It was a wonderful evening. Just a little ripple on the water and not too many play boats. Headed out at blast off to what I thought would be a very good top water bite right before sundown. You notice I said, "thought". 
It stunk on the top water bite. Used my spook that will usually work for me this time of year along deep water grass that is now showing. Nothing, zip, notta,...moved to another place where a crank along the grass will sometimes work this time of year. Zip, notta, nothing,...moved to a little more shallow grass and went back to working a spook in the openings. Finally managed a short, but that was it in the grass.
This last CBA I was told by several they were working a big worm along and in the deeper grass after dark and getting some really good ones. That is what I did. Headed for deep grass edges and started working and flipping a big worm in the edges and the first 10 to 20 feet in. Did this for another hour. Zip, notta, nothing. emoScratch It has now been two hours and the moon is rising, man that moon last night was perfect. It was like a giant street light over head and lit the whole place like early morning right before the sun rose. I thought to myself if I did not catch another fish at least that moon and the night was going to be a great time just relaxing and enjoying the moment. I tried a black spinner bait for a while and not even a smell.
At this point I decided to abandon the grass pattern. I headed for deeper water and structure with rock. The first place I hit was anywhere from 12 to 18 feet and I was using a shakey with a black worm. Finally got a light tap and it moved off to the side. Set the hook and up came a 2 lber, not much but at least I got a keeper. That was it in that area but I felt I had found something with that fish. I moved to another place like that one. I fished it from 10 to 20 foot. Since the water was deeper and was taking time with the shakey I changed to a bigger 9.5 inch black worm with a bigger weight. Made several cast here and again felt that light tap, the rod loaded up and I set the hook. I knew right off it was a bigger fish and it felt heavy. Backed off the drag and checked it to make sure it would give if it ran. It did not fight too much until I had it near the boat. Since it had not jumped I was sure hoping it was not a cat. Then it came alive, emoEek made several bull dog runs peeling drag each time, I wore it down and finally it came up, got her in the net and she was a very healthy great looking 6 and a half pounder. It was eleven o'clock now and with two in the boat weighing over eight I thought I might have a chance for a check if I could manage another 4 or better. emoThumbsup
Since both those bass came in the same fashion I committed to that pattern. Try as I did nothing else would bite there. Moved again to a creek bed in about 16 feet with edges at 12 feet. Working the edge the same way with that worm I had another hit on the fall. It was another one just barely two pounds, but now I had my limit. emoThumbsup I missed a couple more there but could not get them to take the whole worm. It appeared they were hitting the back of that big worm. With two hours left I moved again. The next spot I blanked, nothing even hit and spent an hour. Now it is one o'clock and I am thinking with those two right at two pounds each I needed something a little better to hopefully get in the money.
Moved one more time with my last hour. I moved to an area where there was a lot of grass but I fished a drop that went off into deep water just out from the grass. There is a few stumps there with rock. Still using the big worm in about 12 to 16 feet I managed two more to cull within that last hour that were about 2.5 lbs each. I culled the two smaller keepers and knew I had around 11 lbs. I really thought with the bunch that showed up I would not have enough to win. My main hope was my six would be enough for big bass.
To my surprise the others did not do all that well either. emoTongue My three went 11.43 lbs and was good enough for the win and big bass. emoToast It sounded like poor ol' Ben Hayes's daughter had the winning bass on and both times he did not get the net fast enough. You know, when you start getting old you just don't move as fast as you use to.
Would like to thank Hippi and T Roy for putting it on, it was great to see everyone, a very nice night to fish. Would have liked to have had a few more fish but one per hour kept it interesting.
C-ya on the water, emoAngler Jmax
It stunk on the top water bite. Used my spook that will usually work for me this time of year along deep water grass that is now showing. Nothing, zip, notta,...moved to another place where a crank along the grass will sometimes work this time of year. Zip, notta, nothing,...moved to a little more shallow grass and went back to working a spook in the openings. Finally managed a short, but that was it in the grass.This last CBA I was told by several they were working a big worm along and in the deeper grass after dark and getting some really good ones. That is what I did. Headed for deep grass edges and started working and flipping a big worm in the edges and the first 10 to 20 feet in. Did this for another hour. Zip, notta, nothing. emoScratch It has now been two hours and the moon is rising, man that moon last night was perfect. It was like a giant street light over head and lit the whole place like early morning right before the sun rose. I thought to myself if I did not catch another fish at least that moon and the night was going to be a great time just relaxing and enjoying the moment. I tried a black spinner bait for a while and not even a smell.
At this point I decided to abandon the grass pattern. I headed for deeper water and structure with rock. The first place I hit was anywhere from 12 to 18 feet and I was using a shakey with a black worm. Finally got a light tap and it moved off to the side. Set the hook and up came a 2 lber, not much but at least I got a keeper. That was it in that area but I felt I had found something with that fish. I moved to another place like that one. I fished it from 10 to 20 foot. Since the water was deeper and was taking time with the shakey I changed to a bigger 9.5 inch black worm with a bigger weight. Made several cast here and again felt that light tap, the rod loaded up and I set the hook. I knew right off it was a bigger fish and it felt heavy. Backed off the drag and checked it to make sure it would give if it ran. It did not fight too much until I had it near the boat. Since it had not jumped I was sure hoping it was not a cat. Then it came alive, emoEek made several bull dog runs peeling drag each time, I wore it down and finally it came up, got her in the net and she was a very healthy great looking 6 and a half pounder. It was eleven o'clock now and with two in the boat weighing over eight I thought I might have a chance for a check if I could manage another 4 or better. emoThumbsup
Since both those bass came in the same fashion I committed to that pattern. Try as I did nothing else would bite there. Moved again to a creek bed in about 16 feet with edges at 12 feet. Working the edge the same way with that worm I had another hit on the fall. It was another one just barely two pounds, but now I had my limit. emoThumbsup I missed a couple more there but could not get them to take the whole worm. It appeared they were hitting the back of that big worm. With two hours left I moved again. The next spot I blanked, nothing even hit and spent an hour. Now it is one o'clock and I am thinking with those two right at two pounds each I needed something a little better to hopefully get in the money.
Moved one more time with my last hour. I moved to an area where there was a lot of grass but I fished a drop that went off into deep water just out from the grass. There is a few stumps there with rock. Still using the big worm in about 12 to 16 feet I managed two more to cull within that last hour that were about 2.5 lbs each. I culled the two smaller keepers and knew I had around 11 lbs. I really thought with the bunch that showed up I would not have enough to win. My main hope was my six would be enough for big bass.
To my surprise the others did not do all that well either. emoTongue My three went 11.43 lbs and was good enough for the win and big bass. emoToast It sounded like poor ol' Ben Hayes's daughter had the winning bass on and both times he did not get the net fast enough. You know, when you start getting old you just don't move as fast as you use to.
Would like to thank Hippi and T Roy for putting it on, it was great to see everyone, a very nice night to fish. Would have liked to have had a few more fish but one per hour kept it interesting.
C-ya on the water, emoAngler Jmax
