creasekeeper

My Brother and I hooked up for some fishing on Black Friday. Goal was to hit a Plymouth smallie only pond but the wind had me concerned with the ride down with the flatback strapped to the roof of my sedan.

We called an audible and stayed local. We fished a clear rock and grass mixed set up. Was shocked at the amount of green grass even with the low water situation.

Wind was stout gusts to 20mph. Had mid 40 temps and thought it would be on given the rain coming the next day.

Figured maybe slow rolled spinnerbait (my bros fave lure) or at least a crankbait bite would be on with the choppy water. But after first 90 min we had nada. Thought about pulling the plug but made stiff up wind run that put a hurting on the battery to the opposite end of the pond.

Found great looking lily pads still intact to! Changed up to more natural color lures and nabbed a petey. Switched out my bros minus to a natural color and he nabbed a bass. We back trolled down the bank towards the launch and managed to land several more peteys. With the wind laying down I tossed the jerkbait a good bit both shallow and out off to the deeper water but had only one peck. Never got the jig going given the wind. Launch was packed with dog folks so we passed by and hit a stretch we got blown off earlier and I scored a few more pickles.

Final tally was 3 pickerel and a bass for my brother and 6 pickerel for me.

Not the day we hoped for but always a great time out with my Brother.

Hit the same spot as a couple of weeks ago. Was on the water at 730am. Water was higher and moving quicker from the rain fall. Wind was steady to gusty at times.

Sun was pounding right side bank. I worked the sunny stretch with a crankbait and spinnerbait thru the wood and brush. No love.

Marked fish on the break and worked a point and the breakline with a smaller husky jerk without any takers. Dragged around some soft plastic but to gunky from the turnover.

Changed up colors as I could not see the lures very well in the water. Still nothing doing.

Picked up the jig and worked all the promising wood but nada. Went to a heavier jig to offset the moving water. Still nothing.

Doubled back to the sunny bank and dragged the jig around and threw everything. But alas nothing.

Poked around the spillway and ladder but current was tough with the winds so pulled out a little early off water at 10am.

Loaded up and headed into the office.

After thinking I was going out Friday to no avail and then hoping to squeak out Saturday only to have the tikes have other ideas (we carved pumpkins lol) I made a point to get my rig Saturday eve and load up the car that night. Hit a new to me little spot near work. It is a pond in side of a moving water system. Place looked prime and I had been prospecting from shore for a couple of weeks.



Got on the water at 730am and had a spinnerbait squarebill jig and jerkbait tied on. Water ranged from 1ft to 7ft with temps from 53 to 50 degrees. The sqaurebill did nada and the jig was not any better. Switched jig sizes and types and got through the vast brush cover much better. Got a 13 in bass on a spinnerbait in front of a clog of leaves lilies and grass. Then hauled water for bit.



Had few swipes and bats so tweaked spinnerbait colors size and blades. Finally settled on old faithful (confidence lure white w/silver double willow).



Fished well back int0 the pond and the place got better and better looking but still nothing doing. Turned to head back and fished long wooded stretch with jig had one missed pick up. Finished the run just chunking the spinnerbait and got a 14 in bass off a grass hump/rise.



Finished up near the out flow but no takers.



Rained a bit wind was mild. Really cool set up will have to give it another shot to make a final opinion. Off the water at 1030am and into work by 11am.

Was my Bday back on last weeknd of August. Day was kind of a bust waiting around to gather with the clan. Well my 5yr old son asked me if we could go fishing! Grt jackpot best gift ever! Little hiccup as he wanted to use the canoe but given it was 4ish and we need to be home at 630 for the festivities I had to convince him it was shore fishing or bust lol. We gathred the gear and some gulp and headed out to wade and cast. Was cool lots of dogs using area to swim and what not but we manged 6 sunnies so mission accoplished and memories to last me for years to come.

With the dreaded no sales tax weekend on the horizon for me I was able to get in a full day of fishing with the Mrs taking the crew to the beach.

I was up out and on the water to a SS no motor mud hole before 8am. Though it was going to be a top water through the slop day as the water was super low. Tried frogs in a couple of colors and the buzzbait no love got to back of pond and it was a punchers haven,not my fav way to fish, but I gave it a go for 45 min and nada. Wind picked up so I headed into it to use it as a drift. Found some open water and fished the defined edges with soft plastics topwaters and a spinnerbait. No luck hit the rock island on a second drift with a slight miss on the buzz. Just paddled in towards the pull out spot and worked the spillway with a soft plastic and finally had a real hit stuck it and thought for slight second I had a slob but alas it was just a chunky 3.7 with a ton of grass in his face.



Pulled out and headed to my good old SS spot Whitmans Pond. Was on the water by noonish. Made straight shot out to offshore hump worked top to bottom though I marked fish got no love. Ground and pound with nothing. Ate lunch on the island then hit the good old bridge missed a hit on soft plastic under bridge. Chunked and wined my way towards back of pond saw a huge carp. Work a usual good Summer cove no love missed a hit near small island. Said screw it spinnerbait or bust and manged 3 bass in 30 min biggest a chunky 2 hit the boat ramp cove for 45 min with nothing so headed home.



Been a tough Summer so far at least for me have not been out much but man the bite has been spotty. Maybe nxt trip will be a on the water before sunrise type one to change it up.

On July 31 headed down to Plymouth with a friend and his prowler. Was looking to score his first adult life smallie. Great Herring is much to big for a prowler....at least in the Summer. Had one of the worst/hair raising rides ever as we got douched by some wind waves and crappy pleasure rider boats and skiers. Mad a crazy trek to opposite side of pond to get out of wind and slowly and I mean slowly work our way back to the ramp. I got a largemouth on a spinnerbait and had four smallies come undone twice on the jump twice right along side the boat missed a nice jig hit I would like back as well. The smallies were just that no more than 12inchers. Unfortunately my bud got the skunk for the second time out in row with me. Told him he picks time and place next go round.



Glad I had the helm as he has little boat control experience and the ride across the pond was brutal once we got about 300 yards from the shore I felt relaxed and proceeded to just hit first dock we could find to bail out 2.5 gallons of water. Lesson learned on that no doubt not my smartest decision ever. Just glad I have all our gear still and are here to type about it.



Highlight of the trip was a a hot chick in her bikini and her boyfriend getting their rig out of the water right after us. As we tied things down and stowed the gear we got in my buds pickup and he being a good yet very quite friend cracks this line that had us laughing and joking all the way home. Hey Brian? Yeah. Was it just me or did you hear music to each time she walked back and forth by us....lol

Got out on July 10th with my flatback on a SS mud hole. My first mate was my 5yr old boy. This was our first solo out on the water trip. He has not been to keen about being in the rig fishing with his Sis and I but I convinced him to give it a go. Well we got our crawlers and my gear and headed out. I managed a decent bass on a chug bug real early in. But alas only had one more bass after that I had 4 sunnies though lol. He to his credit did well casting his Sis push button as he worked a little lure around. I had his sponge bob rigged for the bobber. We quickly changed that up and he had the bobber on the longer rod and got himself 4 sunnies. All hooked and reeled in on his own. Felt for him as he had a nice bass on near a shallow rock field and with only 6lb test on the ultra light he was cranking is butt off lol. The bass unbuttoned about 3 ft off the side of the canoe. Looked to be in the 2lbs class which would have been a PB for him. We lasted little over 3 hrs and he had fun most of the time. Hope this has more to come.



He did ask me to go on a rare Tue day off I had yesterday but with the weather I thought it best to go bowling instead lol.

Had brutal bout of pneumonia mid May that took forever to "clear" and has left me with little energy. Still not at 100% with energy but pushed myself to get out today. Was able to go with a bud and we used his pond prowler which helped a ton as it made getting on the water much easier.



Any way was a great start as on my first cast I had a 3lb on the chugbug. Then my bud dropped one off a rocky point just off the bow of the boat. It would be his last sniff of the day. Never fun when you partner is not into the fish when you are catching some. He was a trooper. I managed a 12 inch on soft plastic swimbait. Things went cold for a long stretch so we broke for lunch then I scored one on spinnerbait. Had tough unbutton on a toilet bowl flush hit on a buzzbait. Managed a nice chunk on a soft plastic. Then had a boat side drop of decent fish Then another 12 in on the same bait,



We fished some great looking stuff that wreaked buzzbait or frog and did not even get a sniff. We chugged across pond to fish a stretch on the way to the ramp as I had to be off water to hit a parade with the family. Right on the break a bit off some brush got my fifth and final clone of the day.



Fun day first time out since April. Tossed plastic swimbait buzzbait frog spinnerbait soft plastic and jig. Hopefully lights the fire for me to get back at it. Happy Independence Day one and all.

Was due to work the odd Saturday (my normal day off) this week until a late Friday evening call from work freed me up. The Mrs already had made a plan of action for her and the kids and offered up going fishing until they were due back. Grt! What great wife! Any way couldn't lock in with my buddy so decided to stay on SS and fish one of our favs solo.



Go to get my rig at my Moms and as I am about to leave I remember I need some thing from the basement. The paper lady had just come by and tossed the paper on my Mom's steps. I walk up the steps and see 2 papers hmmm. Friday and Saturday. Light is still on on porch from the night and mail in the mail box (its 720 am so not from Saturday) and Mom is an early bird. The door is locked and the lights are all out but the hall and porch. Heart begins racing and when I cant open the door with the key because her xrta safer floor bar thing is on the imagination starts to fly. She does not answer phone. Basically I break in to her house and begin to yell for her. Nothing....finally I hear her say what? Phew! She is in shower slept late and forgot about mail the day before. Super though my pulse is racing lol.



On to the pond. Loaded up and on the water after 8ish. Full pool with lots of inviting stuff to toss at. Intel says jig bite is on so stick to the ton of brush and little wood. Non motor pond so paddling and drifting. Use jerkbait and minus on a drift. Nada. Spray around a small chatterbait and nada. Hit the brush and pitch and toss away anchoring ever 50 yds or so. I look down and see LOTS OF WATER IN THE BOAT! Ugh bail it out and fish on. Nothing doing and wow lots of water again in the boat. Crap! Half ass work some brush until I find a clearing along the bank. Pull rig out of water find the issue and Mcgiver some duck tape a sandwich bag and super glue. Relaunch and patch work works and really slows the leak and gets me back on track.



Not for long, reach in my bag and freaking stick a treble right into my finger. Unreal its deep and wont pull out. Push up into brush to get out of wind and stop being blown about. Wrestled lure out of bag with my finger attached lol. Wrap the other 2 trebles and painfully cut the hook out of my finger. Pull it threw and address. The bleeding wont stop and after two band-aids I decide to glue the wound closed. Wrap it up and move on.



My day not going as planned lol and my window is closing. Thoroughly work the "good brush areas". After losing two jigs tie on a more compact one. Helped a lot with coming through thick stuff but still allowing me to feel the lure. Feeling a mental melt down pending I paddle to a stretch that leads to ramp. I fish the minus and chatter in that area with nada. Then work a tree in the water for final 20min near the ramp.



Tough day at the office lol but they can't all be gems. See what nxt week brings if the window of opportunity comes. Then again job one is a more permanent fix to the canoe.

Hooked up with my bud and we hit a metro west pond. When I got to the ramp it was chained, no worries put in at street. Well 30 35 feet of slushy ice was between bank and open water. We did a quick run to another pond which was in worse shape.



We launched off the side of the rd back at pond one and pushed through the slushy ice. Wind was booting pretty good.



We managed a fish each on jerkbaits on a break line not to far off the bank.



Decision was made to make an up wind run to some wood lined areas. So out with the jigs and we picked away at the brush and wood. A drop or two and then I notice I have my pork on upside down to my buds after he had brought aboard a bass. Quick switch around of my pork and that alone upped my confidence as at this point he had bounced a second fish into the boat.



Well I felt some weight and set the hook and scored a 3.2 bass on the jig. Couple casts later on same wood popped a 4.2 on the jig.



Was nice to get out and even better to get a couple of fish. Few wind knots few drag adjustments and scored my first bass of the season on a brand new jerkbait purchased just a few weeks ago.



When we pulled out the boat the ice was all gone up along the bank.


Well hope to get out again soon. Thanks for the trip out Evan.