May 3, 2005

I started out on my sundown fishing by targeting the same area I was at last night. Not alot happening today because the water flow was about half of what it was last night. But I got one nice picture of a largemouth from the area that hit a Husky Jerk.
Notice the water flowing into the pond. that's the key to what's been happening lately. With temps driving down to 30 dgrees, these fish are looking for anything warmer such as this inflow.

As the sun set I made my way around to the western shore. I was quickly chased out of there by an eastern wind that kicked up and turned the glass surface of the water into an unfriendly place. As I made my way to the calmer waters of the east shore I made a cast here and there but with no results.

On the east shore I noticed quite a bit of activity in the shallows. I was thinking they were carp digging around in the shallow 1' deep flats. But as I made a cast towards them one of them shot around and chased down the Salmo Bullhead that I was throwing. The lure stopped and I set the hook on a monster smallie of the 20"+ variety. Within the first three seconds she left the water and came crashing down. She was one of those big fish where you start apologizing for not going to church more often as you pray to God that you land it. After a few more seconds I saw my line racing skyward again, She left the water a second time...and then....slack line. Nothing, She was gone.
The next cast to the same spot I got her much smaller friend. Again..notice the shoreline. sand with a little bit of rock. That's where I found these fish.

I made few more casts in the general area and cast at another carpish looking wake in the shallows. She turned around and sped after the lure and nailed it! Another bass. this time a pretty good size largemouth.

This happened 3 more times but without a hookup. The bass were chasing the lure all the way in til it was too shallow to go any further. With very limited time and darkness setting in I didn't want to change to a jig and spend the time needed to weed them out.
On one of the last casts the Bullhead got slammed again by a wake that shot over 10 feet to grab it. It was another big smallie. This one about 18 or 19". She jumped three times and just like the last one she got off. Ya can't win 'em all. Especially when they do THIS to your lure. Check out the back treble hook and wire. She took the turn out of one hooks and just about ripped the wire out of the body. That's why I love smallmouth bass fishing!


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