A picture I forgot to take

I forgot to take a picture of my tackle yesterday, so I went for it today.

I started at 04:00, but fish were slow, slower than yesterday. I started with a Zara Spook, and then changed to Pico Pop. I got an active bite in a grassy area with big water blow-up, and when reeled my line, I noticed it was not a bass. It was a small snakehead fish (raigyo). It added up. Some of the good strikes I got in this pond before were from them, I believe. No wonder I could not hooked them up.

Anyway, I got no bites from bass at all, so tied a Lucky 13 in GRA color as yesterday, and fished as slowly and steadily as possible. I cast it just at the shore and gave it several series of actions, one by one with a long pause, and when I was about to pick it up where the bait was 7-8 feet from the shore, a big fish suddenly came up to the surface from the bottom and grabbed it away. I set a hook hard, much harder than yesterday, and I saw at least two of my hooks hooked on the mouth of the fish. I could stay on top of the fight with it, and finally caught it.

The head of the bass was a little over-sized, but was a good fighter. Then I visited another pond, where I fished for the first time. It was half-coverd with vegetation, mostly by lotus. I felt difficulties to fish there, but how lucky I was today I could catch another bass with the same bait, Lucky 13 in GRA color.

Today's tackle: ABU Ambassadeur 5000CDL, Fenwick Boron-X XCA-554, Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Heddon Original Zara Spook, Chugger Spook, Lucky 13, Pico Pop, Big Bud, Wounded Spook, etc.

BF=9/16

Calm, feeble strike

Now, I have dental work one or twice a week, and may have an oral surgery soon. I had an appointment at the dentist at 09:00 today, but it's Saturday today. Yes, I went fishing early in the morning, though I had to get back before the visit.

I caught a bass with a Heddon Chugger Spook (OYG) about 10 minutes after I started. It was not so big, but I got satisfied with it.

  

Then, I started to take a movie while I fished. I tied a Lucky 13 in GRA color as it is very easy to see from me and from viewers as well even in the movie. The strike was so calm that I could not say it a "blow-up", but you can often have similar bites during this season of the year. It showed a splendid jump, and got away.

 

Today's tackle: ABU Ambassadeur 5000CDL, Fenwick Boron-X XCA-554, Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Heddon Original Zara Spook, Chugger Spook, Lucky 13, etc.

BF=8/15

Wounded Spook

I was bad with double-prop baits such as Heddon Wounded Spook, Dying Flutter, Smithwick Devils Horse, and Balsa 50 Hotsy Totsy. I had a prejudice against these baits, as I have been good at using other topwater lures including pencil baits, chuggers, poppers, and darters, rather than prop baits. For these 6-7 years, I have tried to use the baits as often as possible (and buy as many as I can afford), in order to learn by myself how the saying "custom makes all things easy" would works. I'm the kind of fisher who has to experience fishing physically. It sometimes takes long time and much pains, but I'd rather touch everything by myself than swallow others' ideas.

I have caught some nice bass with the double-prop baits, and I think I could have a little better understanding toward these baits than before. Now, my options to choose lures from are increased especially under windier conditions, and I make it a rule to go out with at least one or two of this sort of prop baits. My present challenge is how I can make fish reflexively bite on them. With Chugger Spooks or Zara Spooks, I think I can do that...    

Field-test completed

We went for an saltwater (offshore) fishing trip last weekend, but it got awfully windy and we got back halfway.
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Since I refinished one of my rods, I had wanted to field-test it. I had chances to visit a nearby pond on the past Thursday and yesterday. However, I could spare only a very short time for each day, and I could not fully test it.

Today, I could spare much longer hours from 04:00 to 09:30, and tested it as much as I wanted. At first I visited a pond where I fished a few times this year (and had caught a few bass), but I got skunked there. Then, I drove to another direction to try fishing in 'new' ponds to me.

The second place I visited was a small flat pond with a lot of aquatic vegetation. Fish were active, and I got 5-6 bites there. I felt fluorescent colors were effective there, and I caught one nice bass with a Heddon Zara II (YFD). I also hooked bass with an Original Zara Spook (MG) and 210 (CDF), but they got away into thick weeds.

Then, I decided to climb a hill on foot to visit another pond that was new to me as well. It was a hard pull to go with all of my tackle and floating tube. Anyway, I reached there. I was not sure that bass were there, but the water quality and vegetation looked so good that I decided to fish there. Five or six minutes after I started, I flirted a Heddon Wounded Spook (SD) to a small spot surrounded by the shore and nuphar weeds, and gave it a few small quivers. Suddenly a big blow-up occurred and I set a hook hard. I was not so careful, as I didn't expect it, but I caught the fish by inches. It was a very beautiful bass, as heavy as 4lb.

I got satisfaction from this fish, but kept fishing a little more time. I found a reedy area in the back of the pond, and cast a Heddon 210 (CDF). As soon as it took water, it was flicked out into the air by a fish. I let my bait pause a bit, and then gave it a few small actions. Then, the fish rushed at my lure again with a big splash. I hooked it at full stretch as the bait (Heddon 210) has weedless-type hooks. I successfully caught it, and found it was also a nice bass.

I fully enjoyed the fishing of today, catching these three fish. More than two fish a day are just too good for me. I also confirmed that the rod was perfectly refinished both cosmetically and functionally. However, it is a medium-light rod and I'm afraid it lacks strength if used to fish weedy area. I almost caught another bass with a Heddon wood Lucky 13, but it ran away into weeds. I think I could catch it if I used a more powerful rod.

Today's tackle: ABU Record Ambassadeur 5000 (black), Gart Bros Dina Cast 64 by Phillipson, Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Heddon Original Zara Spook, Zara II, Wounded Spook, Chugger Spook, 210, Wood Lucky 13, Hula Popper, and many other lures.

BF=7/14

Fisherman's good (but sore) thumb

Varnish finished

I've just refinished another rod, Gart Bros brand casting rod made by Phillipson. This time, I fixed an end of ferrules using a genuine part, and exchanged all the guides and threads. I tried to reproduce the original finish, but used higher-quality vintage guides and adopted a double-thread pattern to attach them.

I believe this rod is good for Zara Spooks and other pencil baits. I now feel like going fishing with this rod and some of my favorite baits, hopefully enjoying casting from my Old Town canoe in a clear highland lake. 

Devil's Horse

Last night, I thought about taking up using three-hooker prop baits, and put a Smithwick Devil's Horse together with other lures in my tackle box. I like to add an extra washer on the tail of this bait, by which I expect the tail prop can squeak more loudly.

 
I left my place at 03:40 and went fishing. On the way, I saw a pack of foxes. I guess it was a family, as 2-3 of them were very little young. They showed a great deal of curiosity to my car and won't move for a while. I slowed down and passed them. Anyway, I got to a pond.

As always, I started with a noisy bait (Jointed Jitterbug) before the sun rose, and then switched to Devil's Horse. While I fished, I saw something move between the trees just nearby the pond. I carefully looked at it and found it was a raccoon. I sometimes see Japanese raccoons, but it was the first time for me to see a raccoon (common raccoon, a non-native here). I was afraid bass would get scared by it, and I glided away from there.

Then I fished another area of the same pond. When I cast the Devil's Horse to a near-shore shallow spot and gave it a few small twitches, I got a big blow-up on it. It was the nicest and most admirable reaction from bass in this season. I enjoyed fighting with it, and felt happy to catch it.

   
Today's tackle: ABU Ambassadeur 5000CDL (High Speed), Phillipson Royal RC60, Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Jointed Jitterbug and Devil's Horse (I used only two lures today). 

BF=6/11

Magnum Tiger

Since I made a terrible mess just before catching a bass last time, I had been agonized myself over it. I went to the same pond on the next day to try to find the lure I lost, but I couldn't (and got skunked, either). I went again yesterday, and in vain (and got skunked).

Today, I went to a different pond for a switch. It is located near the top of a small mountain, and I had to walk for a while carrying my floating tube. I started before daylight, and kept casting a Heddon Magnum Tiger (GRA color) most of the time. Yes, the same as what I lost last time. I fished almost all the shore areas but got no responses at all. When the morning sun started to beam, I was at the last point but one. I despaired of ever catching a fish, but how lucky I was today, this nice bass (4lb) finally jumped at my lure. I carefully fought with it, not to make the same mistake, and managed to land it. I couldn't be happier about this fish. and I could take a load off my mind.

Today's tackle: ABU Ambassadeur 5000CDL (High Speed), Phillipson RL64LS, Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Heddon Magnum Tiger, Chugger Spook, Zara Spook, Wounded Spook, Pico Pop, etc.

BF=5/10