First Fishing Trip of 2005

I got to the lake and in the water at 11:30. Had on a long sleeve shirt over a short sleeve shirt and it was a little warm until the wind started blowing at noon. Water temps were 50 to 53 and the water was stained. It was hazy/partly cloudy. Air temps were in the 70s.

Running around a shallow cove with some wood and rock cover, I did not get bit on spinnerbaits, crankbaits or jig and pig until I got to the outside point that had some rocks on it. I threw a # 7 Shadrap right on the bank in about two feet of water and something thumped it. When I set the hook a wash-tub size boil told me it was a good fish, and I fought it till my hand started cramping. I was using a light spinning rod and 8 pound line.

The fish got to the boat and ran under it. When it headed back toward the motor I put as much pressure on it as I could to keep it out of the motor, and it pulled off. I never saw the fish so it could have been a carp, but is surely did fight like a bass.

A little later I was fishing a steep rocky bank and felt a bump on a Fat Free Shad. The fish fought pretty good, just like the last one but not nearly as strong, and I landed a 3 pound largemouth.

I ran up to a cove with a rock pile in six feet of water. I was not sure exactly where it was with the water down and wanted to locate it for the tournametn, so I cast a Carolina rig with a 4 inch white Senko to locate it. The first cast hit the rocks and a bass hit immediately. I landed a solid 2 pound largemouth after a short fight.

Across that cove on a sandy bank a fish hit a Fat Free Fry and I landed a 13 inch largemouth. I fished on out and some move coves, but it was getting late. On a rocky point on the main lake I landed my last bass of the day, a 2 pound largemouth that hit a Bomber crankbait.

Four keepers landed, three on different crankbaits and one on a Carolina Rig, and one lost big fish. Not too bad for January fishing for six hours. Hope I can catch some of those fish Sunday. I would be happy with the four I landed, about 7 or 8 pounds, and would be thrilled if I landed a big bass if that is what got away.

Will practice again tomorrow! Ronnie fishing.guide@about.com http://fishing.about.com

Ronnie, as long as your speaker is waterproof you're ok :<}

Hope you do good in your tourny. danl4x@charter.net Remove the x for e-mail reply www.outdoorfrontiers.com www.SecretWeaponLures.com