Friday Funday

What's your passion?
Well if you're at my site, it might be fishing.

If you've stopped here before you already know I've been passionate about fishing from four years old till now. And if I die with a fishing pole in my hand, I'll be happy. 

So let me tell you about today's fishing trip.

I arrived at one of my favorite ponds just before daybreak, and from the first cast it was "Fish On"!
First cast, first fish, just the way I like it, and it was a nice 16" bass so I invited him to supper, and in the bucket he went.

The fish were biting so well I only covered a small section of this large pond. When they slowed down in one spot I'd just move my casting distance down the bank and keep catching.

Finally I walked to the dam thru the tall weeds. At one spot I counted 15 casts and caught 14 fish, talk about some serious catching, man was that fun! 

Then the wind shifted, and they slowed down... A bunch. By this time I've bucketed over a dozen so I work my way back.

At the corner of the dam I cast along the bank, wham! Big bite! I reel it in, drag singing It's pretty tune and land a huge 12" bluegill. Now that was fun.

Thanks for visiting folks, now get out there and have your own great fishing trip this fall.

Jon

Crappie Storm

The clouds were boiling, the storm was brewing, but... The Crappie were biting like crazy! I knew it was going to start raining soon, no worries that's the best time to catch fish. So about an hour and a half before the rain set in I hopped in the truck and headed to the ole fishing hole.

When I get there the wind is just staring to pick up, just enough to make my bobber dance on the waters surface. The very first cast something hits my jig, short striking so I miss. The next cast is a solid strike!

As I set the hook this fish runs for the lillypad roots and hangs me up, I get it free but this is a determined fish. It feels odd too, more like a catfish. Finally I get it worked lose and up where I can see it, I'm surprised, it's a nice crappie a 13"er, in the bucket it goes.

Now I walk off the dam to the other side of the lillypads, the fish are really biting hard! I catch a few small crappie and toss them in the bucket to stock another pond close to home and then the bluegill start biting, all small ones though so they go back in the lake.

It's just starting to sprinkle a bit off and on and now I'm not getting bites further out. The crappie have moved towards the bank so I short cast and catch another couple small ones. I cast in front of the lillypads and start retrieving.

About 5 feet from the bank a big crappie nails my jig, this one makes my drag sing! I get it to the bank and wow that's a nice crappie!

I just had to show this baby off properly beside my rod and reel. Last spring I caught 8 this size, over 15" and one was nearly 17". I've fished this lake for over 40 years, the same family still owns it and I've caught many nice crappie, channel catfish and bass from this old lake.

Well folks, enjoy the pictures, I sure enjoyed catching the fish before I got rained out. <(;HF+< jono

Spring Time Mamma Bass

Back in May 2011, a buddy of mine and I hit my favorite lake, fishing for a good mess of crappie
This little lake is well taken care of, the owner manicures about 2/3 of it. The rest has trees growing thickly next to the waters edge.

We were fishing the tree lined side, adding a few decent crappie into our buckets, when I walk down to the shallower end. There's nearly 2 doz. keepers in the bucket, mainly crappie with a couple of decent bass.

I cast next to a log sticking out in the water, something slams my jig, and the fight is on!!

With 4lb test line on, ya don't horse the biguns, ya play em and wear em down. My little ultralite rod is bent almost double, my reel's singing a pretty song to me, real music to my ears.

I play this fish over 10 minutes, finally I see it, what a fish, it's Big ole Mamma Bass, what a pretty sight to behold. She's starting to tire so I work her over to the bank, reach down and lift her up into the air.

Would ya look at the belly on that girl, what a lunker. I holler at T,"Look at this Baby" he looks over and his jaw drops.

Well after he put his jaw back in place, he says "That's gotta be at least 7lbs maybe more with that belly" I agree with him, but don't have weigh scales with me. I don't care really since I plan on turning her loose soon anyway. Now here's the kicker folks.

I walk over, ease her into the bucket, hey I want to admire her for a bit OK.

I walk back to where I was, about 30 ft from my bucket and resume fishing. A couple minutes later, my buddy walks over to add another crappie to our catch, he calls me over there. I look in the bucket, Oh no she's gone, so is most of our catch.

Big ole Mamma Bass, well I guess she had a mission. Laying that bellyful of eggs, and she wasn't about to let me stop her. So we caught another mess of crappie to replace the ones she took home with her, had a lot of fun doing it too.

Now that's been 4 years ago, I think it's about time to catch another big'un from that lake, I believe I'm ready too.

Thanks for visiting folks

Jon