Lesson learned...unlearned...learned again - average CO bass

[FishDr]

Last night I got clearance for a quick trip to one of the local ponds that has a few bass in it known to occasionally humor me and whack wakebaits under the cover of darkness. I'd hoped to hook up with a friend, but work whacked him, so I went solo. I arrived just as it started to get truly dark, and, because I've not yet become accustomed to throwing the Wake Jr. and didn't want to launch it across the lake into a tree (it's a small pond), went with my standard night lure, the 9" light trout Slammer. I followed the usual pattern, working my way around the lake, covering the "sweet" band of water within 10' of shore but also hitting known off-shore areas and weedbeds.

 

For the first 1.5 hours there was nothing. No wakes intercepted the wake from the Slammer. No fish told me that they wanted a slow wake, a twitching wake, or a fast wake. Nothing. I'd hit at least 6 "money" spots and they'd come up blank. So, finally, I decided it was time to learn something - the fish didn't want the Slammer, perhaps they wanted something else. In past trips the spot has been kind to the OG Shellcracker, so I switched and threw that for a while. Thirty minutes passed and no love. Then, on a long cast that probably was never more than 15' off the bank, the Shellcracker got nudged. Hmmm. Two casts later the Shellcracker got nudged again, but the hooks missed, again. Maybe the fish were tight to the bank and keying on 'gills? Maybe the OG 'cracker was too big and the smaller G2 would be the ticket.

 

I switched again, this time putting on a chewed G2 and fired it down the bank, trying to weave the line between some reeds by brail (Marbles would be proud to know that up to this point I'd not used my headlamp). I worked the bait back with a *very* slow retrieve and halfway to where I was standing, it got smacked with enough force to warrant a hookset. I cranked the fish in with little ceremony, as it was not a big one, perhaps 14", but hey, it broke the skunk and taught me something.

 

On down the bank I went...a few casts later the G2 was smacked, but the hooks missed (or I missed?). Onwards down the bank...I came to a spot with some reeds I could just about reach over. I made a couple of quartering casts, and then for spits and giggles fired one straight out. Cranked it back in, and four feet in front of the reed line, it got blasted. The fish, perhaps a 3 pounder, jumped once, jumped twice, splashed me, and tossed the G2. Fun stuff!

 

On down the bank - I was now nearing the "bingo time" for when I was supposed to start heading home.

 

I made a long cast to a known fish holding area. Nothing. I cast to a couple of other areas that typically hold fish at night. Nothing. Had the magic of the G2 abandoned me? I just knew that there had to be a fish hanging off this point with a weedbed along one edge and a sharp drop on the other. But that fish didn't want the G2. I switched back to the 9" Slammer and sent it winging into the dark, trying to not tick the trees that hemmed me in on either side and to the rear. The lure touched down, I made sure that I had no loose line on the reel, and started a slow wake. I could just make out the widening vee the lure was making and it only moved 3 or 4 feet before it got blasted, and I set the hook. The fish felt solid, and then I couldn't feel it anymore. Had I lost it? I cranked furiously and was relieved when I could see that the line, while coming in, was coming in at an angle - something was on the hook. As I got the fish near the bank, it came out of its inactivity and started to jump and bulldog. Now I was sure there was something there and I was able to bounce-swing the fish onto shore. Not a monster, not even a huge fish by the standards of the pond, but a solid fish nonetheless.

 

 

Now I'd just unlearned what I'd early learned about the 'gill eaters. I stuck with the Slammer, all the way until I was back near the truck, and about 15 minutes past the "absolute latest departure time" to get home when I was supposed to. Again, I was casting along the shore and at a spot where I just knew there should be a fish. The Slammer wasn't cutting it, so in a rare moment of insight, I went back to the G2. First cast and another chunky 15" fish ate it. Not a monster, but vindication, so well worth it. Naturally, I couldn't end the night like that, so I worked the shore for another 20 minutes before finally calling it a night. Yes, I got home later than planned, but I also learned a lesson, unlearned the lesson, and learned the lesson again.

[DenverSwimbaiter]

Nice Chris, sounds like a fun night!

[comescrashing]

awesome way of putting it and nice fish too

[huddslinger]

Nice job Chris.