two others hit but couldn't hook up. I decided to try another spot and left there a little after 7...only another 1/2 hour or so to fish, so I need to make this last spot a good one.
I pulled up to one of my favorite banks, out of the wind, about 50 yards off the main river channel. It was calm and quiet...just my kind of place! There is a 14' deep "underwater slough" running about 50 feet from the bank, and submerged grass between it and the bank in about 4-7 ft. I got started down the wide strip of grass, working the outside edges with the crankbait and Pop-R. I didn't get very far before BAM! The 2nd keeper LM emoFish of the day tried to swallow the Pop-R. I sat still and tossed it around some more, catching a 10" LM emoFish , missing a couple, and losing a couple on the old quick-release. I had occasionally noticed a few minnows flipping around near the bank, inside of the weed bed, but never saw anything attack them. But they HAD to be running from something, I figure. By this time I had picked up my 20-year old pistol-grip 5-1/2 ft medium Lightning Rod (RJScott called it my "kiddie rod"), rigged with a silver Zara Puppy. I use this rod for accuracy and lighter lures...I can put a Puppy on a swirl at 50 feet...anyway, I toss this thing right up to the bank and POW! Just as it hit the water...hit like a brick! I pull back and this little fish starts alternately dancing across the water and digging hard...what the heck IS this thing? It looked too pale to be a smallmouth. Sure enough, it was, a pretty little 10" smallie emoFish . Lightly colored, except for the dark stripes across it's face. Quite cute. I tossed the Puppy at the same 20 ft stretch of beach for about 20 minutes before I busted up the baby SM wolfpack...4 more SM emoFish emoFish emoFish emoFish ranging from 8-14". The biggest one led me on a nice little walk around the boat before it gave in. They were all very acrobatic and, for some reason, seemed quite angry! After I ran them off, I caught a couple of more LM emoFish emoFish and missed or lost several more. Oh, yeah, and one pretty good sized bluegill emoFish who thought he was bad. I quit just before 8.
Not much size, but loads of fun! I ended up with 6 LM, 5 SM (the first time I've ever run into a smallie school on the Chick), and a BG, all but 2 of them in the last 35 minutes.
