As I mentioned in the Good Morning Thread I was seriously considering NOT fishing this AM. After further consideration, including that I had nothing pressing to do, I figured I could at least go for a boat ride looking for "Targets of Opportunity".
Got the boat fired up and noticing the freshening NW breeze so I decided to cruise up to the head of the bay and fish some lee shores. Went to one and started casting with no sign of fish. After around a dozen casts I proclaimed "Last Cast" and as the plug neared the boat it got slammed. I knew this was a decent fish, but not a keeper, but it didn't hardly fight, just staying deep and sulking. Took a while, but as I got it close to the boat I realized it was fighting well below it's pay grade and when I boated it, it was a nice 26".
Kept up fishing that spot for another 15 min, but I might as well been in the Gobi Desert so I decided to hit what I call "Rat Island", a spot that's just about guaranteed to provide a small bass, something that has saved me from flying the Skunk Flag on multiple occasions. The wind made for a perfect drift down the east side of the island, an area I had never tried, but at the end of the drift I would pass over the "Rat Hole", THE spot to hook into those sub-20" fish. Well the drift went as planned, with no action even as I entered the Rat Hole. When I decided "OK this is the last cast", a retrieve that was already in progress, the plug got smashed 15 ft from the boat and a very angry fish, took off on a nice run, so strong that I thought I might have that elusive keepah! When I got the fish next to the boat I was disappointed to see a sub-legal fish, but was extremely impressed with fight in this fish and thought Norman Bates would have been proud in the craziness of this 24" fish.
Of course catching a fish meant another drift and sure enough, on the first cast BAM!!! Another spirited fish which took off on 3 nice runs, the signature of a keeper, but alas I was to be disappointed yet again, as the hook was in the gill plate which gave this 25" fish more leverage. Even considering that, the slashing runs of this fish made it deserve a Norman Bates approval.
OK, 2 drifts, 2 quality fish so NFW I was going to head home just yet. Started my next drift and the water around the plug erupted with no strike. Increased my retrieve speed which caused another hit less eruption so I went full "Joe Cocker" with speed and convulsions, and BAM I was hooked up to a very pissed off fish. This puppy took off on multiple strong runs, coupled with slashing, surface fits befitting Norman. But again, it was a bit of a disappointment when the subdued fish was boat side it was another 26" close, but no cigar, fish.
I must have cleaned out the fish there because the next 2 drifts were fruitless so I fired up the boat and headed back home, one very satisfied person who almost sat home watching the morning TV shows. As I motored home I decided that I was renaming "Rat Island" to "Bates Hotel Island" and the "Rat Hole" was now "The Shower".
Got the boat fired up and noticing the freshening NW breeze so I decided to cruise up to the head of the bay and fish some lee shores. Went to one and started casting with no sign of fish. After around a dozen casts I proclaimed "Last Cast" and as the plug neared the boat it got slammed. I knew this was a decent fish, but not a keeper, but it didn't hardly fight, just staying deep and sulking. Took a while, but as I got it close to the boat I realized it was fighting well below it's pay grade and when I boated it, it was a nice 26".
Kept up fishing that spot for another 15 min, but I might as well been in the Gobi Desert so I decided to hit what I call "Rat Island", a spot that's just about guaranteed to provide a small bass, something that has saved me from flying the Skunk Flag on multiple occasions. The wind made for a perfect drift down the east side of the island, an area I had never tried, but at the end of the drift I would pass over the "Rat Hole", THE spot to hook into those sub-20" fish. Well the drift went as planned, with no action even as I entered the Rat Hole. When I decided "OK this is the last cast", a retrieve that was already in progress, the plug got smashed 15 ft from the boat and a very angry fish, took off on a nice run, so strong that I thought I might have that elusive keepah! When I got the fish next to the boat I was disappointed to see a sub-legal fish, but was extremely impressed with fight in this fish and thought Norman Bates would have been proud in the craziness of this 24" fish.
Of course catching a fish meant another drift and sure enough, on the first cast BAM!!! Another spirited fish which took off on 3 nice runs, the signature of a keeper, but alas I was to be disappointed yet again, as the hook was in the gill plate which gave this 25" fish more leverage. Even considering that, the slashing runs of this fish made it deserve a Norman Bates approval.
OK, 2 drifts, 2 quality fish so NFW I was going to head home just yet. Started my next drift and the water around the plug erupted with no strike. Increased my retrieve speed which caused another hit less eruption so I went full "Joe Cocker" with speed and convulsions, and BAM I was hooked up to a very pissed off fish. This puppy took off on multiple strong runs, coupled with slashing, surface fits befitting Norman. But again, it was a bit of a disappointment when the subdued fish was boat side it was another 26" close, but no cigar, fish.
I must have cleaned out the fish there because the next 2 drifts were fruitless so I fired up the boat and headed back home, one very satisfied person who almost sat home watching the morning TV shows. As I motored home I decided that I was renaming "Rat Island" to "Bates Hotel Island" and the "Rat Hole" was now "The Shower".
