One of Them Days You Could Fish Anywhere

The water completely covered one catwalk today, and that always means you can fish nearly anywhere you feel like it. I can't speak for anyone else among the 22 anglers in 12 boats, but the fish I was finding today nearly all were in spots where I wouldn't have a prayer of reaching under normal conditions.

At the end of our 8-hour fishing day, here's how the winners' circle looked:

In 1st Place was this team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle. They had five fish for a total weight of 12.59 lbs., anchored by a 3.66-lb. bass.

Claiming 2nd Place was this team of (from left) Paul Higgins and Paul Celentano. They had five fish for a total weight of 10.66 lbs., anchored by a 2.86-lb. bass.

Honors for 3rd Place went to this team of (from left) Jared Allbritten and Wayne Hayes. They had five fish for a total weight of 9.88 lbs., anchored by Wayne's big bass weighing 5.04 lbs., which secured the day's Lunker Award for him, too.

Winning 4th Place was the team of Al Napier and Eddie Sapp (not pictured). They had five fish for a total weight of 9.16 lbs., with no big fish. We're lucky and pleased to have had these fellas with us, given their boating mishap last Sunday on the Northwest River.

Walking away with the Mystery Weight Award was the team of Lenny Hall and Gary Coderre (not pictured). They had five fish for a total weight of 5.71 lbs., which was closest to the 7.00 tab that was drawn. They didn't have a big fish.







Here is how all the other competitors finished the day:

     * The team of Bobby Moore and Duane Kessel, five bass, 9.13 lbs. total weight, 2.74-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Nathan and Marjorie Gottsch, three bass, 5.27 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Jim Wilder and Darryl Dunn, three bass, 4.99 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, two bass, 4.83 lbs. total weight, 3.78-lb. big bass.
     * Ken Testorff, three bass, 4.67 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Jim Sumrell and Cathy Brandt, three bass, 4.65 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Steve Bailey didn't weigh any fish.

Overall, today's anglers weighed a total of 44 bass for a total weight of 81.54 lbs. The average weight was 1.85 lbs.

There were no new names added to the list of those anglers who have qualified for our season-ending two-day Classic.

Congrats to all the winners today, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24, from safe light  (about 6:30) to weigh-in at 2:30. I hope you can join us.

I found fish today in the same places I found them this past Wednesday. Finding 'em, however, is only half the battle. Getting 'em in the boat is the other half, and to my chagrin, I was the epitome of poor execution in that regard today.

Meanwhile, my friend, Skip, who also was out Wednesday, told me his "hot spot" had cooled dramatically. He and his partner came away with only one bass from there today, compared to 20 or 25 on Wednesday.

If there was a high point to my day, it had to have been when I set the hook on this healthy white perch, and he came flying out of the water just like his bass brethren. He easily cleared the surface by 2 or more feet, and I'll have to admit I was impressed by the whole thing. Can't say I've ever seen that kind of acrobatics from a white perch before.

If Only One, Make It a Good One

That philosophy served Ron well tonight on his trip to No Name Creek. After spending two hours there with nothing to show for it but a few misses, he enticed the nice 3-lb. 4-oz. bass pictured here to hit his Whopper Plopper.

"If one fish saves a skunk, it sure helps that it's a nice one," said Ron.

Incidentally, Ron acknowledged that he made a mistake in his report last night, when he described a 19-inch striper as a non-keeper. He was thinking about the 20-inch limit on the Bay when he made that statement. "My bad... would have been tasty," is how he described his regrets.

Fished My Plan All Day Long...

And was certain I had saved the best spot for last, but I was wrong. Part of the problem, I think, was that, just as I arrived at this spot, the clouds mostly disappeared, and the wind really kicked into high gear. I not only didn't catch any fish in that hole, I didn't even get a strike.

As a result, I ended the day with a total of seven bass, including three dinks, a 1-0, 1-8, 1-11, and a 2-13 (pictured right). He was my first fish of the day, so my adrenaline got to pumping early on. I easily missed at least a dozen more fish, likely because I was setting the hook before they had the bait good. All but two of today's catch went for my INT bait. Those two exceptions fell for a popper. I had a wakebait tied on but never threw it once, because I was getting strikes regularly.

Oh, and I nearly forgot that I also caught my first bowfin in a long while--probably about 4 lbs. worth. Unlike Charlie and Ron, I simply unhook these fish as quickly as possible and let them go. There's no way I'm going to pause to weigh the fish or to take a photo as my two friends do.

My buddy, Skip, was out today, too, and although he was fishing a different area than me, he likewise found a good bite. He lost track of the count but told me he's sure he caught at least 20 or 25 bass, the best of which was the 1-8 pictured here.

In keeping my promise to him this afternoon, I'm not going to mention the bait he was using. We have a tourney this Saturday, and he doesn't want everyone knowing what his bait was today. He stayed put in one spot all day, too, because the bite was just that good. He told me that he put four in the boat from the same spot.

Ron's report from yesterday hit my inbox too late last night for me to include it with my post, so I'm doing it tonight, instead.

He launched at Milldam and fished from 5:30 to 8 p.m. His lone catch for the night was a 19-inch bowfin, which he caught on a Senko.

"I tried all my favorite spots and lures," said Ron, "but the bite was non-existent. Zero baitfish were visible, there were no wakes, and nothing was busting the surface. It was like a dead zone. Neither my friend, nor I, had a swipe on a topwater or tap on anything else all night."

Ron also noted that a strong in-flowing current complicated the bridge limbo on the way back.

"Who knows what turns the bite on or off?" he said in conclusion, adding, "I had to settle for a beautiful evening of catching a bunch of grass. Oh well."

With the high water, Ron planned a trip to the upper North Landing tonight. His targeted species: bowfin.

Having witnessed some surface action, he started throwing an XTS Minnow. He spent the next 20 minutes landing nine stripers--the biggest a 19-inch 2-2 (see left), which is just shy of the 20-inch pan-eligible criteria. "I was catching 'em on nearly every cast," he said.  

At that point, Ron quit the striper blitz and headed to his planned destination creek. En route, he managed to boat another striper while trolling. Once in his planned creek, he found a 1-2 bass (see right) on the XTS and then a beautiful 4-lb. 3-oz. bowfin (see below) on the Whopper Plopper.

"Fishing topwater was difficult," Ron allowed, "due to surface debris as a result of the outflowing water."

As darkness approached, Ron headed back. Just before finishing, though, he caught the 11th striper of the night on the XTS.

"A gorgeous evening and the best striper bite I have found in North Landing," he said. "A real blast catching those hard fighters. Just wish I could have found more bowfin."

Don't Base Your Fishin' Day on the First 5 Minutes

That's the main lesson I learned today. I mistakenly figured two quick dinks on a popper was going to put me on the fast track for a good day. How wrong I was, though.

After those two dinks in Blackwater, I decided to stay there a while. Two hours later, I hadn't so much as had another strike, so decided to run to Albright's and see what, if anything, was shakin' there. I headed to the back to fish the wood and had four blowups in my first four casts with a topwater. I only felt one of those four fish and didn't even get that one in the boat.

At that point, the day turned so ho-hum I was having trouble just staying awake. After four hours, I was seriously considering looking for new water when I saw a V-shape following my INT bait out of an indention in the shoreline. I kept working the bait slow but steady, and suddenly, I saw the splash I had been hoping for and felt a fair amount of resistance as I set the hook. That fish weighed in at 3 lbs. 4 ozs (see above right). The strange thing about this fish was that he appeared to have been fertilizing some eggs. I still have the stuff all over the floor of my boat that he started spewing as soon as I lifted him in the boat.

Thinking that the action might be getting ready to pick up, I slowed down and started working areas more methodically. However, it was about another 45 minutes or an hour before I had another bass slam my INT. This one tipped my handheld scales at 1 lb. 12 ozs (see above left).

Let me caution anyone running the river between West Neck and at least Blackwater, pay close attention to the buoys marking the crab pots. They are scattered hither and yon, including some directly in the channel. I'm not sure if the mess is a result of the storm that passed through a few days ago, or just some overzealous crabbers who don't give a hoot for rules. I felt like I was running an obstacle course today, as I picked my way through all of them.

Lots of Wind, Only a Few Fish

It was a bit breezy as Ron launched Sunday morning at Tecumseh, with plans to fish Crystal Lake. Because the lake was nice and well-protected, he stayed on the water for five hours but only caught one measly chain pickerel. Had a bunch of misses, too.

Meanwhile, hie friend caught a 2-2 and a 1-13 bass on a Whopper Plopper.

Said Ron, "The trip back into the wind was tough. With a nice water level (gauge was up to 1.6), though, the peddles helped me make it back to the launch."

This morning, then, Ron tried Horn Point from 0630 to 0830. It wasn't long before the wind picked up and made fishing impossible.

As he explained, "The line with my Senko was just bowing in the wind and moving the worm where I didn't want it.

"Before conditions got too bad, though," Ron continued, "I managed a 1-11 (pictured here), a 1-5, and a 12-oz. dink on the Whopper Plopper."

Ron described the water this morning as "very murky, and the chop and wind on the way back made for a wild ride." He found two other kayakers out there who had caught a couple each, using topwater frogs and spinnerbaits.

"What a difference 7 hours make!" That's the new tune Ron is singing as a result of his trip this evening to Beggar's Bridge. "Wind had died down completely," he said. "Temp was perfect, gauge was reading 1.5 at 1500, so I headed back out. Launched about 4 p.m. The water was low, but the bite was HOT!" he exclaimed.

Throwing only the Whopper Plopper, Ron proceeded to catch 21 bass and a 22-inch chain pickerel (see left). The bass included 11 dinks (some very close to a pound), along with a 1-0, 1-1, two 1-3s, 1-4, 1-9, 1-10, 1-14, 1-15, and a sweet 3-10 (pictured above). "Had to recalibrate my bass thumb, too," he said.

His only disappointment: He couldn't find a bowfin. And he missed about 10 fish, but that was very minor, considering how many he boated. "Funny how the misses don't bother you when the bite is so good," he concluded.

Good Looks Don't Always Make a Good Lure

I say that because, if they did, some of those custom-painted lures you can get today (got a few of 'em in my box, too) should have fish jumping in the boat. In reality, fish-producing lures sometimes are weird-looking and even can be downright ugly.

Perhaps it's just me, but I really don't care what they look like, as long as they catch fish. And, according to some folks, the strange-looking creations that follow indeed will catch a fish or two.

While artsy lures like this one aren't always great at catching fish, this Blue Gator reportedly is the exception. It looks like a bad dream, but according to some, "The bass can't resist it."

Called a Pudgy Frog, this lure's large front flippers help create friction in the water.

It's unclear what type of fish these bizarre-looking faces are supposed to attract, but the Japanese show great confidence in these lures.

This wooden topwater lure, called the American Woodworker, is great for skipping across the top of the water and attracting bass, musky and pike.

Made from a cork and bottle cap, this lure is aptly called a Booze Bait Cork Popper. It makes a great gag gift but also has been known to hook a few fish.

These eye-catching Japanese lures are great for catching catfish.

This homemade Chipmunk lure is designed to mimic a swimming chipmunk. While some consider the bait a cool idea, the reality is that chipmunks aren't exactly a primary food source for bass, musky, pike, or any other known freshwater fish.

This hand-painted Baby Bull Frog has a single weedless hook in the front that keeps the bait from snagging lily pads. The legs kick back and forth during the retrieve.

The Mushimura surface shaking insect plug is another Japanese innovation. It's made from a special foam combination, and the wings are designed to make life-like ripples as you pop it, shake it, or just twitch it and let it sit.

With a tail prop and wings, this Gatta-X Turbulence bait has a loud, violent and wacky action that's meant to work the surface in choppy water. All the bells and whistles aren't cheap, though. Also made by Megabass, the 3.25-inch lure runs $45.

The Worth Flutter-Fin, as this lure is known, dates back 50 years. It was made from wood and came in a variety of styles and color patterns. Today, they're a collector's item for lure junkies.

With a curve at one end and a hook at the other, this Jake's Spin-a-Lure looks like a metal domino. It's designed to be cast or trolled in saltwater or fresh.

This Spinno Minno was made by Uniline, based in Dallas, TX. The metal spinner in the middle of the body created extra vibrations in the water that were meant to attract fish. These baits now are valuable collectors' items, going for more than $100.

Another unique old-school bait, the Aqua-Bat lure has a compartment under its lip for inserting a pellet that dissolves and emits a gas that causes the bait to swim erratically.

The Bite Lite lure comes with a battery and red flashing light, which is supposed to imitate a bleeding fish. It comes in a kit of three, including a topwater bait, a lipless crankbait, and a diving crankbait.

This battery-powered Alive lure floats on the surface and vibrates to mimic the ripples of an insect's wings. Introduced in 2009, the lure can run for 17 hours on one battery. It's water-activated, so it turns on as soon as you cast.

I Knew I'd Find an Email in My Inbox Today...

And I was right. The time stamp on it was 11:02.

That's right, folks, rather than take a day off, Ron headed to the water this morning. He launched at 0630, with the gauge reading 2.33 feet of water. At the time he sent the email, the level had dropped to 1.2, and at 11:45, the reading was 0.59 and still falling.

Remember this line from the old Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour: "And where she stops, nobody knows"? That, my friends, describes the situation with the North Landing to a T. This much I do know: The falling water won't stop until that wind shifts somewhere other than northeast.

"I figured since everyone was still sleeping, and I couldn't clean up the yard, may as well chase bowfin at upper North Landing," said Ron. His reasoning was, "It's wind-protected, sort of; it'll have an outflowing current, check; and there'll be a perfect mud line, check."

The flaw in this plan was that the bowfin didn't get the message he was coming. He didn't find a single one.

Ron told me the conditions in the skinny creek really weren't that bad, but "after witnessing the second tree fall, I decided it was time to skedaddle," he admitted. He said the water was crystal clear above the fork, with surprisingly very little surface debris. "A few powerful gusts nearly flipped me over on the trip north, which was straight into the maelstrom, while the trip south was like a sleigh ride, what with the following seas and wind," he explained. "I only had to steer."

The morning's catch was limited to only two dinks (as pictured above) on the Whopper Plopper and some taps on a Fluke. In Ron's own words, "Not really worth the trip."

Fellow kayaker, Charlie, had a bit different view of the trip, but that's all I'll say here.

One Last Trip Before Hermine Blows Into Town

Reckon y'all know whom I'm talking about. He gives new meaning to "making every minute count." That's right, Ron headed to Albright's this morning and fished from 0630 to 0900.

"Must have lost seven or eight that were 'solidly' on," he said, adding, "had as many more strikes that didn't connect." That was the frustrating part, but he stayed focused and finally landed four bass, including a 1-1, 1-8 (see right), and two dinks. "Had a decent fish on, too, that never jumped but pulled some drag," Ron noted. "It could have been a striper, or maybe a bowfin--I just don't know."

There was one thing missing from yesterday evening's report that Ron brought to my attention today. It seems the friend who was with him on Back Bay had a double hook-up on the Whopper Plopper, as evidenced in this photo. Those bonuses are always a welcome sight, no matter who is holding the rod.

Ron concluded his email today by saying, "Think I will stay off the water until Sunday, but you never know." I plan to keep checking my email inbox--just in case.

SIDEBAR

Wanted to share this sidebar with all you kayaking fans. I was talking to Steve at West Neck Marina earlier today and learned that he's working on some upgrades there at his facility. One of those, he said, will be an area apart from the boat ramp where you can launch your kayaks.

He's already in the process of clearing areas for that and some other additions. Stay tuned to my blog, because I'll try to keep you abreast of everything he's doing.

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor a Sore Thumb Can Stop This Kayaker

I'm talking, of course, about none other than my friend, Ron. Even though the thought had crossed my mind that he might not have gotten on the water tonight, I have to admit I wasn't too surprised when I saw his email hit my inbox a few minutes ago.

"Saw a break in the evening storms and headed to Back Bay with a friend," he said. "The bite was off a bit tonight," he acknowledged, but that didn't stop him from catching a respectable number of fish between 1830 and darkness.

"I managed to catch a 1-0, 1-9, and the 2-1 bass pictured above right," he explained, "along with a small white perch (see bottom right) and a decent 12-inch crappie (pictured left) to fry up with yesterday's four white perch," he continued.

The crappie was a first on the Whopper Plopper. The same bait accounted for all Ron's other fish, except the 1-0 bass, which fell for a Yum Dinger (Senko-type worm). Meanwhile, his friend caught nine bass, up to 2 lbs. even--again on the Whopper Plopper. Rounding out the evening's activity were a few big wakes, misses and some lost fish, as usual. 

"Compared to last night, I saw very little 'activity,'" said Ron, "and the bite seemed to match the lack of action, as compared to what I witnessed last night. Could have been the weather, barometric pressure--who knows? September still started decently enough."

"Oh, and did I tell you my thumb is sore?" he concluded.