Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Trip report 02/26***Never give up***
Below is a fishing report I made on riverbassin.com today.In addition to this trip report I would like to add
that I have made two other trips out this year since January and came up empty handed both times.
That makes today's catch even more important to me..Catching that one good fish today helped pull me out of a slump.No where near a record I know but it restored my confidence...
After that we fished for another 2 or 3 three hours without a single bite..Not even a smell.
At that point I had just about given up..If RBF had said lets go home I would not have argued but instead we continued to fish and actually paddled back up stream to our starting point to give it another try hoping the water had warmed up some more and the bite would turn on.
A few minutes later I here RBF holler out fish on and see him struggling with a big fish so I paddle over to assist and look at what he had .
That was exciting and now we both had new found hope that we might salvage the day and catch a few fish after all...A few minute later I had spotted a submerged rock out in the middle of the river that looked promising..I had been using a finesse jig some but decided to tie on a heavier mop stlye gig
with a larger trailer thinking a bigger bait might be the ticket.I paddled out up stream of the rock and landed the bait on top of the rock..I pulled it slowly off the edge and as soon as it fell BLAMO !!
This girl nailed it on the fall...Did not get a weight because my scales were dead and I did not know it.
Two pics.
that I have made two other trips out this year since January and came up empty handed both times.
That makes today's catch even more important to me..Catching that one good fish today helped pull me out of a slump.No where near a record I know but it restored my confidence...
Trip report 02/26**Never give up***
Me and RatherBfishing hit the river this morning at day break thinking we would have a banner day after
all the warm weather we have had for the past two weeks.We fished for 3 or 4 hours without a single bite throwing every thing in the tackle box at them..Finally RBF drew first blood with a decent 2 to 3 lb large mouth
on a white spinner bait..At that time the water had warmed up to 48 degrees from 47 when we started..
No picture taken on that one...Just a few minutes later I hooked into a nice shoal bass on a black finesse worm.We were thinking that maybe the bite was going to pick up..Here is a pic of that one.
After that we fished for another 2 or 3 three hours without a single bite..Not even a smell.
At that point I had just about given up..If RBF had said lets go home I would not have argued but instead we continued to fish and actually paddled back up stream to our starting point to give it another try hoping the water had warmed up some more and the bite would turn on.
A few minutes later I here RBF holler out fish on and see him struggling with a big fish so I paddle over to assist and look at what he had .
That was exciting and now we both had new found hope that we might salvage the day and catch a few fish after all...A few minute later I had spotted a submerged rock out in the middle of the river that looked promising..I had been using a finesse jig some but decided to tie on a heavier mop stlye gig
with a larger trailer thinking a bigger bait might be the ticket.I paddled out up stream of the rock and landed the bait on top of the rock..I pulled it slowly off the edge and as soon as it fell BLAMO !!
This girl nailed it on the fall...Did not get a weight because my scales were dead and I did not know it.
Two pics.
A little while later this large mouth hit the same mop jig and that ended my day..
So not a bad day after all I guess.I only caught three fish but I have to keep reminding myself it is still winter..We still have a few weeks until spring arrives when the best shoal bass fishing gets started..Will I catch the world record shoal bass ? I dont know....Am I capable of catching the world record shoal bass ?
Damn right I am..
For now I am just going to keep on trying.
Until next time.
See you on the river !!
WJ
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Preparing to fish for "The World Record Shoal Bass"
How do you prepare to catch the world record shoal bass ? Well you don't really but what you can do is be as prepared as possible as I always do any time I go fishing. I am not a very organized person in my personal or business life but when it comes to fishing I probably take it to the extreme. Part of the fun to me is getting prepped the night before a fishing trip spending hours making sure my boat and tackle are well organized
and ready to start fishing the moment I arrive at the river.
This year when I decided to focus my fishing efforts on catching a record I decided right from the start that I needed to get my vehicle, gear and tackle ready for the challenge. So I wasted no time getting things ready.
First order of business was my vehicle..Getting the old truck ready was top priority. Last year I had put many miles on the old girl and I knew that this year would be even more as I reached out farther in my search for the big one. I went thru the usual maintenence and on my truck..Oil and filter change, lube, air filter, general touch up, fluid top off and just a overall check to make sure everything looked ready to go and a good clean up.
Next item on the list was my kayak..My kayak had been through some major wear and tear during the 2010 season so I went over it with a fine tooth comb..There were some issues with the seat that needed some repair and adjustment for comfort..The drag chain needed some repair and also needed to be re wrapped. Basically a tune up so to speak and a little TLC was needed to get the ol Drifter ready to get back on the river.
Now on to the really important stuff.
Rods and reels.These guys take alot of abuse when fishing rivers and in kayaks.. A whole lot more than if you were fishing from a bass boat so it is important to maintain them or you could find yourself in trouble if you hooked a big one and a reel locked up or rod malfunctioned..All of my rods and reels were dismantled and cleaned thoroughly..Rods were inspected for any cracks or damaged line guides and replaced if necessary..The reels were each taken apart and cleaned and lubed with a quality grease and of course new line was installed on all of the reels.
Then comes the tackle box..
This year I totally dismantled my tackle box and reorganized. Over time you tend to accumulate a bunch of unnecessary tackle that you never really use. All of my tackle was reorganized by category of bait so that the items I needed would be easy to locate..Each tackle tray was dedicated to a particular type of bait..Top water baits in one box, Jigs in a jig box, flukes in one and swim baits in another...All of my worms and worm hooks and weights were placed in a dedicated side pouch...Crank baits in a box of there own and a wallet type separator was dedicated solely to spinner baits and buzz baits organized by skirt color.
The final list of items are just as important and not to be forgotten by anyone fishing for a record or just kayak fishing in general. First aid kit and dry bag with extra dry clothes was restocked with any missing items..
Sun glasses,PFD,Sunscreen all on board..And most important if you are fishing for a record is a good set of scales with extra batteries and a measuring tape. And of course don't forget the camera and extra batteries to record your catch.
Will all of my preparation increase my odds of catching a world record fish ?
Probably not but you never know and being prepared sure makes for a better
fishing experience and an enjoyable day on the water.
Fish on my friends...I'll see you on the water.
WJ
and ready to start fishing the moment I arrive at the river.
This year when I decided to focus my fishing efforts on catching a record I decided right from the start that I needed to get my vehicle, gear and tackle ready for the challenge. So I wasted no time getting things ready.
First order of business was my vehicle..Getting the old truck ready was top priority. Last year I had put many miles on the old girl and I knew that this year would be even more as I reached out farther in my search for the big one. I went thru the usual maintenence and on my truck..Oil and filter change, lube, air filter, general touch up, fluid top off and just a overall check to make sure everything looked ready to go and a good clean up.
Next item on the list was my kayak..My kayak had been through some major wear and tear during the 2010 season so I went over it with a fine tooth comb..There were some issues with the seat that needed some repair and adjustment for comfort..The drag chain needed some repair and also needed to be re wrapped. Basically a tune up so to speak and a little TLC was needed to get the ol Drifter ready to get back on the river.
Now on to the really important stuff.
Rods and reels.These guys take alot of abuse when fishing rivers and in kayaks.. A whole lot more than if you were fishing from a bass boat so it is important to maintain them or you could find yourself in trouble if you hooked a big one and a reel locked up or rod malfunctioned..All of my rods and reels were dismantled and cleaned thoroughly..Rods were inspected for any cracks or damaged line guides and replaced if necessary..The reels were each taken apart and cleaned and lubed with a quality grease and of course new line was installed on all of the reels.
Then comes the tackle box..
This year I totally dismantled my tackle box and reorganized. Over time you tend to accumulate a bunch of unnecessary tackle that you never really use. All of my tackle was reorganized by category of bait so that the items I needed would be easy to locate..Each tackle tray was dedicated to a particular type of bait..Top water baits in one box, Jigs in a jig box, flukes in one and swim baits in another...All of my worms and worm hooks and weights were placed in a dedicated side pouch...Crank baits in a box of there own and a wallet type separator was dedicated solely to spinner baits and buzz baits organized by skirt color.
The final list of items are just as important and not to be forgotten by anyone fishing for a record or just kayak fishing in general. First aid kit and dry bag with extra dry clothes was restocked with any missing items..
Sun glasses,PFD,Sunscreen all on board..And most important if you are fishing for a record is a good set of scales with extra batteries and a measuring tape. And of course don't forget the camera and extra batteries to record your catch.
Will all of my preparation increase my odds of catching a world record fish ?
Probably not but you never know and being prepared sure makes for a better
fishing experience and an enjoyable day on the water.
Fish on my friends...I'll see you on the water.
WJ
\
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Patients Prevail..First attempt of 2011
Not really an attempt at the record but more like a desperate attempt to shake off the cabin fever
and get back on the river after several weeks of non fishing and being house bound during the cold of winter. Now you would have thought that we would have picked a day when it was some what warmer
to do this but no way..Me and my fishing partner Glenn (RatherBfishing) Anderson picked the first available day we could go which just happened to be the worst day of the weekend.
The low temp that morning was in the 20's and the high for the day might have hit 40 and the wind howling like it was it might as well have stayed in the 20's..To top that the dam up stream was releasing water when we arrived and we had to paddle and wade upstream for approx a mile against some strong current and climb one hefty set of shoals to reach our honey hole..Remember now...Patients prevail right ?
After about an hour long struggle in fridged temps and water we finally reached our fishing destination
just in time for the winds to pick up and start blowing us around the river and making it nearly impossible to fish. If you made a cast into a good looking spot by the time you reeled in you would be blown up stream or spun around in another direction..After all we went through to get there it was becoming very frustrating trying to fish and control our kayaks in the strong current and wind.
But I was not going to let the conditions stop me from catching at least one fish..All I needed was one fish to get the 2011 skunk off so I just kept trying..
After a few hours of fishless frustration and a fridged shore lunch that was so cold it had no taste we got back on the water for another attempt before we headed back down stream.I kept looking for a break from the wind or some trees to block it but the wind kept coming from all directions..I finally rounded a bend while hugging the tree line and all of the sudden I found myself in the perfect spot with no wind what so ever..It was abosutley still and right in front of me was some perfect deep water just outside of the main current.I wasted no time in taking advantage of the opportunity because I knew it would not last long..
Considering the time of year and the cold water conditions, I knew that the fish would not be very active and that it would take a slow presentation with a bottom bumping type bait like a plastic worm or craw type lure.I had tyed on a finesse jig with a plastic craw trailer on to one of my rods and that is the one I chose.
On the very first cast I allowed the bait to sink to the bottom and sit for a few seconds and then slow lifted my rod and moved it just slightly..That's when I felt that tell tale tick in my line..I waited for a moment and then applied a little bit of pressure until a felt a mushy sensation..I reeled down taking the slack out of my line and set the hook...Fish on !! Finally got one on...Sweet !!
Well the fish I guess was so cold it barely put up a fight and never broke the surface until I lifted it from the water and brought it into my kayak.To my surprise though it was a pretty darn good fish..No where near a record but I had removed the skunk and boated a nice 3 to 3/12 lb Shoal bass to start the 2011 season.
My patients had paid off and saved me from a fishless trip on a cold January day..It would have been great to catch a few more that day but after all that we had been through I was perfectly content to
just catch that one fish..We fished for a while longer without another bite and called it a day.
Here are a couple of pictures.
I have spent many days on the river in the spring and summer months during the best of fishing conditions only to wish I had caught just one good fish like that one..Can I take this as some kind of sign that the 2011 season will be my year ? Do I have a shot at catching the world record Shoal bass ? I dont know but I can assure you that I am going to give it my best shot and maybe just maybe..
My Patients will prevail..
WJ
and get back on the river after several weeks of non fishing and being house bound during the cold of winter. Now you would have thought that we would have picked a day when it was some what warmer
to do this but no way..Me and my fishing partner Glenn (RatherBfishing) Anderson picked the first available day we could go which just happened to be the worst day of the weekend.
The low temp that morning was in the 20's and the high for the day might have hit 40 and the wind howling like it was it might as well have stayed in the 20's..To top that the dam up stream was releasing water when we arrived and we had to paddle and wade upstream for approx a mile against some strong current and climb one hefty set of shoals to reach our honey hole..Remember now...Patients prevail right ?
After about an hour long struggle in fridged temps and water we finally reached our fishing destination
just in time for the winds to pick up and start blowing us around the river and making it nearly impossible to fish. If you made a cast into a good looking spot by the time you reeled in you would be blown up stream or spun around in another direction..After all we went through to get there it was becoming very frustrating trying to fish and control our kayaks in the strong current and wind.
But I was not going to let the conditions stop me from catching at least one fish..All I needed was one fish to get the 2011 skunk off so I just kept trying..
After a few hours of fishless frustration and a fridged shore lunch that was so cold it had no taste we got back on the water for another attempt before we headed back down stream.I kept looking for a break from the wind or some trees to block it but the wind kept coming from all directions..I finally rounded a bend while hugging the tree line and all of the sudden I found myself in the perfect spot with no wind what so ever..It was abosutley still and right in front of me was some perfect deep water just outside of the main current.I wasted no time in taking advantage of the opportunity because I knew it would not last long..
Considering the time of year and the cold water conditions, I knew that the fish would not be very active and that it would take a slow presentation with a bottom bumping type bait like a plastic worm or craw type lure.I had tyed on a finesse jig with a plastic craw trailer on to one of my rods and that is the one I chose.
On the very first cast I allowed the bait to sink to the bottom and sit for a few seconds and then slow lifted my rod and moved it just slightly..That's when I felt that tell tale tick in my line..I waited for a moment and then applied a little bit of pressure until a felt a mushy sensation..I reeled down taking the slack out of my line and set the hook...Fish on !! Finally got one on...Sweet !!
Well the fish I guess was so cold it barely put up a fight and never broke the surface until I lifted it from the water and brought it into my kayak.To my surprise though it was a pretty darn good fish..No where near a record but I had removed the skunk and boated a nice 3 to 3/12 lb Shoal bass to start the 2011 season.
My patients had paid off and saved me from a fishless trip on a cold January day..It would have been great to catch a few more that day but after all that we had been through I was perfectly content to
just catch that one fish..We fished for a while longer without another bite and called it a day.
Here are a couple of pictures.
I have spent many days on the river in the spring and summer months during the best of fishing conditions only to wish I had caught just one good fish like that one..Can I take this as some kind of sign that the 2011 season will be my year ? Do I have a shot at catching the world record Shoal bass ? I dont know but I can assure you that I am going to give it my best shot and maybe just maybe..
My Patients will prevail..
WJ
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