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CATCHING FISH AND LEARNING LESSONS!
By: Ron Wilson
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Denair's Ron Fisher
holding up a few Spotted Bass
that await you right now at Lake McClure |
March 18, 2004.... As I
filled out the pass at the entrance gate of
Lake McClure, I heard the wakeup call of a gobbler from across the
lake.
This was a sound I
hadn’t heard before at McClure. I knew they were around the lake but I
just never gave them a thought until the loud gobble, gobble at the break
of day.
Denair’s Ron Fisher
and I were there to get a black bass fix. It seems Ron hasn’t been wetting
a line as much as he should. He needed to unwind from the drudgery of the
5-day workweek and life’s everyday pressures.
Unfortunately
unwinding wasn’t in the equation as the day started. I threw a tire cap
off my trailer on the way up.
We were able to limp
into the lake and launch the boat. But then the boat motor wouldn’t start!
I figured the jarring
of the tire, minus a cap, caused a plate in the battery to bust free and
short out. I never thought that maybe a wing nut had just vibrated loose
making a bad connection.
At this point I
figured what the heck, we were here to go fishing so we dropped the
trolling motor and headed to the island just across from the south
ramp.
The fish had been on
big rocks and the first point on the island had them. Ron threw a 4” inch
Predator 809 bait and soon had a small one in the boat.
He pitched it back out
and the first good fish of the day was on. I told Ron that the fish looked
to be about 16 inches or so.
Ron fought the fish to
the boat, missed its lip a couple times and then did a big “No-No” by
grabbing the line a couple inches above the dart head and trying to pull
the fish in the boat!
One small shake of the
head and the fish busted the 6-pound test line and fell back into the lake
and freedom.
I slowly worked down
the bank, picking up smaller fish as we went along. Ron was out fishing me
at least two to one. I was really starting to wonder if my 082 6” red and
green flake
Keeper worm was the right one or not.
When we got a quarter
way around the island I nailed one over 15 inches, my first better fish of
the day. Nope the bait was still working and my confidence in the bait was
back.
By the time we were half way around the island
I was in what Ron called “the zone”. He said that he could sit back and
watch me dial in the fish and catch them almost at will.
I never paid that much
attention but I guess if you black bass fish long enough there are times
when you just know where they’re at and what they’re doing.
Once we got over half
way around the island I looked the far bank over and it just shouted,
“There are lots of fish over here just waiting to be caught.”
I decided to move over
to the bank and work the railroad bed and island tops on the curves of the
beds. Some of the island tops were out of the water while others were just
under it.
We started hammering
them on the first point we came to. Well I did anyway. I guess I was “in a
zone”, and was stroking them and putting it on Ron pretty good.
I gave Ron a handful
of my specially prepared baits and soon he was catching a fish or two here
and there.
I had Ron shaking his
head in the back of the boat after I caught another half dozen fish in as
many casts.
I said, “throw it at
that rock on the bank they’re shallow.” Ron pitched it to a rock and I
said, “wrong rock,” as I threw over him to the one near the back of the
boat and immediately hooked up again. I think I was starting to get to
Ron.
A few more yards down
the bank there was a bush at the edge of the water. I said, “Throw at that
bush.” Ron did and I said, “You threw to the wrong side.” So I pitched my
bait to the other side of the bush and hauled in another nice bass in
the15 inch class.
I think Ron was about
ready to start talking to himself! I guess I should have told him that the
fish, besides being shallow, were relating to the structure and shade.
When the sun is up the
bass like the shadows, especially in clear water. They make a living by
ambushing their prey and what better way then to lay in wait in a cool
dark place and let it come to you!
The fish have moved to
the secondary points as they work their way back toward the shallower
necks, either feeding or getting ready to spawn.
Some fish were active
as a few anglers were catching them on flukes and spinner baits. You name
it, the fish were just on a great bite and everybody there was catching
fish.
On another secondary
point I had a real nice bass grab my bait and pull drag but I never got a
hook in it. Sometimes the better largemouth and spots grab the dart heads
in the corner of their mouth and clamp down, but you just can’t get a hook
set in them.
As I was pushing the
worm back up the jig head Ron pitched in where I lost that fish. I heard
Ron set the hook set, but in a matter of seconds he busted his line again!
The line was old and
bad or else he hadn’t retied after the last couple fish. Their sharp teeth
will fray your line very quickly, so you need to retie often.
If you get lazy and
fail to properly take the time to retire, or you neglect your equipment,
you usually end up paying for it.
There are lots of
lessons to be learned during a day of fishing. If you pay close attention
and think about what you’re doing you won’t have to learn those lessons
over and over again.
I think I learned the
lesson about retying your line after every couple of fish at least fifty
times if not more! One would think that I would have that lesson down pat
by now.
Ron and I had a great
day, we got to renew our friendship along with catching somewhere between
75 and 100 bass by noon.
Ron also got a good
afternoon of rest, as I had to make a trip to Modesto for a new trailer
tire. I didn’t get back until about 3:00 pm.
I carried a spare
around for years and when I finally needed it, I found out the holes on
the hub didn’t match. Darn another lesson, this had turned into a very
educational day.
I met some nice
fishermen in a Stratos Bass boat while I was changing the tire. They
offered to follow me back to Modesto to make sure I made it home ok.
Even with all the bad
luck, it was still a great day all in all. I even made it back home in
time to go over to Auto Life Outdoors and help Junior rearrange the store
like I promised. Hummm, I can’t help but wonder was bad luck still
following me! Hee Hee. |
