Saturday Fishing Report - 2/4/17

Welcome once again to the fishing report for less-than-competent anglers.

The first time I got out this past week was Monday afternoon.  It was too cold otherwise, and I had a writing deadline approaching.  By Monday afternoon, though, it was nice and warm, and I needed a break from both the writing and the craziness that is sweeping the nation.

So, anyway, Monday.  It was in the low 60s, partly cloudy with variable winds.  I set out about 1pm and went to my go-to spot.  Nothing was biting - for me, anyway - until about 4pm.  And I didn't seal the deal until just before 5pm, when I successfully landed a 13.5" spotted bass.  I stayed another 20 minutes, but couldn't get another fish on my hook and the sun was dropping low in the sky, so I went home.

The big thing for me for Monday was those old guys from the other day showed up about 5 minutes after I did and set up their fishing about 20 feet from me.  I don't know their names, so I'll refer to them as Beard and No-Beard.  They were a hoot.  Beard caught a spotted bass almost immediately - darn him - but it was only about 13".  He was bottom fishing with a worm.  No-Beard was fishing with a worm and bobber set up.  I tried to tell them where they were fishing was only about 4' deep, but boys will be boys, so they spent a lot of time getting hung up on the chunk rock and submerged logs over there.  Then Beard switched to a spoon he'd made and No-beard switched to a crankbait.  They didn't have any further luck - other than No-Beard landing a big stick ("Mine's bigger than yours," he told Beard proudly) so they went on their merry way about 3pm.  They made the first two hours of fishing more enjoyable with all their joking around, and when they left, they gave me the rest of their worms.  Life is good, folks.

I went out again on Tuesday.  I thought I'd try one of my old hangouts and see how the fishing fared over there.  So, I went to the place on the main lake with loads of ledges to sit upon and fish from.  A few big, dead trees sticking up out of the pretty-deep water.  It was warm and sunny, and frankly, this place where I was acts like a solar reflector, so while the rest of the area was warm with a breeze, this place was hot and no breeze.  Anyway, no bites.  In addition to worm and bobber fishing, I tried bottom fishing with a worm (got hung up).  Then I tried a Senko worm in green pumpkin with black flecks Texas rigged (third cast the knot slipped and the whole rig went flying into oblivion).  After that, I moved to my old standby location and went back to worm and bobber, set about 6-7' deep (got hung up).  I gave up after that.  No bites and my feet were soaked and I'd just lost my third set of gear in 2 hours.

Yeah, the wet feet thing.  After I cast out in that last place, I notice what appeared to be a weird little school of fish about 4' off the bank in front of me.  Then I realized it was an Alabama rig (complete with hooks and fake swirly-tailed minnows) sitting pretty as you please on the bottom.  So, I reeled in my bobber/worm, took off my socks, put my shoes back on and waded in.  Man was that water COLD, but my feet were already soaked, so I waded to wear the rig was and it came right up like it had been dropped there.  Cool.  Then after my rig got snagged again and I was trying to find a way to jerk it free, I noticed something blue just down the bank.  It was an almost new rattletrap baby shad.  Also cool.  So, the score for the day was: Lake took 3 hooks, three swivels, two sinkers, and one Senko worm (that I'd found a few weeks before) vs Me who came home with probably about $20 worth of lost lures.  Works for me.

Wednesday...  Still pretty nice, although about 10 degrees colder.  Hey, no problem.  I'm a fisherman, dammit.  I head out about 2pm to a place I'd only ever been to once, when the water level was about 10 feet higher and the bank was all mud.  Now, there's beach.  And since it's a cove thingie, it's not really deep, so I had to walk... and walk... and walk... carrying all my gear.  I finally got to an acceptable spot and cast out my worm/bobber rig.  Nope.  But that's okay, because I was out there to see new sights and maybe find some lost fishing gear again.  None of that either.  There were people tracks, which makes me think someone had already been there scoping for goodies. After about an hour or so, I finally gave up there and made the long walk back to the car.  Then I went to my standby spot and stayed until sunset.  Caught a 12" spotted bass and a 6" bluegill.

The rest of the week was colder and I had enough of that on Wednesday, so that's the report for this week.  Check back next week because we're supposed to have 3 warm days in a row and I am determined to catch a keeper.  I need fish in my belly.

Have a good week and, if it's nice, get out and enjoy nature a little.