Nickajack Angler
Well-known member
Tonight was one of those nights where you work darn hard to get everyone here a night of quality fishing. It's my last week and I have a great last week in Chatt falling into place for my visiting Dad, Louie and I. Polo called this morning with his pen in hand and was very open to taking my Dad and Louie. So, if I go with Churly we all three could do some fishing. Dad and Louie got to go Crappie fishing with a Master and I got to go and hang out with one of the owners of the lake. For the past year, I've fished with some really incredible fishermen of most species except Carp and yellow bass. Although Doc1, I can attest can catch the yella's with the best of them! emoPoke emoLaugh emoDoh Churly has a great command of bassin'. Before tonight I'd only talked to Churly a handful of times but was a fan from his posts and ability to always post on intriquing topics and always providing very knowledgeable replies. So much so I was quite surprised that he wasn't a 48 yr old man in a shirt plastered with sponsors. But when you first meet him, his easy going nature sets the tone and it's on to business. He opened my eyes to fishing summer time bass on the Chick in a BIG way. We waited out the nasty 30 min BOOMER that rolled through the HBSP where we sat and had a glass of ice tea in the restaurant while everyone else loaded their boats up and left. He just sat patiently waiting to launch without the rain. We put on our rainsuits and really only needed them to keep warm as the temps dropped a pretty good bit after the storm passed and blue skies opened up. He grinned that grin I'm sure some of you are familiar with and said "You wanna go to a community hole and see how many we can catch? It's Monday and there may be a dogfight going on, but we won't have a problem gettin' a nice sack. Maybe over 20#..." We went to a very well known community hole that we've all fished a ton. He pulls up to a spot I know right off the bat, asked if I had the right getter, which I did and it was on from there on out. He proceeded to pound me in the ground right in front of the boat. Same rod, same reel, same bait...... I had on 30lb Spiderwire, he had on 12lb PLine, Flouro - only difference. We'd be curious to hear what you guys think if that could be THAT much of a difference maker. I was watching his retrieve speed and matched it, but just wasn't getting those fish on. Sweeping the hook set on a deep fish... if I hear that phrase again.... I was getting hit dang near every cast. But he had the touch tonight. In the first half hour he put 9 SOLID keepers in the boat and I was missing fish left and right. Churly as one might expect treats the fish incredibly and takes great care to ensure thier survival. He's a champ for that alone. Nothing over 5 tonight but he was close on numerous occasions. I can only recall 1 short fish before nightfall. He's up in the front of the boat, talking me through his routine for everything. I like to think I do most of what I was hearing, but he has a specific way of hauling up fish from 30 ft of water - from the left, the right, out the front of the boat and out the back. He was putting on an exhibition, I was thrilled, but was pretty sure I could push him out of the front of the boat with ease while he caught yet another one. I had sat there 5 times in the last month and never caught them like that unless we had a yella tail on... and even then not the numbers or quality of fish. So after an hour of him catching them at will and me with a BIG ZERO (fish were still biting mind you), it turned dark and he powered up for another scream down the lake. They were pulling quite a bit of water tonight that made some pretty good rollers on the main lake. Water temps still in the mid 80's. We went back to the Harrison area and he pulls up on a flat. It's dark.. fog had settled on the water. It was a beautiful night to be out. He hands me a DJW lure and says "enjoy this for the next couple of hours!" Throwing in the fog, in the dark, I lost count. I jumped up to a respectable level there, and I couldn't get you back there tomorrow if I tried. We took a couple of pics with his hat light but you see how it turned out. We caught them again out of every side of the boat. I've never caught bass like that in the dead of night. One after the other. We left around 11:30pm and I'm pretty sure he'd have pulled up on another spot and done the same drill but pregnant wives need to be tended to. Just one of those nights that you wish for everyday. Thanks Churly for the education, the great fellowship and some serious butt whoopin'!!! It was my honor to finally get out with you. Look forward to reading your name in the money and soon! Oh yeah, best tip I learned from Churly tonight - Get his keys out of the net when he says "NICE FISH ON! GET THE NET!". He get's kinda excited!!!! emoLaugh emoLaugh
That is what it is all about. emoAngel Jmax
