Skunk's Off

[JohnF]

Yesterday we waded the river in the rain in three different spots for a total of about 4 hours. Rob caught two little bitty dinks. They were just barely bass. I got bupkis.

 

Today I went out alone to the next spot we would have tried if we hadn't quit in the rain. In just over an hour I got two nice 18 inchers (good for the river), one on a pink worm and one on a crankbait.

 

The pink worm I just let sink to the bottom and rest. I am not patient so this is a trial for me. But it worked. I didn't even have to set the hook, the bass did it for me. Great fight as the hookup happened at the full reach of my cast. It was fun. And lotsa fight left when I got it up to me.

 

The second one was about 100' upriver and really had nothing to do with the crankbait. The bass took it almost outa the air. It could as easily been a stickbait or a popper.

 

These fish were identical for size but there were diffferent markings so I know it wasn't the same fella. The bass proved once again that they aren't easily spooked by the line. I had a black leader on because there are pike in the neighbourhood and we've lost too many lures. I only saw one pike roll though. The crankbait I used is generally popular with the pike but didn't work today.

 

I waded down the shallow side of the river and cast about 75' under the trees and bushes along the deeper side of the river into about 3' of water.

 

Nice way to spend an hour or so. No pics as I was standing in water and probably still struggling with early season clumsiness. Didn't want to drop the camera in the water.

 

JF

[alexcba]

sounds like you had a good day man. nice! lol the weather yesterday was like going thru spring, summer, and fall, then back to summer all in 12 hours..

[Twocoda]

Nice going John ...your probably as relieved as that cat was when Pepe Le Pew finished his courtship

[BillsTheBassMan]

Congrats on breaking the 2010 Cherry John! Sounds like a good day out on the water!

[lunkerbasshunter]

sounds like a fun day on the river! Those river bass sure are strong eh?

[JohnF]

sounds like a fun day on the river! Those river bass sure are strong eh?

 

The first one was a great figher. The second one was only good.

 

I got them on a new 7'2" ML rod with 15# PP. They both put a pretty good bend in the rod. I've always used 5'6" or less rods so I'm not used to using that long a rod when I'm standing in the water so it took me a few extra seconds to get everything sorted out when it came time to lip the first one. I was ready for the second one. The first time the fish was always just about 2' away.

 

JF

[Garry2Rs]

Glad to hear you shucked the skunk...grin.

Check your calendar and let me know when you can get up here for some R&R.

Garry2R's

[JohnF]

Glad to hear you shucked the skunk...grin.

Check your calendar and let me know when you can get up here for some R&R.

Garry2R's

 

Absolutely.

 

JF

[splashhopper]

:D

[a.cortellessa]

dont even get me started on the weather... what the heck is going on! haha

[JohnF]

Well, the skunk almost came back, and in the very spot where I lost him on Sunday. Three of us splashed a variety of lures for almost 90 minutes all over that spot this morning. Nada. WE pretty much wore out the worms and crankbaits that worked on Sunday, but to no avail.

 

When we finally decided to surrender and move to another spot I figgered I had nothing to lose, so for the long walk back down the river to the car I put on an old stained white tube already stuck on a hook with a weight inside. Took 3 casts to haul in a nice little 20" snotrocket and then a few more to get a 12" dink. Go figger.

 

My wife found a nice way to cool off. Trip over a rock in 3' of water. She wasn't impressed. I probably shouldn't have laughed.

 

So I learned two important lessons today.

 

1. Tubes are my friend

2. Do not laff when my wife gets a full body soaker

 

JF

Edited July 1, 2010 by JohnF

[ketchenany]

Didn't want to drop the camera in the water.

 

JF

 

Great stuff John! You never know if there is a property for sale around the next bend!

Glad you got out . . .

[Joey]

Great report(s), LOL.

 

Glad the skunk is gone and no, don't laugh at the wife - EVER!!

 

Joey

[JohnF]

Didn't want to drop the camera in the water.

 

 

I was braver today. Got a bad shot of the snotrocket and a few nice shots of the river.

 

 

My wife after the dunking

 

 

Fishing buddy Rob. Who but an artist would wear a hat like that?

 

 

JF

[Victor]

So I learned two important lessons today.

 

1. Tubes are my friend

2. Do not laff when my wife gets a full body soaker

 

JF

 

I'll be sure to keep those in mind lol.

 

But good for her for sticking it out even after getting soaked (and laughed at by her husband lol)

[oates]

I hope that Pike didn't bite - I believe you have been savagely attacked by them in the past!

[JohnF]

I hope that Pike didn't bite - I believe you have been savagely attacked by them in the past!

 

This one was very gentle and obliging. But it sure was slimy and stinky.

 

JF

[Marko]

Hey John hows it going. Great to see that you got into couple decent fish and managed to get the skunk off.

I am going down that way in the morning....hope some of those suckers have moved out of my favorite fishing holes.

Was water low and clear today?

[JohnF]

Hey John hows it going. Great to see that you got into couple decent fish and managed to get the skunk off.

I am going down that way in the morning....hope some of those suckers have moved out of my favorite fishing holes.

Was water low and clear today?

 

Water's pretty decent everywhere around here. Not as clear as normal thanks to the rain I suspect but still good viz. Loads of suckers below St.Marys. Some kayakers came thru yesterday and asked us what the big fish were they were seeing everywhere - suckers. I was standing still at one point yesterday and looked down to see a school of at least 20-30 large suckers swirling around my feet. Lotsa carp too.

 

Where you heading? I might try to get out again. I made an executive decision to leave the office closed to day and make it a 4 day weekend so I'm free as a bird till Monday.

 

JF

[Marko]

Hey John,

We went downtown St Marys for about hour and a half, managed one monster carp (35 inches) and that was it.

I have not seen a lot of fish around, few carp and suckers here and there.

 

After that we ended up going to Stratford, got couple of smaller carp there and a small rainbow on corn...how weird.

 

If i don't end up going to Paris on Sunday maybe we can hook up for some bassin or you can tag along to Paris if you schedule is open. Never fished there so i cant promise a lot eheh.

[JohnF]

Hey John,

We went downtown St Marys for about hour and a half, managed one monster carp (35 inches) and that was it.

I have not seen a lot of fish around, few carp and suckers here and there.

 

After that we ended up going to Stratford, got couple of smaller carp there and a small rainbow on corn...how weird.

 

If i don't end up going to Paris on Sunday maybe we can hook up for some bassin or you can tag along to Paris if you schedule is open. Never fished there so i cant promise a lot eheh.

 

The Optimist Club dumps a bunch of 'Bows into the river each spring for a kid's derby. Lots of them to be found in the river below the dam. We think some have made it all the way down to the Thames now.

 

JF