NumenOn the Water
Date: 5-22-16
Date: 5-22-16
Body of Water: Reeds Lake
Boat: Numenon
With: Alone
Target: LMB
Time: 6 AM - 10:15 AM
Conditions: Clear, mild easterly wind, water clear and 63 degrees F +/-
I started the morning with some cranking on the edge of the main off-shore hump with a Rapala DT3. After a half hour of nothing, and with visibility into the water improving with the increasing daylight, I hit some new weed lines. The senko hula swim bait turned nothing, but the weedless swim jig caught a small buck. Between blind casts, I would scout any visible or bedding bass, but these consistently had no interest in eating my offerings (which also included the wacky senko and a double-tailed hula grub on a football head, too.) The bass could certainly see these baits. Some were simply ignored, some were watched with keen interest, and some were actively avoided; each in about equal proportions.
These sightings included many fine bass, so I dedicated myself to working these as hard as possible. I worked one bass for a dozen casts or so. He nosed the grub a couple of times, but never opened his mouth, and that seemed as close to success as I might get.
A near-keeper ate the senko, but it was getting pretty crowded here. The least pressured fish were offshore, so I returned to the hump, this time armed with a chatter bait. Working the hump's top and edges, I saw no fish, but I did catch another near-keeper from the hump's western point.
I made a quick milk-run of isolated beds that I'd seen the day before. I figured I'd continue to try the hula grub on these fish while scouting the areas with the senko. I suffered a few more rejections, but for some unknown reason a single guarding bass gulped the jig down, and I'd finally caught a legal-sized bass for the day; let's say one bass, two-plus pounds for the day's efforts.
I started the morning with some cranking on the edge of the main off-shore hump with a Rapala DT3. After a half hour of nothing, and with visibility into the water improving with the increasing daylight, I hit some new weed lines. The senko hula swim bait turned nothing, but the weedless swim jig caught a small buck. Between blind casts, I would scout any visible or bedding bass, but these consistently had no interest in eating my offerings (which also included the wacky senko and a double-tailed hula grub on a football head, too.) The bass could certainly see these baits. Some were simply ignored, some were watched with keen interest, and some were actively avoided; each in about equal proportions.
These sightings included many fine bass, so I dedicated myself to working these as hard as possible. I worked one bass for a dozen casts or so. He nosed the grub a couple of times, but never opened his mouth, and that seemed as close to success as I might get.
A near-keeper ate the senko, but it was getting pretty crowded here. The least pressured fish were offshore, so I returned to the hump, this time armed with a chatter bait. Working the hump's top and edges, I saw no fish, but I did catch another near-keeper from the hump's western point.
I made a quick milk-run of isolated beds that I'd seen the day before. I figured I'd continue to try the hula grub on these fish while scouting the areas with the senko. I suffered a few more rejections, but for some unknown reason a single guarding bass gulped the jig down, and I'd finally caught a legal-sized bass for the day; let's say one bass, two-plus pounds for the day's efforts.
What do I have to say about this?
The most unfortunate aspect of maintaining an open diary of one's modest fishing exploits is reporting on a day like this. It was a fine day, just not as fine as I would like. With four bass in four hours on four different presentations, having seen dozens of nice bass, I think one can safely conclude that the bass were simply "off". They certainly were distracted.
Meanwhile, our first summer-like weather of the season has arrived. With lots of stuff going on in life, it might be a bit before I can get back out there. I'm thinking at least some of the bass will be done spawning by then, and perhaps I can get a reliable bite (dare I think topwater?) going. And muskies should be hitting their stride right now, too.
The most unfortunate aspect of maintaining an open diary of one's modest fishing exploits is reporting on a day like this. It was a fine day, just not as fine as I would like. With four bass in four hours on four different presentations, having seen dozens of nice bass, I think one can safely conclude that the bass were simply "off". They certainly were distracted.
Meanwhile, our first summer-like weather of the season has arrived. With lots of stuff going on in life, it might be a bit before I can get back out there. I'm thinking at least some of the bass will be done spawning by then, and perhaps I can get a reliable bite (dare I think topwater?) going. And muskies should be hitting their stride right now, too.
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