Tackling the public, walk/bike-in strip mines that I have long called my stomping grounds is an undertaking that will get you weighing the pros and cons of such a stunt. Well, I did it again last Saturday and not much has changed.
Nemesis – On a tip, my first stop was a spot where access had been made a bit more angler friendly via some bulldozing. The landscaping had indeed opened up some bank access but had also allowed an old enemy, poison ivy, to take over. Tough call, but the bass beckoned so I made sure to take a leak before entering the area and then tried not to drink too much the rest of the day and kept Nature’s call at bay. Yep, been there before and don’t want to go back again. So far, so good…
Topography – Very little about post-mining terrain left to Mother Nature is conducive to a leisurely walk in the park. I’ve often said that you need to be part mountain goat to scale some of the inclines or find suitable purchase for footing around the banks. In addition, the dense, scrubby vegetation does a really good job of concealing the multitude of ruts and gullies created by erosion on the damaged ground.
A couple eye level shots of the path ahead don’t really do justice to how dumb these stunts are. But that glimpse of water has produced three bass over three pounds in a couple hours this year, so I dare to be stupid, yet again.
Terrestrial Vegetation – Dense vegetation as high as your head can make for some tough walking. In fact, at one location I had to actually turn around and backtrack as I was physically unable to wade through the tangle, pretty frustrating.
Shoreline Vegetation – On most lakes, the terrestrial vegetation grows right up to the edge of the water making for both tough footing and tough casting. Spinning rod and reel combos are quite beneficial in such spots as getting much of a backcast can be downright impossible. Creative casting techniques can be required and the spinning setup certainly offers more flexibility.
Backlash is what happens when you lose sight of limited area for your backcast in these confined shoreline spaces.
Aquatic Vegetation – Another source of frustration can be lakes that are rimmed with several feet of matted surface weeds which make it tough to work your baits through much open water. Paired with the terrain providing little visual access of your targeted body of water until you stumble upon it, this can provide for a wasted walk should you find your fishing hole too choked with weeds. Of course, there are topwater options to combat this scenario but tough casting, limited hookup percentage and losing bass in the salad are also drawbacks to consider.
Muck – It is nice when low water conditions do allow for a bit of bankside footholds. However, these footholds typically hold your feet with an odd mixture of sticky and foul smelling muck that is saturated strip mine ground. On this trip, there were several instances where I had to maneuver my feet around for a few seconds just to get loose from the sticky grip. I wish I had taken a couple pics but didn’t think of it at the time. The good thing is, that should I return I can probably get a photo of my original footprints or create some new ones. And it is unlikely that I should wonder if they are mine as I saw no other footprints in a pair of off the beaten path locations.
Being a stat guy, this is kinda neat but I try not to monitor it too much until I’m done, don’t really want to know how far I am from the truck.
Mileage – There are more than a few lakes or potholes that lie just off an interior road or adjacent to an area mowed down by site personnel. Those are nice and do have some bass but they just aren’t the ideal spots that I’m looking for when I set off on one of these adventures. Nope, too easy. Instead, I’m in search of areas with no footprints and no trash, a clear sign that nobody else is dumb enough to try it and the bass are dumb enough for even me to fool. Several of those spots on my latest outing helped to rack up over four miles of walking.
Don’t want to forget this injury known as “bass thumb”, a welcome malady for any bass chaser.
Injury – Every time I do this, several body parts come out a little worse for wear. This time around, both knees complained for a couple days when going down stairs (think it’s part of that mountain goat thing). Also jammed my back a little when the ground was a few inches lower than anticipated upon stepping into a concealed rut. The back was also a bit sore from lugging too much tackle but only myself to blame for that one and I can live with that. And it’s pretty much a given that there will be a spill along the way. A lone fall this time around but it was one of those prolonged tumbles that took several seconds as I foolishly fought gravity instead of just going with the flow. Fortunately, no lasting effects and I always laugh after making sure that I’m still in one piece, imaging an observer watching the spill as it progresses. Luckily, no one in their right mind would be anywhere near. Would be interesting though once I get the GoPro back in order. May have to turn off the sound though if I pass along a “highlight” clip to keep things family friendly.
The Reward – By the way, my right hand is gripping weeds and my right knee is planted in a pocket of the slope in order to keep from sliding down the incline to the water and my sticky footprints about ten feet below.
Conclusion – Little has changed with these landscapes, still a challenge and perhaps a little trickier the older I get. But I am pleased to say that one thing that has not changed is my mind as I plan on being back again before they close the gates. The allure of multiple fishing holes, solitude and unpressured bass still trump the challenges and sore body parts. Talk to you later. Troy