Gentle rain

Just after lunch, I noticed it started to rain gently. I decided to go short-time fishing in a small pond that I found while I was trail-running the other day. I remember I saw some bluegill swimming there, which might suggest some bass would live there as well. It was the first time for me to fish there, so I took proven lures with me.

At first, I got some subtle bites and I was thinking they're bluegill. After a little while, the rain got a little harder and bites from fish got bigger. After I changed lures to a Pico Pop, I could hook up a couple of vigorous bass. I fished all the way around the pond twice for about one hour, and I could catch a total of four bass. Even the largest one was about 1-1/4 lb or so, but I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon fishing. I also spotted a nicer bass swimming in a shallow area, so I'd like to fish again in this pond.

Today's tackle: ABU Ambassadeur 5000 De Luxe, Phillipson Royal RC60, Daiwa Sight Surf #4, Heddon Chugger Spook, Lucky 13, Zara Spook, Wounded Spook, Pico Pop, etc.

BF=10/18/28

Short trip

I wanted to catch a bass, but caught a snakehead the other day. The lure is a unpainted prototype that my good friend is making. I'm sure the snakehead couldn't but try to feed, when it came into its sight.

I went on a short trip this time to an area full of small farm ponds. I got skunked in the first, second, and third ponds, but finally found a good water in the next pond. I caught 8 bass including a few nice ones. The water color was so muddy and bright-colored lures worked fine there.

As always, I wanted to take some pictures of my tackle to keep records, but the end cap of my rod came off from the grip while I was fishing. Fortunately, I could find the cap on the water and I fixed it as soon as I got back. 

Today's tackle: ABU 5500C (BLK), Phillipson 3M B7L1 custom, Daiwa Sight Surf #5, Heddon Lucky 13, Southbend Bass Oreno, a prototype lure (JJ), etc.

BF=9/17/24

Slump, ongoing

We went for an offshore fishing trip, but my slump seems to be ongoing. The sea was calm and flat, and the weather was comfortable, but fishing result was extremely poor. I caught only a few fish...

 

Slump?

I drove to some ponds yesterday to try to search another bass-fishing heaven. I visited more than eight ponds, among which I fished three, and totally got skunked. I got no bites at all. I'm afraid I was trying to enjoy fishing where no bass inhabited.

I went fishing again today. I found a small pond while I was jogging the other day, and I decided to get my line wet there. I saw many schools of fish there, but they're not bass but carp and gibels. I felt like giving up catching a bass, but happened to find another smaller pond on the far side. It was too muddy, but I gave it a go there, too. I exchanged lures to a chartreuse Pico Pop, as this color often works fine in muddy waters. On the third cast, this bass violently bit my bait. It has red eyes, which I don't catch very often around my place.

At the end of fishing, I let my rod and reel go into water by mistake. Fortunately, I could immediately pick them up, but the water was so muddy that I had to overhaul my reel after I got back. It seems I'm in a slump period now.

Today's tackle: ABU 5500C (BLK), Phillipson 3M B7L1 custom, Daiwa Sight Surf #5, Zara Spook, Pico Pop, etc. 

BF=8/14/16

 

Carp again?

I headed off to a different area today. I started fishing at 04:30 AM, but got no reactions from fish in the first and second ponds. Then, I drove to the third one. It is a very small pond, in which you can finish casting to all of the spots in 10-15 minutes. I almost gave up catching a fish today, but I had an idea to try a shallow back part of the pond at last. There, I happened to see near-shore grasses slightly move. I thought it a carp again, though the pond was different. Anyway, I cast a Pico Pop, steadily gave it a couple of chugging actions, and paused it. "Bang", I got a big blow-up as I expected, and I could finally catch a nice aged bass. I felt happy it was not a carp, but a bass.

This bass had white eyes, maybe almost blind due to old age. I guess this is a reason the blow-up was so overblown. I said to myself that "Best of luck to you!", and released it.

After I finished this pond, I went to another pond, but I got skunked there. In the end, all I could get was the only one bite from the fish above. I think I have to search new ponds where more bass are active.

Today's tackle: ABU 5500C (BLK), Mr Don 'Dog Fighter' MW59N w/ STTS grip, Daiwa Sight Surf #5, Original Zara Spook, Wounded Spook, Lucky 13, Bass Oreno, Crab Wiggler, Pico Pop, etc. 

BF=7/12/15

 

Grow fast

We have three-day holidays now. I went on a short-time fishing trip on 3 May, but got skunked. I wanted to go again yesterday, but it was so windy that I gave it up. Today, I went fishing again. I got up before 04:00 AM and left home at 04:15.

It's been warm this spring and water vegetation grew much faster than I expected in every pond. I started with lures with treble hooks (Original Zara Spook and Wounded Spook), but every time I cast them, they're tangled with floating or submerged weeds. I don't go out with so many weedless type lures at this time of the year, but luckily I found a wood Lucky 13, on which treble hooks were replaced to double ones.

I cast it to a small spot near the shore and paused for a few seconds. Something small struck it, it but didn't take the bait underwater. It hit again, but didn't touch any of the hooks again.

I kept casting, and all of the sudden, my bait disappeared with a good amount of splash. I set a hook hard, and enjoyed fighting with it. It was a nice bass just as I expected.

In the back of the pond, floating weeds were much thicker. Even the 'weedless' Lucky 13 couldn't escape from the evil tentacles of weeds, so I took a frog (Bill Plummer Bass Frog) from my box. As might be expected, frog lures are good to fish with in such confused areas. A bass, not so big but well-muscled one, rushed to my frog and swallowed it. Enjoy the nice blow-up of it.

After I caught this bass, I visited two more ponds but couldn't catch any more fish. Anyway, I fully enjoyed topwater fishing with stars in my eyes and went back.

Today's tackle: ABU 5000 CDL (86, high-speed), Phillipson Stream Knight SK64LS w/ STTS grip, Daiwa Sight Surf #5, Original Zara Spook, Wounded Spook, Wood Lucky 13, Harrison Bass Frog, Pico Pop, etc.

BF=6/11/14