2 Hours, 1 Strike, 1 Fish, and 1 Cruisin' Critter

Thus began yesterday evening's email from my friend, Jim Bauer, who is spending some more time on Lake Gaston. He didn't get on the water until about 6:30 p.m. Seems he woke up yesterday morning all stiff and sore. "Even hurt to walk," he noted.

Besides that, the wind was howling, and the water was very high--"all the way up to the bottom of the deck," he explained. For all those reasons, he decided to wait until evening before venturing out. By then, the winds had laid.

"Stayed close (to where he's staying) and had no action on top with the craw," said Jim. "Picked up a swimbait and had a tap--probably a bream. Then, as I was about to quit, the 2-lb. bass in this photo smacked the swimbait. Put up a good fight, too," he concluded, except for adding that he spotted a "darned critter" cruising nearby just as got ready to make his last cast of the evening.

With low temps at Gaston predicted to remain in the 40s most of this week, Jim was singing the praises of his decision to take a couple jackets along on his latest trip.

As he described in his email this evening, he again had spent an abbreviated day on the water--not leaving the boathouse until about 3:30 and returning about 8 p.m.

He reported catching four keeper-sized bass, plus one dink today. The four keepers weighed 1-2, 1-5, 1-8, and 1-11 (the fish you see in the photo at left).

"I probably missed as many as I caught," he added. Baits that worked for him were the swimbait, French fry, and the craw.

"Conditions have changed," said Jim. "The bite is better." It seems some of his aches and pains have diminished, as well. In his own closing words, "Right now, I feel better than I have for two days."

"Tight lines! my friend.