for my first bass of the season.
My first two outings (including today) were in poor conditions with the weather changing from warm and sunny in the 70s all week to cold and rainy upper 40s and strong, blustery winds
.
My primary focus was learn more about jigs but I could help but try my new lucky craft suspending pointer in rainbow trout. I was very impressed with its action and its responsiveness to even the slightest twitch. It seemed to have less resistance when working it than my x-raps. Not better or worse, just different. Thumbs up for lucky craft. If only they were cheaper, but well worth the price.
I worked all of the cover around the dock and the underdeveloped lily pads and the grass under the water's surface, but nothing. I guess that I shouldn't be surprised given the conditions but I started to debate whether I should stick with what I was doing because I am trying to learn a new technique or switch tactics. I decided to stay with it until the sun went down.
Well, it went down so I switched to drop shotting. I was eager to try out the 6# Sea Guar Invis X fluorocarbon line. I slapped on a roboworm 4" but there were no takers. It was getting dark really fast and I started packing up my things when I spotted a pack of joe's zip its. Red zip its. Oh man. That was it. I hooked it on quickly and pitched it out in the same place I was working the robo worm and dead stuck it. A few seconds later nibble, nibble, stop. #$#%$!!! I know she didn't get her mouth on the hook. I could tell through my rod. Nibble nibbble, stop. Nibble nibbble, stop. Quickly retrieve and re-cast to the same spot. Nibble nibbble, stop. Nibble nibbble, stop. #$@$#!!! I never yanked the line. I was just waiting for the right time to reel. I retrieve and come to learn that the dad-gum fish eventually bit off the flat tail.
This was a first for me. I have never experience so subtle a strike in which the hook isn't taken. Could these have been blue gill?
It was very dark by this time and the park staff were getting close to locking the gates so I had to get going. Besides, my hands were frozen and I was already shivering for the past 25 minutes or so.
Denied! I have really got to get this skunk funk off my bat.
Anyway, despite going home fishless, it was still a good learning experience that I can safely deposit in the memory banks. In addition, I know sticking with the Gman/JoeS jig/trailer combination will get me my first jig/trailer bass.
-ib (and right now I suck!
)
