Here we go with the first “Retro” fishing report since 2009 as introduced yesterday and included among my 2017 Resolutions detailed earlier this year.
Date: July 8, 2017
Location: Little John Conservation Club
Time: 6:00am-9:30am
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Air Temp: 71F-81F
Water Temp: forgot to check (not used to electronics)
Catch by Catch
Bass #1 – 6:08am 16” (1-8) Senko wacky rig (electric shad)
On the board eight minutes in with our first “keeper” after two regular spots let us down, spot number three is once again a winner.
Bass#2 – 6:27am 11.5” Senko wacky rig (smoke)
No shutout for Dad as bass number one comes on board working his Senko along the dropoff of an extended point.
Bass#3 – 6:29am 7” Senko
Wasting no time, Dad grabs the lead, but who’s counting? And yes, for this project they all count and get their picture taken, even if they aren’t much bigger than the lure (5” Senko).
Bass#4 – 6:45am 9” Senko
Another short fish comes off a point featuring a reed patch bordering the dropoff.
Bass#5 – 6:55am 9.5” Senko
Bigger than the last one or more accurately, “less small.”
Bass#6 & #7 – 7:02am Dad 12” (0-14) and Troy 11” both on Senkos
Dad gets the first of our only double as I hook mine only seconds after he has set the hook. He gets me by an inch with our second “keeper” boosting our weight to a whopping 2-6 and looking for three more to round out a Top 5.
Bass#8 – 7:10am 14” (1-4) Senko
A well placed cast to a spot that Dad said should hold one does indeed produce a bass and takes our weight up to 3-10. Dad had hit the area seconds earlier from a different angle so this catch demonstrates that if a spot looks good or has produced in the past it is worth working over from a couple directions.
Bass#9 – 7:16am 8” Senko
I dig the take a pic of every bass aspect of this project as it shows that you typically have to wade through a bunch of “dinks” in search of the “keepers” and occasional “lunkers.” The thing is though, you don’t really want to bother the other guy with one of these so you do the photo honors yourself. Holding this one close to the camera still doesn’t make it look bigger, however.
Bass#10 – 7:19am 14” (1-3)
Now this one was cool as it came from an area that has produced in the past but I was going to skip due to cramped quarters in Dad’s Bass Tracker versus the old eight foot johnboat. However, Dad got snagged on an underwater limb prompting a rescue mission into the area. First cast to an overhanging bush after freeing his Senko and we had “keeper” number four, bumping our weight to 4-13.
Bass#11 – 7:28am 10.5” Senko
Flicking my Senko out to a submerged tree in about 12’ of water is a winner as this one nabs it after sinking near the wood for only a couple seconds. A proven spot comes through again but not quite as big as a five-pounder the tree gave up several years ago.
Bass#12 – 7:31am 11” Senko
Had to get the dipnet for this one but more so due to weight of the accompanying grass and not the bass. As Dad reeled in this bunch of salad he actually said, “I don’t know if the bass is still on there.” Took a little digging but there it was.
Bass#13 – 7:39am 10.5” Senko
I honestly don’t remember any details about this fish other than the logged time, length and lure.
Bass#14 – 8:11am 21.5” (5-0) Buzzbait
I do remember this one though as it ended our longest drought of the day at 32 minutes without a bass. The buzzbait shutout also ends in a big way after intermittent casting for the first two hours failed to produce. I had told Dad that it only takes one bite and this was it. Throw in the fact that it came on the second visit to a spot that is historically productive including a couple other big ones and it really makes you feel like you know what you are doing. Top 5 complete with a big jump in weight total to 9-13.
Bass#15 – 8:39am 20” (3-5) Senko
Dad joins the big fish parade with what he speculated was his “biggest Senko bass ever.” A great fight featured a dive at the boat that had me poised and ready with the dipnet when the fish surfaced. Crazy thing was, it surfaced about eighteen feet behind us having swam completely under the boat. Dad deftly guided the fish back around to our side, dodging our rear trolling motor with his rod tip under water and we had another big boost to our Top 5. This fish knocked out the earlier 0-14 and brought out total weight to 12-4.
Bass#16 – 9:00am 8.5” Senko
Dad’s seventh and final fish of the day doesn’t measure up to his previous catch but our day is already made with a couple good ones. Time is winding down as we head towards the boat launch in preparation to relocate and meet up with my boys, Jayce and Zac, to chase some bluegills in Papa’s “big boat.”
Bass#17 – 9:30am 11.5” Senko
Not a keeper but a nice exclamation point on a solid outing and caught within casting distance of the boat launch so I call it a day with a bass on my last cast.
Totals: 17 bass (Troy – 10, Dad – 7)
Lures:
Senko wacky rig (electric shad) – 9 bass
Senko wacky rig (smoke) – 7 bass
Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 5-0 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight: 12-4 (5-0,3-5,1-8,1-4,1-3)
Running Totals for this project (8 trips since 2002)
45.25 hours
208 bass
Top Bass: 5-0 this trip tops Dad’s 3-7 from 6/16/08
Daily Top 5 Weight Record: 14-2 Lake Bracken 6/16/08
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 18-4 (5-0,3-7,3-5,3-5,3-3) culls 2-13 and 2-10
Well, there you have it, the reintroduction of old idea, Resolution accomplished and great to get it done with Dad. Kind of a work in progress from here as not sure whether to keep this feature as a one-time deal each year or toss it out there again as I’ve got a couple ideas floating around upstairs. Talk to you later. Troy