NumenOn the Water
Date: 5-25-15
Date: 5-25-15
Body of Water: Reeds Lake
Boat: Numenon
With: D from C's
Target: Largemouth Bass
Time: 6:30 AM- 11:30 AM
Conditions: Overcast; some showers; generally breezy with strong gusts; about 70 F after a warm night; but with a cold front coming through later in the day.
The previous day's efforts were in large part scouting for this day; I was being joined by Dan from C's. He's a retired school teacher and a nice guy; a fave from the store. It would be our first time fishing together. We agreed to meet at 6:30 AM, and of course I launched a little early. As I maintained the boat near the launch ramp, I scored a keeper 16-inch bass and a smaller one on a fluke over shallow milfoil; I put the legal one in the live well, just to show Dan what he'd missed with his sane starting time.
We first hit the shoreline where I'd gotten the biggest fish the day earlier, and on my third cast or so I momentarily hung a good one on the same DT3; but it came off, unseen. I was filled with confidence, having had such good action so early.
But that was pretty much it for me for the rest of the morning. I caught a few small bass and a small pike (flukes, a spinnerbait and Ned all took fish), and I missed another nice one on the fluke next to a dock, but I didn't catch another legal bass. Meanwhile, Dan dragged, shook and dropped a wacky senko into pockets, along edges and near docks and obstructions; and enjoyed a slowly productive bite. He landed 3 keepers, a few smaller ones, and lost a couple of nice keepers, too.
So we ended with just 4 keepers for about 7 or 8 pounds before we got blown off the lake; it was a slow, tough bite. But Dan didn't care, and we'll fish again.
The previous day's efforts were in large part scouting for this day; I was being joined by Dan from C's. He's a retired school teacher and a nice guy; a fave from the store. It would be our first time fishing together. We agreed to meet at 6:30 AM, and of course I launched a little early. As I maintained the boat near the launch ramp, I scored a keeper 16-inch bass and a smaller one on a fluke over shallow milfoil; I put the legal one in the live well, just to show Dan what he'd missed with his sane starting time.
We first hit the shoreline where I'd gotten the biggest fish the day earlier, and on my third cast or so I momentarily hung a good one on the same DT3; but it came off, unseen. I was filled with confidence, having had such good action so early.
But that was pretty much it for me for the rest of the morning. I caught a few small bass and a small pike (flukes, a spinnerbait and Ned all took fish), and I missed another nice one on the fluke next to a dock, but I didn't catch another legal bass. Meanwhile, Dan dragged, shook and dropped a wacky senko into pockets, along edges and near docks and obstructions; and enjoyed a slowly productive bite. He landed 3 keepers, a few smaller ones, and lost a couple of nice keepers, too.
So we ended with just 4 keepers for about 7 or 8 pounds before we got blown off the lake; it was a slow, tough bite. But Dan didn't care, and we'll fish again.
What do I have to say about this?
This was simply a more difficult and less satisfying day than the previous. Visibility into the water was reduced by wind, waves, and overcast skies; I never enjoyed the positive feedback I'd gotten the previous day. And while it seemed like the bass might be more aggressive and prone to eating spinnerbaits, that just wasn't the case. What I did see included many clear rejections; and more bed-oriented behavior. The senko did best in beds and incipient beds; the slightly deeper edge fish that I was concentrating on just weren't biting.
I undoubtedly stayed with the DT3 too long; I should have tried similar baits or rattle baits for a change of pace. Next time I'm out there, we'll be post-spawn; maybe I'll make hay then. But they'll probably "nuke" the lake with sonar at just the wrong time; we'll see.
This was simply a more difficult and less satisfying day than the previous. Visibility into the water was reduced by wind, waves, and overcast skies; I never enjoyed the positive feedback I'd gotten the previous day. And while it seemed like the bass might be more aggressive and prone to eating spinnerbaits, that just wasn't the case. What I did see included many clear rejections; and more bed-oriented behavior. The senko did best in beds and incipient beds; the slightly deeper edge fish that I was concentrating on just weren't biting.
I undoubtedly stayed with the DT3 too long; I should have tried similar baits or rattle baits for a change of pace. Next time I'm out there, we'll be post-spawn; maybe I'll make hay then. But they'll probably "nuke" the lake with sonar at just the wrong time; we'll see.
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