Chick/Bass/4-14

[jason]

After my pleas for a backseat were ignored

, I decided to spend the day hitting the banks. I started around 11am at the little bay beside the Chickamauga Dam swimming area. The was looking good when I got four fish in my first four casts...all keeper spots. For the next hour, however, I struggled and only added two slick largemouths. Before moving on, I decided to stop by the boat ramp and make a few casts from the dock. I hooked a good fish off the rockpile just out from the point and immediately thought "Glad I brought the camera!" It was a smallie in the 3 1/2 to 4lb range and after she jumped about 687 times, I lost her right at the dock

. I had a few onlookers and will admit that I horsed her a bit too much trying to show off. I packed up a little past noon and headed over to Booker T. The Saturday crappie crowd was there and made it difficult to hit my sweetspots with all the bobbers in the way. However, I respectfully fished in and around them, managing five more spotted bass, two of which would have kept, and two keeper largemouth, the best a few ounces over 5lbs. After taking a quick pic, I released her to their dismay

. The sky looked like it was going to fall at any minute, so I headed up to Harrison Bay. I waited out the rain at the Dockside Cafe (the Philly is deeeeelicious) and hit the banks again around 2:00. I spent an hour or so pitching to the walkways by the boats and picked up two slicks and one keeper largemouth before the sky fell again. As I was packing up, I saw Jmax leaving and remembered that today was the Catch Tx. I followed them to the weigh-in and got soaked to the bone as I watched Jmax and Mr. Whiskers take 3rd...ask Jmax about the one that got away

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If you are 'landlocked' like myself, don't sit at home and feel sorry for yourself. There are many great places around here to fish from the bank and, aside from the fall, this is about the easiest time to catch them. I ended up with 16 fish, including 6 keeper spots and 3 keeper largemouth, with the best five around 13lbs. All were caught on a Wave Worms Tiki Craw in watermelon/red flake or junebug.  </p>

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[Jmax]

Jason, You are the MAN!!!! You beat most of the field today in that tournament... off the bank.emoEek I wonder if they would have let you enter and fish off the bankemoConfused Might have walked away with a check.emoBigsmile Jmax

 

[MrWiskers]

We needed that 5lber today. You need to tell Jmax your secret on how to land the big ones.emoPoke emoLaugh emoLaugh emoLaugh

You make a good point about bank fishing. I used to bank fish alot when I lived of Watts Bar. I bought a pair of chest waiders and would go wading around the shallow slough we lived in when the water was down. Used to kill yellow stripe and crappie from the bank and loved every minute of it. You don't need a $30,000 boat to enjoy fishing and the outdoors.

 

[Triton4Bass]

My bad Jason, I missed your reply. Would have been nice to have someone to talk to and maybe learn something from. Good job on the nice stringer from the bank! emoThumbsup

 

[dtw2]

emoThumbsup

 

[Liveliner]

Nice Bass pic. But how did you know it was a Girl? Looked like a feller Bass to me.

I enjoyed your report. That was a very good day fishing on a rainy day like we had today. WTG

 

[2jigs]

Jason, let me get this other 100 gallons of gas through this old Bullet & you want be bank fishing any more.

 

[Ram Jack Scott]

sounds like a great day on the bank jason!!!!!! emoThumbsup

 

[Sal329]

Very nice. I wish I would have thought of checking out the chick. I need to learn the area better. We went to suck creek yesterday. Seen 2 bass and a deer swimming but didn't catch any.

 

[jon the fisherman]

Nice fish Jason!!! If I was not so busy yesterday, I would have told you to come on up.

I caught some really nice fish from the bank, and used to love it. I would look for those out of the way spots, that most boaters overlook. I have been trying to get back to my "bank fishing roots" by fishing closer to the landing. I have found myself in the past few years trying to fish where no one else was, and this is impossible these days. I have to start learning new techniques to catch pressuered bass, and quit worrying about someone fishing before me.