Texas Transplant
Well-Known Member
Well, I fished as a 'guest' with my new Bass Club yesterday on Lake Tyler. Been a while since I've done this (given both my work schedule and move the last two years), but really enjoyed getting out.
Club is organized very similarly to my old club in Rock Hill, so not much difference. Just little things.
Partner for the day was 'good', and on some fish, but readily agreed that he was subject to making poor 'on the water' decisions. Aren't we all!
Post spawn, water temps close to 70 degrees, between fronts, lot's of grass and water clarity down to 1 1/2 - 2' in depth. 8-10 mph wind most of the day with clouds.
NO TOP WATER at all. Out early, but the top water bite was never there. Little to no activity to be seen, other than an occasional 'roll'. We fished 'out from the grass'; next to it and into it. Till later in the afternoon - really never seemed to establish anytype of a real pattern - though it seemed to be there; upon reflection.
Bites were few and far between for both of us. He had two in the boat between 7-8:30AM; then a long dry spell.
Early afternoon we moved, and I changed my tactics. I really like pitching a BIG Strike King tube (yesterday it was dark green w/chart tail; then dark red with blue tail. I was beat later in the day, so I went to 'bumping the tube' along the bottom as close to the grass line as possible. Being in the back of the boat, allowed me to do this pretty well.
Had a really nice sized bass pick it up and run with it (saw the profile in the water), but didn't do a good job of setting the hook at all. Thought I had him, but no. Within 5-8 minutes, had another good one. Really tried to 'lay the wood' to him, but sill missed the hookup. In about another 5 minutes - #3. Same result.
Analysis: Several problems - all on me.
1) Long line out with mono on. Too much line stretch.
2) Had a 4/0 EWG hook on - skin hooked. Probably needed a 5/0 or 6/0 to do the job better.
3) Need to work on my hookset, when fishing this type of setup. Don't think that I'm doing justice, since this is a big meaty bait I'm throwing.
Now the 'poor' part of the story. Almost immediately after that, we increased our trolling speed and also moved. I figure it was one or two things - could be either.
1) We were down to about 90 minutes left, and my partner for the day knew where he wanted to go near the end.
2) Didn't care for the fact that I had 'hit the pattern', and I potentially got 'boated'. The pattern was confirmed later at the ramp: 'if you were not right on the grass line - you didn't get bit; from several of the tops bags.
3) One more indication that he sometimes made 'bad judgements' while on the water. He even indicated that we had finally hit the pattern, and then changed.
Regardless, I had an enjoyable time - other than since I really haven't done much of this over the past two years, my shoulders and hands are fairly sore today.
We fish my 'home lake' next month. Would still like to be a 'non-boater' next month (and for awhile), for all these lakes are new to me.
Link to my new 'club' is below.
Tex
http://www.linedalebass.com
Club is organized very similarly to my old club in Rock Hill, so not much difference. Just little things.
Partner for the day was 'good', and on some fish, but readily agreed that he was subject to making poor 'on the water' decisions. Aren't we all!
Post spawn, water temps close to 70 degrees, between fronts, lot's of grass and water clarity down to 1 1/2 - 2' in depth. 8-10 mph wind most of the day with clouds.
NO TOP WATER at all. Out early, but the top water bite was never there. Little to no activity to be seen, other than an occasional 'roll'. We fished 'out from the grass'; next to it and into it. Till later in the afternoon - really never seemed to establish anytype of a real pattern - though it seemed to be there; upon reflection.
Bites were few and far between for both of us. He had two in the boat between 7-8:30AM; then a long dry spell.
Early afternoon we moved, and I changed my tactics. I really like pitching a BIG Strike King tube (yesterday it was dark green w/chart tail; then dark red with blue tail. I was beat later in the day, so I went to 'bumping the tube' along the bottom as close to the grass line as possible. Being in the back of the boat, allowed me to do this pretty well.
Had a really nice sized bass pick it up and run with it (saw the profile in the water), but didn't do a good job of setting the hook at all. Thought I had him, but no. Within 5-8 minutes, had another good one. Really tried to 'lay the wood' to him, but sill missed the hookup. In about another 5 minutes - #3. Same result.
Analysis: Several problems - all on me.
1) Long line out with mono on. Too much line stretch.
2) Had a 4/0 EWG hook on - skin hooked. Probably needed a 5/0 or 6/0 to do the job better.
3) Need to work on my hookset, when fishing this type of setup. Don't think that I'm doing justice, since this is a big meaty bait I'm throwing.
Now the 'poor' part of the story. Almost immediately after that, we increased our trolling speed and also moved. I figure it was one or two things - could be either.
1) We were down to about 90 minutes left, and my partner for the day knew where he wanted to go near the end.
2) Didn't care for the fact that I had 'hit the pattern', and I potentially got 'boated'. The pattern was confirmed later at the ramp: 'if you were not right on the grass line - you didn't get bit; from several of the tops bags.
3) One more indication that he sometimes made 'bad judgements' while on the water. He even indicated that we had finally hit the pattern, and then changed.
Regardless, I had an enjoyable time - other than since I really haven't done much of this over the past two years, my shoulders and hands are fairly sore today.
We fish my 'home lake' next month. Would still like to be a 'non-boater' next month (and for awhile), for all these lakes are new to me.
Link to my new 'club' is below.
Tex
http://www.linedalebass.com
You have the right attitude, get th basics from the back of the boat...then spank them from the front of yours!!
