A Good Hair Day, 4/18/16

[Will Wetline]

No. Not mine. I care enough about my own thinning hair to take it to the barber's every couple of months and say, "Chet, do what you can to make me pass for a gentleman." Grooming the hair from a buck's tail holds greater interest.

I usually add a few strands of Krystal Flash or two lengths of grizzly hackle. The latter material is always expensive and, in recent years, increasingly scarce. Apparently, fashionable women like to wear it in their hair. Don't they know that it belongs in a bass's mouth?

Be that as it may, let's go fishing. I found myself 13th in line when I arrived at Gate 43 at 5:23. A glance at the reservoir revealed how low it was - some say it's 4' down.

That changed my plans. Not wanting to modify the rental boat's propeller by churning through mud or whacking rocks, I took a deeper water route to my planned first spot.

To get there I had to cross the WOF (Way Offshore Flats). I decided to set up here, dropping the anchor and lashing a mini tripod for my Canon PowerShot D20 to the front bench seat. Now, what bait for starters? The morning was bright, cool, calm. Dipping a fingertip into the water, it felt like mid forties. (My thermometer needs a new battery.)

These conditions indicated a slow and subtle presentation provided by the baits you see in the photo. 

And how do I deliver them? With a St. Croix Avid ML rod on which is mounted a Shimano Stradic 2500FJ filled with bought-on-sale Seaguar Tatsu, 6 lb.

Great stealth is required fishing calm water so clear you can see bottom in 20'. I worked these baits at a slower than mosey speed - I downright dawdled them along. I imagined the mindset of a baitfish: cold, lonely and fearful that it was about to be eaten . . .

I worked this pattern from 7:45 to 11:00 and during this time landed (no misses) five fine smallies from 2 3/4 lbs. to better than 3 1/2 lbs. And two lakers chewed on my hair, too.

When the bite slowed I checked other areas of this flat at depths of 15' - 25' with abrupt drops from there. Then I set up at what had been my planned first stop, the edge of a flat that falls off into 30' or more. In seasons past I'd find plump largemouth here hanging out with sizable smallmouth. Today I rigged a 1/4 oz. crawfish colored rubber skirted Poison Tail jig on 8 lb. Sunline Sniper which a 1 1/2 lb. smallie tapped at the bottom of the drop.

On the way back to the dock, I stopped at the Bald Head Ridge. No fish here.

 

[roadwarrior]

Nice report, great pics!

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Great report. I just knew you were going to have a good outing. 

[A-Jay]

Very Nice.

Your proficient jig tying skills are clear matched by your ability to present them effectively.

Congrats

A-Jay

[buzzed bait]

your jigs are destined to catch them Will!  Nice looking smallies!

["hamma"]

nice fish!,..i miss fishing out there, northern side of zion always produced some nice fish for me

 congrats!

[MIbassyaker]

"I imagined the mindset of a baitfish: cold, lonely and fearful that it was about to be eaten . . . "

 

Love it. Presentation Mindset.