After yesterday’s lackluster outing at The Bird, I considered my options. Since the Covid-19 outbreak I’ve usually fished two different lakes over the weekend. For Sunday, I thought about Bastrop (numbers) or Pflugerville (big’uns). In the end, I decided I had unfinished business at Lady Bird. My kayaker friend had told me that yesterday’s good bite was early, so I arrived pre-dawn.
The kayaker and I were the only anglers launching from Holiday Inn this morning. I was backing down the ramp as he pedaled off. I hollered that he’d better save me some. Turns out I’d flip the script on my kayak friend.
Yesterday, I was discouraged when he told me he was hammerin’ ‘em, but I kept at it and managed one good’un and some fun-fish. Today it was my turn. I had retied my lines last night, my prep was solid. I got one in the dark, which always portends good fishing. I moved uplake. I tossed a senko into a ditch. Yeah.
I saw my line was swimming, I didn’t feel the bite. I reeled down and r’ared back. Oh, man. The fish jumped, a tub! No one around to show out for, so I quietly played the fish, concentrating on keeping even pressure on the bent rod. The fish surged and I pointed the rod, letting the fish take line against a tight drag. I turned her and she shallowed up. I stuck the rod tip in the water, but she broached anyway, coming fully out of the water. Man, what a fish!
I led her around the boat a half dozen times and then lipped her without too much drama. I gave a shout of relief and looked for a photographer. I weighed, measured and took pictures. I love these fish so much, I wanted to hold her forever, but I know she belongs in the water, so back she went. Free the Fighter!
My kayak friend came back from Auditorium Shores. He’d caught six fish, but the larger fish had eluded him. I told him about my big’un. He asked what I’d caught it on and I told him. I don’t think he goes too much to senko. He told me if he didn’t get a bigger fish down at Fiesta, he was going to load up and go to another lake.
He went downlake and I went uplake. I‘d barely gone a couple hundred feet when I saw a wad of fish on my old black and white Mk5. I’d tied on a hardbait last night, so I turned and cast it off the stern. I paused it on the way back and it got slammed!!!...by a four pounder!!!. Now I’m really glad I’m back at The Bird!
Big’un details: I was fishing a GYCB Watermelon/Black Flk 194 5” Yamasenko rigged with #010 Buna 70 O-ring. The tail was dipped 1/2” in Spike-It Chartreuse Garlic Dye. I had a 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook tied onto 15# Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon line with a Zona Shark knot. The rod was 7’ MF All*Star and Abu Garcia 7.3:1 Revo X reel. The bass weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces and measured 22.5”. Cowabunga!
The kayaker and I were the only anglers launching from Holiday Inn this morning. I was backing down the ramp as he pedaled off. I hollered that he’d better save me some. Turns out I’d flip the script on my kayak friend.
Yesterday, I was discouraged when he told me he was hammerin’ ‘em, but I kept at it and managed one good’un and some fun-fish. Today it was my turn. I had retied my lines last night, my prep was solid. I got one in the dark, which always portends good fishing. I moved uplake. I tossed a senko into a ditch. Yeah.
I saw my line was swimming, I didn’t feel the bite. I reeled down and r’ared back. Oh, man. The fish jumped, a tub! No one around to show out for, so I quietly played the fish, concentrating on keeping even pressure on the bent rod. The fish surged and I pointed the rod, letting the fish take line against a tight drag. I turned her and she shallowed up. I stuck the rod tip in the water, but she broached anyway, coming fully out of the water. Man, what a fish!
I led her around the boat a half dozen times and then lipped her without too much drama. I gave a shout of relief and looked for a photographer. I weighed, measured and took pictures. I love these fish so much, I wanted to hold her forever, but I know she belongs in the water, so back she went. Free the Fighter!
My kayak friend came back from Auditorium Shores. He’d caught six fish, but the larger fish had eluded him. I told him about my big’un. He asked what I’d caught it on and I told him. I don’t think he goes too much to senko. He told me if he didn’t get a bigger fish down at Fiesta, he was going to load up and go to another lake.
He went downlake and I went uplake. I‘d barely gone a couple hundred feet when I saw a wad of fish on my old black and white Mk5. I’d tied on a hardbait last night, so I turned and cast it off the stern. I paused it on the way back and it got slammed!!!...by a four pounder!!!. Now I’m really glad I’m back at The Bird!
Big’un details: I was fishing a GYCB Watermelon/Black Flk 194 5” Yamasenko rigged with #010 Buna 70 O-ring. The tail was dipped 1/2” in Spike-It Chartreuse Garlic Dye. I had a 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook tied onto 15# Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon line with a Zona Shark knot. The rod was 7’ MF All*Star and Abu Garcia 7.3:1 Revo X reel. The bass weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces and measured 22.5”. Cowabunga!