[Jeremy]

No one fell for the ol’ “cold front shut ‘em down.” There were a half dozen yaks and a couple of bass boats on the water when I launched at 6:45 A.M. I fished for nearly two hours without a bite, but most of that time was transit at the Pond Prowler’s speedy 2.5 MPH. I started throwing a 1.5 perpendicular to the shore. I got three in short order: bam, bam, bam! Nice mean Decker reed runners. Heck yeah!

I wanted to catch a fish on the lures my son had picked out for my Christmas gift. I o-ringed the Goby colored senko and cast it up to the reed edge. I was trying mind over matter to get a bite. I’m not going to lie the kid. I ran a hundred yard stretch without a bite. Does this color work? My line jumped and I set the hook on a cutie-pie. Alright! Shoot a text to the boy, and then bam, bam, bam, bam! Four more on the Goby senko! I’m having a blast now, the beautiful winter morning, the hungry fish, the storied reservoir.

I drifted up to a point and I cast out a Texas rigged BBH. I hopped it twice and it got throttled. I r’ared back and got a good bend in the rod. The tub jumped and it was a big’un. I started talking to myself for the expert advice! She jumped again, but she was hooked good, the Gama thin wire 000 EWG thru the corner of her mouth. She went a couple ounces over five pounds. Hell to the yeah!

I skipped the cove and went to the next point which is loaded with hydrilla. I picked up my heavy Texas-rig: 7’3” MH with the Speed Freak reel. I threaded a black Zoom Z Craw on the Gama thin wire 0000 EWG. I use thin wire hooks, I just don’t have the guns to set a super line hook, doh! I cast it to the outside edge. I creeped it back, ever so slowly. Felt the slurp, r’ared back and Fish On! Yea buddy! A nice two pounder, on a beaver no less! I sent the boy another thank you text. I wish everyday was Christmas!

I felt the wind picking up. I really wanted to stay on this point, but I was a long, long way from the ramp, dead into the wind. Oh boy! I resigned myself to a brutal transit. I picked a course, quartering the whitecaps. Slight doubt creeping in. I got to the peninsula and felt a little better. I felt good enough to cast the senko, BAM, fish on! That was fun, now back to survival mode. I rounded the point of the peninsula right into the teeth of the 15 knot SSW wind. I extended my auxiliary, the e-paddle I always have on board. I was digging like a Town Lake rower, pulling for the park, trying to supplement the battery. I switched to my reserve battery and kept rowing. I reached the lee of the park and secured the paddle. Off at 12:30 P.M.

 

[langlowe9]

awesome my friend. Sorry I was not with you.

I might have been the one holding the 5. hehe.

 

[Jeremy]

I missed you, and the 150 horses too! That five came from one of your go to targets LOL!

 

[welderdude]

Jeremy, just goes to show that sometimes it is the baits that you would not normally buy, or use, that catch the fish. Those Decker bass have seen most of your usual tricks anyway. Maybe we need to get some yellow perch and walleye baits after them! lol

 

[langlowe9]

I have seriously thought about buying a dozen goldfish, in the 5-8in range and freelining them weightless with a bobber along the reeds. I watched an episode of Jimmy Houston one time as a kid and they were doing the same thing on Okeechobee and catching monsters.

I figured it would work on Decker and might call some of the mommas out from deep in those reeds.

I might talk Jeremy into trying that in the spring.

 

[Emmett]

Nice fish. What was the water level like, has it come back up?

 

[Jeremy]

Thanks Emmett. The level is low but I could see pump action at the filler. Could take most of winter to top it off.

 

[Emmett]

Thanks Jeremy