Thursday, April 3, 2014

Hitting the Locals...Looking for a Little Warm-Water Action

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I really had the itch to get out and chase some Ozark smallies this past weekend , it may still be a touch early but I've just had smallmouth on the brain lately when I think about fishing. I had the boat and gear loaded a few days out from the weekend and was watching river levels closely. It looked like it might all come together, until the wife had a last minute situation arise which required her to be out of town for three days. Once again my fishing plans were foiled!!
I puttered around the house on Saturday (the wife would say that I was "moping" because I didn't get to go fishing!) until I'd had enough , I was going fishing somewhere come hell or high water. The boat was loaded on the truck already and most of the gear I would need was stacked in the front seat so it didn't take much work to be ready. Joe hopped in the backseat and we were soon headed out to one of the local city lakes that I had some decent luck bass fishing on last year.
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We found an access without any company that I could launch my boat from and then spent the next hour walking the shoreline looking for a few fish.
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I tried double decievers , wiggle minnows , clousers , wooly buggers...you name it , I probably tied one on and threw it that evening. To my dismay I just couldn't get any action. I put the boat on the water for the last hour or so and fished a couple areas that couldn't be reached from shore but it didn't make any difference. I ended up leaving the lake that night smelling like a road-kill skunk.
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The next day I seriously thought about making the hour drive out to a local reservoir that has a decent smallmouth population and trying my luck with the boat. After checking the weather forecast and seeing the 25-30 mph winds that were forecast for the area I decided against it though. Once again we loaded in the truck and headed out to a smaller , hopefully wind-protected lake that I have caught bass on before. This lake is a state fishing lake and as a general rule fishes pretty good due to annual stocking practices. We arrived at the lake around 9:30 , just as the morning chill was giving way to warm rays of sunshine. Once again Joe and I walked several shorelines , throwing everything in the flybox at them , and once again we caught zilch...nada...nothing!
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By this time it was getting close to lunch so we made the decision to head back to the truck. I'd picked up some lunch material the evening before at a local BBQ joint so we kicked back in the sun and had a nice lunch break.
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Joe decided to take a little afternoon nap once we were finished with lunch so I unloaded the boat and continued to fish a few areas that couldn't be reached from shore.
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Again , I tried several different flies with the same results as before. Not only did I end up not catching anything , I can't even say that I had a strike in the two outings I made.
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I finally decided that I'd taken all of the abuse I could stand so we loaded up and the three of us headed back home...Joe , myself and the skunk we had recently acquired.

18 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear your plans fell through. We will chase smallies soon, that for sure.

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  2. I think Joe was as content as you were.
    Good stuff.

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  3. You shoulda stood in bed, like Joe. Thanks for the honest report. It hurts so good, but that skunk won't hang around long, I'm guessing.

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    1. I'm not above taking a little waterside nap every now and then. It doesn't bother me too much , anyone who says they never get skunked is probably not fishing enough!

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  4. it's not always about the fish. the fresh air, quiet outdoor surroundings are always good for the soul. of course catching fish puts the icing on the cake!! looks like a good time anyway!

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    1. Thanks ! You hit the nail on the head right there , those things you mentioned trump the actual fishing every time.

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  5. Looks like you and Joe had an amazing outing! Good food, good company and time to take in the peace of being on the water. Im sure if Joe could talk he sure loved it!

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    1. There's no such thing as a bad day fishing right? If catching fish was the most enjoyable part of the sport I'd have taken up golf a long time ago...

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  6. Sometimes you just gotta scratch the itch! I know you enjoyed being out regardless of the lack of cooperating fish.

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    1. I scratched it but I still got the itch!! The waters just too cold around here yet for anything to be too active yet....it's coming.

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  7. Thanks for another great post even if the fishing isn't good, the story telling and photos always are.

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    1. Thanks Howard...I've obviously had more practice at storytelling than catching fish!!

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  8. Even Brett posted a skunk last year chasing white bass. Keep up the reports.
    Dave.

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    1. Show me someone who says they've never been skunked and I'll show you a probable liar!
      Thanks Dave.

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  9. i missed joe in the two posts after this - had to come back and make sure he was okay. he just makes me smile. :)

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  10. That makes two of us!! I'll be sure to let him know you were asking about him...

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