Hiwassee/Bass/4-29

[jason]

You know those exceptional days when you quit counting the bass and only weigh the big mommas? We went back to Powells Slough expecting another day blind-fishing for bedding bass and found that the back end was well over a foot deeper than last week. There is at least an acre of newly flooded bushes that were packed with aggressive LM. I'm not sure if they were bedding or if it was the steady breeze blowing into the cove, but it was a day straight out of a Bassmaster tournament. If you pitched a lizard or a craw to the base of a bush, it got munched. Our best five weighed 18.6lbs, which is definitely a first for us, with the largest weighing a couple ounces over 6. However, the big fish award went to a 17lb cat that drilled a spinnerbait (another first for me) by a crappie brushpile. This was the same brushpile where I lost a Lucky Craft lipless crank to a big cat a few weeks ago. All bass were caught on either a Zoom Magnum Lizard in junebug, a Zoom Big Critter Craw in watermelon/red flake, or a 1/4oz Booyah spinnerbait in chartreuse. Water temp was 69, down nearly 10 from last week, but the fish didn't seem to care.

 

[jon the fisherman]

Those are the kind of days that keep you going back. I too have caught a cat on SB, though mine was only 3 or 4 lbs. Sounds like a great day.

 

[jason]

I must admit that when I hooked him I was sure I had the new Tennessee record largemouth on. However, when it refused to jump and kept surging toward deeper water, I new I had either a drum or a cat on.

 

[polo-dog]

I take it that the water was stained up in there. Were they in less than two feet of water? That sounds like a lot of fun. Great to hear that you were on a bunch of good fish too. Are you out of school yet? Let me know.

 

[jason]

Polo, the water was brown but not muddy, if that makes sense, with a windblown film of pollen on top. The water was just over a foot deep and the bass were holding extremely tight to the base of the bushes.

I've got finals this week and then I'm free for the summer. I'll give you a PM sometime next week to see what your schedule is like.

 

[Jmax]

Now Jason just to let you know when you go with Polo he brings about 10 to 12 maps and it is the guy that is in the boat with him job to hold them so they don't fly out.emoPoke

Good report Jason, sounds like you got on them the way we all dream about.emoBigsmile

 

[jason]

Aah, there is nothing like frantically diving for a map left on the front deck at 55mph...