Original log sheet featuring the March 22, 1987 catch from Downin’s Pond in Warren County

How in the world do you make a fish story out of a lone 8-inch bass?

Well, here we go.

1987 marked my first real year of bass fishing. You know, with real bass lures and stuff. Along with the lures there was also a commitment. Previously, I’d spent a lot of time with Dad, Brent and my buddies casting Beetle Spins and various other ultralights around Lake Bracken for whatever would bite. That almost exclusively consisted of bluegill, crappie, and a steady stream of green sunfish when you cast too near any rocky shoreline. When the panfish didn’t find our offerings first, the bonus bass were few and far between and less than impressive.

By 1987, I’d invested in a couple of bass fishing combos, one Lightning Rod spinning and one Lightning Rod casting, courtesy of an incredible buy one get one free offer at the time. As far as tackle, the fun was just beginning. From the looks of my 1987 log sheets, my early collection featured the classic Rapala Floating Minnow, a few topwater baits (Zara Spook, Pop’R, Uncle Buck’s Buzzer), a handful of plastic worms and several spinnerbaits.

One of my original spinnerbaits and the winner on March 20, 1987, hadn’t seen it for years

Among my meager collection of spinnerbaits was a Strike King model that featured an interesting pairing of a modified willow and Colorado style fluted blades. Just for fun I decided to dig through the tackle archives as I thought that I may still have the old spinnerbait that logged that early bass. Sure enough there it was in an old hip-roof tacklebox amidst what could be called the “Spinnerbait Graveyard”. The skirt was so rotten that pieces broke off if not handled with care.

The “Spinnerbait Graveyard”

The time of year was also a learning experience. Late March can be a challenge as the bass aren’t quite fired up yet in the cold water. In addition, I had rarely fished this early in the year for much of anything, let alone bass. In hindsight, that also signified buying into thinking that I could be a bass fisherman.

And one eight-inch bass from Downin’s Pond near Berwick with Dad was proof that with some practice and a little bit of knowledge, lures built for bass will catch bass, even in March. And so it began.

Thirty-five years later, I’m still learning, and I plan to get some more instruction this weekend.

Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

I always enjoy the challenge of fishing Lake Storey, my “home lake” situated just north of Galesburg, Illinois. And I’ve fished it for a long time, primarily during the fall drawdown. However, today’s post features a successful early spring outing with Dad from ten years ago.

Original log entry from March 21, 2012

Originally posted 3-22-12

I rarely fish Lake Storey other than the fall drawdown as by the time the water warms in the spring the vegetation makes things quite frustrating. Of course, this is nowhere near a normal year, and it was fun (and a little weird) to get on a favorite (and challenging) fishing hole with some clean, sixty-degree water on the second day of spring.

Stats
Date: March 21, 2012
Location: Lake Storey
Time: 8:50am-3:20pm
Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy/very windy
Air Temp: 65-80F
Water Temp: 63-65F
Totals: 5 bass, 3 walleye, 1 muskie (Troy – 5 bass, 1 walleye, 1 muskie, Dad – 2 walleye)
Lures: Booyah Spinnerbait (snow white) – 4 bass, 1 muskie, Bomber Flat A (baby bass) – 1 bass, Strike King KVD 1.5 Square Bill crankbait (sexy shad) – 1 walleye, Rapala DT10 (parrot) – 1 walleye, Strike King Bleeding Bait spinnerbait (bleeding white) – 1 walleye
Top Bass: 3-1 (Troy)
Weight (2 bass > 12”): 4-6 (3-1, 1-5)

Notes and Nonsense

Walleye World – Dad’s first fish was a 14” walleye on a crankbait, one of three we’d combine for on the outing. I’d later pick up a 19” and Dad would take the crown with a 20” catch on a spinnerbait which was kind of odd.

Figure Eight Success – I am not a muskie fisherman, tried it, spent some dollars, enjoyed the challenge but I’m a bass guy at heart. But good, old Lake Storey has her share of surprises like when I alerted Dad that I had a follow. I instinctively did a rather ugly “Figure 8” to no avail, showed Dad with my hands that it was only about 24” and then realized the fish was back looking at my lure as I had yet to lift it from the water. Cue “Figure 8” number two and the fish exploded on my bait. Having about three feet of line out I hit the thumb bar, let the fish run a bit, Dad dipped him up and I had my first ever successful hookup on the crazy, last-ditch technique. Awesome stuff from a fish that somehow was more clueless than the fisherman.

Top Bass – Our final fish of the day came off of a windblown, riprap bank in less than two feet of water. Wind, weather, and water conditions were good but it’s still hard to believe we got fish so shallow on March 21. I love it as I’m a shallow guy (in angling parlance only) and a firm believer that there is no such thing as too shallow when conditions are right. The stocky 3-1 bass provided a nice finish to what is always a challenge as Lake Storey can be tough. I’m not “Mr. Excitable” but I couldn’t suppress a fist pump as Dad hoisted her aboard with a fine job of dipping.

This trip was a perfect example of why you never give up as our last hour and a half on the water produced three bass (two “keepers” although we’re strictly catch and release), two walleye and a muskie. I won’t pretend that I’m always brimming with confidence; I get down just like the next guy, maybe more. But its finishes like this one that get me to thinking that maybe I have learned a thing or two about this pursuit over the last twenty-five plus years.

In the ten years since this outing, I have not made a spring visit to Lake Storey. After reading this fish story, however, the wheels are turning. Talk to you later. Troy