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We have all seen it, felt it, sensed it. You turn quickly but you don't quite see it, but you know its there and getting closer. You can feel its fetid breath on the back of your neck as you make your next cast. It's stench permeates first the air around, then seems to seep into your very soul. The skunk is there waiting to pounce on its intended pray and you feel helpless as you are caught in its remorseless gaze....
That is how I was feeling on Sunday. I was fishing the Columbia out of the Dalles for the second time ever and things were not going well. I had last fished in the spring several years ago and had a monster day. I could not help but anticipate another monster day. Last time the fish were feeding along a shallow rocky reef and were loaded up. Several times I had back to back to back fish. Only occasionally did I make a cast without at least a hit. That was an amazing day.
I woke up extra early so I could be on the water early and I was out fishing by 7:30am. The day was perfect. It was calm and cloudy with some sprinkles on the way. The water temp was 46-47F and a foot or so of visibility. I could not have scripted more perfect conditions for an awesome day of bass fishing. I was almost shaking with excitement when I got to the magic reef. I made my first cast and it came back without being bothered. "That's OK, its bad luck to catch a fish on the first cast anyway" I said to myself.
Then came the second cast, then the third, then the hundredth cast. OK, I guess they are not up shallow so they HAVE to be either a little deeper in 10-15' range or out in the deepest close by water in the 25-30' range. Well, that was good reminder never to tell the fish where they HAVE to be. If the fish were there they were pickier than I could accommodate because I could not buy a bite.
I did not know the area very well so I went into explore mode. I tried spot after spot. I even went all the way across the river to fish a deep rip rap/boulder strewn stretch. Nothing, nada, zilch.
I ate my lunch and went back to fishing. More casting without even a hint as to what was going on. I finally just started pedaling around looking for something to fish that I had not fished yet. I was just zig-zagging my way downstream when I saw some rock in about 25' of water. "This looks promising" I said for the millionth time that day. I tossed out my drop shot and did not get bit on my first cast, or second cast. I am not sure how many casts I made. Feeling the rock ticking my drop shot sinker, it just felt so perfect.
Then, as I was scraping along the rock I felt a thump. I almost could not believe I was getting bit. I jerked up and it was fish on. I babied that fish and played it like my life depended on it. I whooped out loud when I slipped the net under that fish. It was a respectable 2lb 5oz smallmouth. All of a sudden all thoughts of doom and gloom were erased from my mind. That one fish, that one beautiful fish completely turned my day around.
On the next cast I had another bite but lost that one after a short battle. l wish I could say that it was on fire and that they were stacked like cordwood but that was not the case. No more bites on the rock so I moved around until I found another patch of rock. This one was empty. I kept searching for rocks on my depthfinder and when I found some I would sometimes catch a fish but most often not. I just kept plugging away and over the final four hours of the day I landed 8 bass. Once again, not on fire but after thinking you are going to get skunked it felt as good as any day ever.
Fish were OK sized. BIg fish was a 3lb 10oz and the best 5 went 13lb 30z. Not going to win any records but after that start I felt like a world champ and I had a lot of love for each and every fish that I caught. Here are pics of my best 5 and a video from the day.
Here is the best one:
That is how I was feeling on Sunday. I was fishing the Columbia out of the Dalles for the second time ever and things were not going well. I had last fished in the spring several years ago and had a monster day. I could not help but anticipate another monster day. Last time the fish were feeding along a shallow rocky reef and were loaded up. Several times I had back to back to back fish. Only occasionally did I make a cast without at least a hit. That was an amazing day.
I woke up extra early so I could be on the water early and I was out fishing by 7:30am. The day was perfect. It was calm and cloudy with some sprinkles on the way. The water temp was 46-47F and a foot or so of visibility. I could not have scripted more perfect conditions for an awesome day of bass fishing. I was almost shaking with excitement when I got to the magic reef. I made my first cast and it came back without being bothered. "That's OK, its bad luck to catch a fish on the first cast anyway" I said to myself.
Then came the second cast, then the third, then the hundredth cast. OK, I guess they are not up shallow so they HAVE to be either a little deeper in 10-15' range or out in the deepest close by water in the 25-30' range. Well, that was good reminder never to tell the fish where they HAVE to be. If the fish were there they were pickier than I could accommodate because I could not buy a bite.
I did not know the area very well so I went into explore mode. I tried spot after spot. I even went all the way across the river to fish a deep rip rap/boulder strewn stretch. Nothing, nada, zilch.
I ate my lunch and went back to fishing. More casting without even a hint as to what was going on. I finally just started pedaling around looking for something to fish that I had not fished yet. I was just zig-zagging my way downstream when I saw some rock in about 25' of water. "This looks promising" I said for the millionth time that day. I tossed out my drop shot and did not get bit on my first cast, or second cast. I am not sure how many casts I made. Feeling the rock ticking my drop shot sinker, it just felt so perfect.
Then, as I was scraping along the rock I felt a thump. I almost could not believe I was getting bit. I jerked up and it was fish on. I babied that fish and played it like my life depended on it. I whooped out loud when I slipped the net under that fish. It was a respectable 2lb 5oz smallmouth. All of a sudden all thoughts of doom and gloom were erased from my mind. That one fish, that one beautiful fish completely turned my day around.
On the next cast I had another bite but lost that one after a short battle. l wish I could say that it was on fire and that they were stacked like cordwood but that was not the case. No more bites on the rock so I moved around until I found another patch of rock. This one was empty. I kept searching for rocks on my depthfinder and when I found some I would sometimes catch a fish but most often not. I just kept plugging away and over the final four hours of the day I landed 8 bass. Once again, not on fire but after thinking you are going to get skunked it felt as good as any day ever.
Fish were OK sized. BIg fish was a 3lb 10oz and the best 5 went 13lb 30z. Not going to win any records but after that start I felt like a world champ and I had a lot of love for each and every fish that I caught. Here are pics of my best 5 and a video from the day.
Here is the best one:
