Humbled by Bass

When I think of Bass, I think of stagnant water and slimey prey.  I think of glittery 400HP boats with matching pick-up trucks.  I think of something to keep kids entertained when targeting more worthy prey.  How hard can it be to catch one of these things?

Well, let me tell you, PRETTY DAMN HARD!

I won't reveal the number of hours I've put in this year trying to catch a stupid Bass.  I won't reveal the money I've spent on lures that now reside at the bottom of some lake, slough or river.  What I will reveal though is that I have never been so humbled by a stupid fish.

Thank God I'm a stubborn SOB or I'd have given up by now.

Sunday, after wasting hours chasing arcs on my fish finder, I saw a little kid catch a Bass on an ugly green spinner which he'd casted to the same spot a billion times.  How can this be?  I'd dragged the entire lake doing everything I've seen on every Bass fishing show there is.  But this little kid, without a boat, without even half the gear in my box, was catching fish.

So, I decided to fish like a little kid.  Little kids don't see fish arcs and bottom contour.  Little kids see a fish hiding at the edge of the grass.  Little kids believe that wherever they're fishing, they'll catch a fish.  And the fuel that keeps them fishing is fun.

So, with my inner child engaged, I turned off my fish finder, dropped anchor right where I was and looked at all the fish waiting for my lure.

In the heat of the mid-day sun, I cast the striped perch Rapala I'd been trolling, across a waterlogged tree where the kid in me knew a fish to be hovering and reeled it straight back.  WHAM!  Just as my lure hit the tree, a LMB hammered it.  

With the fishfinder still off, I later dropped anchor off a grassy point with a mud slick drifting out into the lake.  A dropshotted Brush Hawg brought the next Bass.  And still later, anchored just off a couple of fallen trees, the Hawg brought in yet another.  

I'm no EObasser but I think I think I've found what was missing from my Bass'n tackle box..... Fun.  

Thanks for the report Spot.   I'd gladly trade you some of my bass fishing skills/luck for some salmon skills and/or luck any day.  Unfortunately, most of my bass skills pertain to lakes in New York where I grew up and was much like your juvenile mentor this weekend, fishing from shore with a couple lures in my pocket.

Brian
 

Nice report Spot. I like what you said about not using your gear as a crutch. It helps a lot but can hinder you too.

I've been doing the same as you (no fish finder) and it's a whole lot of fun. It definitely helps you concentrate on the structure. In Cali LMB's are a dime a dozen and the easiest fish to catch. But here in the NW it's really a challenge. Especially in Wa where we've got those crazy regs.

So where's the pics?

Z

Great story Spot.  You've perfectly described why I've put off buying a fish finder for my yak.  Same reason I didn't want my Blackberry.  I'm worried I'll outsmart myself.

DC

I feel the same way about Largemouth ever since my picture didn't come out on the only decent one I've caught this year I have had nothing but trouble.  I think I have lost six fish that would have been bigger.  Around here SMB are a dime a dozen but LM are alot harder to come by.  Last year I found a honey hole and caught piles of nice LM but apparently the USFWS thought we were somehow disturbing "their" ducks by floating around on "their" pond in our pontoons.  (pre kayak days)  If you can't tell this is a sore spot believe me it is. Honestly I was catching five to eight pound bass one after another and was having a ball doing it and it was on "public" land.  OK rant is over bottom line is you won't remember the lost tackle and hours of fishless time but you will never forget how great it felt to finally lip that fish you've been pursuing so long.

Hope it wasn't big enough that you don't need to come over here

Oh man I just saw your AOTY picture.  You gotta grab them things with your hands if you get out that fish lipper over here we'll just make fun of you   There not that slimy.

Oh man I just saw your AOTY picture.  You gotta grab them things with your hands if you get out that fish lipper over here we'll just make fun of you   There not that slimy.

There were points on the line there boy!   

Besides, I've seen your "free handed" AOTY pics..... 

I still plan on heading your way for a visit this summer.

Great report, Spot. It brought back memories of my earliest days of bass fishing. I was 14 or 15 with one fishing rod, and a lure arsenal of two or three spinnerbaits. All ponds or streams, regardless of location and/or size, held the magical allure of hidden possibilities. It was all so simple! Nowadays, I have so much crap that 'decision paralysis' sometimes sets in when trying to decide what to use...

My wife recently found this pic of some bass I pulled out of a couple humble looking ponds near Jack Murphy Stadium (The Murph) in San Diego. Obviously, this was before I learned the importance of C&R.     - Karl  (BTW, I agree with EOB, Spot, we'll start calling you Nancy if we see, or hear about you using a lip gripper on a bass again)(No offense intended towards any Nancys out there) .

(BTW, I agree with EOB, Spot, we'll start calling you Nancy if we see, or hear about you using a lip gripper on a bass again)(No offense intended towards any Nancys out there) Grin.

For general bass fishing I'd agree. But when it comes to taking some photos of measurements for AOTY with one hand on the camera and the other trying wrangle a lively fish, it's pretty nice to be able to control them with a lip gripper. 

(BTW, I agree with EOB, Spot, we'll start calling you Nancy if we see, or hear about you using a lip gripper on a bass again)

Point taken...... Nancy

Busted!   

aw naw he didn't!!

aw naw he didn't!!

Oh yes he did.   

-Allen

Having had several unwanted finger piercings from nice bass who decide to shake their heads at the last minute. I'd never fault a guy for using a fish grip lol.

On that note a little bass treble hook beats the hell out of holding a 30" halibut halfway out of the water.... Suspended by a 0 hook that is running clean through the meat of your middle finger.... While your father laughs and tells you to not bleed all over his boat.  The nice thing about that one was the weight of the fish stretched out the muscle and skin enough that I didn't have to cut the barb to pull the hook out.  That story should probably go in the "Don't ask me why I know" thread lol left a nice scar though.

I used to have access to quarry ponds down in the Corvallis area that would yield 6-8lb bass all day long god I miss that.  I also miss fishing Colorado Lake.  Caught lots of big LMB and even a couple 2-3lb Crappie.  I used to deliver bird seed to a lady who owned the dock the State Record Crappie was caught from.  

Those secret little lakes/ponds are gold mines if you can get permission to fish them...