March 30, 2008 Little John Conservation Club 18.5″ 2-13 Chatterbait (white)

Week 3 of the Friday Flashback series breaks away from Emstrom’s Pond as featured the first two postings. After losing our access to the old favorite pond in 2004, I needed to find another locale to start my fishing year. Didn’t take much thought as the focus shifted to the Knox County strip mines, both public and private.

For quite a few years now, my goal has been to post my first bass in March and going back to 2002 I’ve managed to do just that every year to present. May not sound like much of a feat but weather, responsibilities and a bunch of kids can make it a challenge. And while it would be nice to slow time down a bit in regards to that last item, we have reached the point where one of the boys is ready to tag along for a March outing (a report for another day on how we did today).

The bass featured today came from a 2008 trip to Little John Conservation Club as I achieved that whole March bass goal by about the narrowest of margins. This was my first bass of the year on the next to last day of the month and was the only one I could muster in three hours of casting.

Original log entry of the outing, not much to report but happy to get on the board

Now this picture leaves much to be desired similar to more than a few others in the photo album. I’m not sure why I did not get a better shot though as I had entered the world of do over, digital photography at this point but apparently did not check the pic before releasing my catch. It is apparent that this shot comes from the days before I began packing along a tripod to assist with the pre-selfie selfies. Instead, I used to prop my camera up on a stack of utility boxes to get the shot and that is likely what serves as the white border in this washed out photo. Still holding the fish in front of my face too, despite Julie’s advice on shooting better fishing pics.

 Chatterbait with twin tail trailer – easily the Top Lure of the day as it caught the only bass

And speaking of photographs, I believe that I have at least a moderate form of what I like to call a piscatorial photographic memory. For while this is a decent bass at 18.5” and weighed in at 2-13, it certainly does not qualify as one of those “trophy” moments on the water. Yet, I can still tell you exactly where I caught this fish, even though I won’t. I will tell you what I caught it on and that was a white Chatterbait. It just so happens to be my current Chatterbait Top Bass which likely pales in comparison to the top Chatterbait bass of many anglers. I have seen catches and heard tales that easily outclass this fish but it’s just never been my forte or go to bait. Perhaps someday I’ll leave my favorites at home and give myself some much needed practice with this lure.

Nah…Talk to you later. Troy