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KELSEY OFFERS AN
AFTERNOON GET AWAY
By: Ron Wilson
May 30, 2003.... I spent Sunday smoking
all the fish I’ve been catching lately and then Monday mowing the lawn
(front and back) and working in the garden.
I suddenly remembered
that Jon Kelsey, owner of Kelsey Bass Ranch had mentioned that he wanted
some smoked fish. Unfortunately it doesn’t last long around my house
so I thought I had better get it to Jon before it disappeared. Lets see
you top that one for an excuse to go fishing!
I
called Norval Pimentel, a close friend who just happens to be
on the Stratos Boats Factory Team along with Larry Nixon and Mark
Menendez, a couple of black bass fishing professionals that I have been
fortunate enough to met and fish with! I asked Norval to hookup
his new 2003 Stratos Boat and head to Kelsey Bass Ranch for some
afternoon fishing.
I
just couldn't see going out to the ranch to deliver smoked fish without
taking a few fishing rods along for the ride!
We
arrived around 2 p.m. to a howling wind. There were whitecaps everywhere
I looked on the 120-acre lake. I figured Norval’s Thermo Oil batteries
would get a good workout.
We
launched and started fishing deep in the grass with flukes. I had some
black and gold ones that Norval had never seen and after I nailed a nice
one on the first cast Norval asked me where I got them. I
said, “C&C Marine on 7th street”, they have lots of fishing
tackle there and if you look around you may find some bait’s that
other sporting good stores may not carry.
 I
had a nice one over 2 pounds on the first cast and a couple casts later
another chunk. “Hey Norval the fish are deep right now” I said. So
he switched rods and started fishing deep along with me.
We
bobbed up and down over the lake like there were water skier's
everywhere, but it was just mother nature kicking up her heels.
That's
one thing I like about Kelsey Bass Ranch, Jon limits the number of boats
to six so that it’s never too crowded to fish. That along with
the 5 mile an hour speed limit keeps you from rocking and rolling while
you fish. However that wasn’t the case on this day!
The
bite was pretty consistent and as long as we stayed in the 9 to 10 feet
depth, we were catching fish. We kept them honest all afternoon by going
shallow to check, but the action was to slow, so we would move back out
in the rough open water and start catching fish again.
The
grass beds are building and it won't be long before its almost
impossible to fish, but I will save that info on Bassin for a later
outing, I love the frog bite and top water action when it turns on, with
this heat it shouldn't be long now. But of course you need Mother Nature
to slow down the breeze a smidgen!
Bobs
Marine owner, Bill Donelaski, and his son-in-law were there in an old
Monarch bass boat. I hollered “what are you doing in that Bill, here
you have a warehouse full of boats at Bob's Marine to fish from and your
out in an old tub”. I know because I got a red one almost just like
it! Bill answered, "Hey for this pond the boat works
great"! I couldn't argue with his logic but I know I sure do enjoy
the space and comfort of Norval’s new Stratos and we weren’t getting
near as much rocking and rolling as they were!
The
fishing was great, Norval and I must have sore lipped at least 50 bass,
maybe more. I don't know how many doubles we had on but there must have
been at least 10 times we both had fish on at the same time.
The
Highlight of the outing was not the fishing but watching another member,
Dan Sexton and his two sons, Samuel, age 7 and D.J., age 5, going around
the lake fishing. The boys were casting and slapping the water with
flukes and just having a great time.
Watching
Dan and the boys filled my afternoon with memories of the good old days
when my sons were that age. Cherish them Dan they will be grown and gone
before you know it and you will have to be like me and just relive most
of the good times in your mind.
If
you’re interested in checking out a good private bass fishery check
their web at www.kelseybassranch.com.
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