A First(for me)

[JohnF]

Went out yesterday for the first time since we got enmeshed in the big house move mid-August. The creek bass were nicely active for a mid-afternoon excursion. Since I was starting at a pool just a short walk upstream from the pike pool I tied on a short leader from the gitgo. The smallmouths proved once again that they could care less what kind of terminal tackle the line is carrying. I had a #1 finesse hook in red attached to a short black leader on red Fireline with a 5" pink worm.

 

Nailed two average sized smallies (12 & 14") within the first 10 minutes. Even the method was unconventional. Garry would call it the Natalie Worm Retrieve. The pool is quite shallow with lotsa small rocks that snag the hook easily so I was trying to keep the worm suspended. Essentially this meant a fairly constant retrieve. Apparently the bass like the action of a wacky-rigged pink worm being retrieved just fast enuf to keep it off the bottom in 2' of water.

 

The first I mentioned was actually the second fish I caught there. I pinned her through the tongue and lower jaw, dead centre. I've never hooked a bass in the tongue before. It's really tough getting the hook out as the tongue offers no resistance to pull against. I figgered I was just gonna tear it out by the roots the way it was going so I finally had to squash down the barb. Then it let go relatively easily. I hope I don't get many of those in the future. I really don't like causing the little fishies any more angst than necessary.

 

BTW, the pike were much less cooperative than the smb's. I chucked everything I had to them to no avail. I started with a chartreuse buzzbait, then a chartreuse AC Shiner and a bass-coloured Big O, then a variety of spoons and back to black (and chartreuse) buzzbaits in several sizes. I finally concluded that the shiny bottom swirls I was seeing in the water were just white suckers made to look pikish in clour by the stained water, not Pike incensed by the buzzbaits. Meanwhile Rob worked the other end of the pool (150' away) and scored a handful of nice smb's with his trusty Rapala minnow.

 

It sure was nice to get back out in the water again, even if I didn't catch a lot of fish.

 

So endeth my first September excursion.

 

JF

[oates]

Sounds good - must be hard too with the water being even lower than normal with no rain recently. I think everyone is waiting for that stretch of 15 degree weather to set things off!

[Victor]

So you finally got all the errands sorted out? Must have been nice to get out and relax.

[JohnF]

So you finally got all the errands sorted out? Must have been nice to get out and relax.

 

Yup. The move took only 18 days from the 10th when the offer was accepted to the 28th when the buyers moved in. We didn't have a lot of spare time in that period. It sure was nice to get on the water for a few hours yesterday though.

 

JF

[Garry2Rs]

Congratulations on the speedy move and re-settlement. I'm sure you're glad that it's over.

I will tell Natalie of your success with her special technique...grin.

If you get a chance to get away for a few days, let me know.

But don't wait too long...In about 4 weeks I will be closing up the house for the winter.