I’ve got a collection of public walk-in only lakes that I have fished since 2013. Through the 2016 fishing year I had wandered the miles of strip mine terrain on seven trips during the last four years with diminishing results in the last two years. While 2013 and 2014 produced four bass at four pounds or better in five trips, 2015 and 2016 only had a 1-11 to show for Top Bass in two outings.
Last year was particularly ugly as I was eaten alive by mosquitoes and fought armpit high weeds across the entire site once stepping off the interior road that bisects the area. On top of those nuisances, the quality of the bass that I fooled left much to be desired with only four at 12” or better for a Top 4 weight of 4-13. Just not my day and I began to wonder if I would pull such a stunt again, vowing to re-read the blog posting I submitted about that misadventure when pondering a 2017 visit.
My late summer 2016 visit featured far more bites from mosquitoes than bass, bad move, tore up.
The pictures I’ve included below aren’t of our best catches from the area but instead are intended to highlight the terrain during the different months I’ve visited the site (along with my brother, Brent, on a couple occasions). It’s more important to look behind the bass and their anglers to get the point.
September 29, 2013
April 12, 2014
May 23, 2015
September 18, 2016
As you can see from the 2014 photo, the vegetation is definitely more friendly to walk-in only access before spring gets a chance to hit full stride (site doesn’t open until April 1 each year by the way). Therefore, the resolution was to add the site to my list for the fifth straight year but to do so nearer to opening day rather than closing time (site also shuts down after September 30). Here’s to short weeds, no skeeters and an overdue boost to my all-time Top 5 from the site that presently sits at an even 20-0 (4-6,4-3,4-2,4-0,3-5).
Update: I’ve already put this resolution behind me with a pair of successful visits on April 8 and May 13 (see fishing reports posted previously for the pics and specifics). Overall totals as follows:
Total fishing hours: 6.25
Miles walked (per iPhone app): 6.5
Bass: 33
2017 Top 5 Weight: 12-1 (3-6,3-5,2-1,1-12,1-9)
All-time Top 5 Weight: 20-1 (4-6,4-3,4-2,4-0,3-6)
2017 Top IRAP Bass 3-6 April 8 Jig & pig
Oh yeah, and zero mosquito bites. Good decision on this resolution.
We’ll see what the rest of the resolutions have in store as we continue to run down the list. Talk to you later. Troy