As usual Martin and I decided to make our annual Spring trip to the Chick this past week. Got there Monday afternoon and fished thru Friday. We thought by doing so we would avoid the big crowds. emoEek That did not happen. With the exception of Thursday there were anglers everywhere all week. Some places seemed like you needed to take a number and get in line. We saw a tournament on Monday, Thursday and Friday. emoDoh I now see why some of you guys have been concerned. Geez!
Monday we did not get on the water until about 2 that afternoon. Did not go far and mainly went on search mode to try and find a pattern. The only thing we found was the old faithful shakey bite. We were looking for a big bite that never came. Only caught seven bass with five keepers and the best of the five was only 3 and a half. Small limit, but at least had a limit.
Tuesday we tried to narrow our pattern but again we just seemed on search mode the whole day. Boated 15 bass with most on the shakey, a couple on a spinner bait and a couple others on a chatter bait. I believe we had 8 keepers. Best was 4/11, had one right at 3 lbs, then several twos. Might of had 13 and a half lbs with the best five. emoRolleyes
Weds it got clear, sunny, hot and slow. A freaking grind. By far our poorest day. Put 13 bass in the boat but a couple were minnows disguised as bass. emoRedface We had five keepers that day but two were spots. Had another 4 but barely and it was the exception. The other two were fifteen inch squeaker keepers. May have had a 10 lb limit.
Thursday pretty much made our week. The rain moved in, overcast, windy, nasty weather. IT WAS GREAT!!! emoDance With the front the bass turned on. Still caught them on a shakey but also had several on jerks and traps. Even had a 4/10 crush a trap in about 2 foot of water! Also had another 4/4 on the shakey. Had two more solid mid 3s and another just under 3. Best five would have broke 18 lbs. emoToast The bass may had been shallow all along but due to the bright sky they had not bit for us until the rain came in. We boated 32 bass with the majority over 15 inches. A lot of cookie cutter 15 to 16 and a half inch bass. emoThumbsup The other benefit about this day was due to the bad weather we did not have the company we had the other days. Martin hooked up with a Chickamauga toad in about 3 and a half feet, set the hook, yelled for the net, I got up to get it just in time to see it go on a dead run away from the boat and it looked like his rod was about to break. I remember him saying, OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Then pow! Line broke. emoBawl
Friday was not a bad day either but the rain had gone and the incoming second front had stalled. emoDoh Another hot clear day. There was a difference this time. We knew those bass were shallow and we had a pattern. I bet we flipped a big worm well over a thousand times each. My shoulder that night was feeling it. It was a grind but it was consistent. 21 bass came into the boat. All shallow except one. Best five keepers would have been around 14 and a half lbs. anchored by our last four lber. Did catch five more of the bass that day on a trap with the rest off the shakey, flipping. I think the bass are running later this year there. I don't really feel we found the big girls the whole week. emoScratch
Not a bad trip, 97 bass in all made it into the boat in 4 and a half days. Can,t really complain about that. Here are a couple of the better ones I caught. One of the fours I mentioned above was bleeding bad and I put her back quickly without getting a pic. Hope if the Lord is willing we will do it all over again next April. Tight lines gang, miss you all. emoWorthy Jmax
Monday we did not get on the water until about 2 that afternoon. Did not go far and mainly went on search mode to try and find a pattern. The only thing we found was the old faithful shakey bite. We were looking for a big bite that never came. Only caught seven bass with five keepers and the best of the five was only 3 and a half. Small limit, but at least had a limit.
Tuesday we tried to narrow our pattern but again we just seemed on search mode the whole day. Boated 15 bass with most on the shakey, a couple on a spinner bait and a couple others on a chatter bait. I believe we had 8 keepers. Best was 4/11, had one right at 3 lbs, then several twos. Might of had 13 and a half lbs with the best five. emoRolleyes
Weds it got clear, sunny, hot and slow. A freaking grind. By far our poorest day. Put 13 bass in the boat but a couple were minnows disguised as bass. emoRedface We had five keepers that day but two were spots. Had another 4 but barely and it was the exception. The other two were fifteen inch squeaker keepers. May have had a 10 lb limit.
Thursday pretty much made our week. The rain moved in, overcast, windy, nasty weather. IT WAS GREAT!!! emoDance With the front the bass turned on. Still caught them on a shakey but also had several on jerks and traps. Even had a 4/10 crush a trap in about 2 foot of water! Also had another 4/4 on the shakey. Had two more solid mid 3s and another just under 3. Best five would have broke 18 lbs. emoToast The bass may had been shallow all along but due to the bright sky they had not bit for us until the rain came in. We boated 32 bass with the majority over 15 inches. A lot of cookie cutter 15 to 16 and a half inch bass. emoThumbsup The other benefit about this day was due to the bad weather we did not have the company we had the other days. Martin hooked up with a Chickamauga toad in about 3 and a half feet, set the hook, yelled for the net, I got up to get it just in time to see it go on a dead run away from the boat and it looked like his rod was about to break. I remember him saying, OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Then pow! Line broke. emoBawl
Friday was not a bad day either but the rain had gone and the incoming second front had stalled. emoDoh Another hot clear day. There was a difference this time. We knew those bass were shallow and we had a pattern. I bet we flipped a big worm well over a thousand times each. My shoulder that night was feeling it. It was a grind but it was consistent. 21 bass came into the boat. All shallow except one. Best five keepers would have been around 14 and a half lbs. anchored by our last four lber. Did catch five more of the bass that day on a trap with the rest off the shakey, flipping. I think the bass are running later this year there. I don't really feel we found the big girls the whole week. emoScratch
Not a bad trip, 97 bass in all made it into the boat in 4 and a half days. Can,t really complain about that. Here are a couple of the better ones I caught. One of the fours I mentioned above was bleeding bad and I put her back quickly without getting a pic. Hope if the Lord is willing we will do it all over again next April. Tight lines gang, miss you all. emoWorthy Jmax
Then again, the water was messed up and so was the bass. A yo yo water level always seemed to mess up a good bite. emoScratch Jmax
