Quick Learner

Saturday night, Mack and I wrung our hands debating on our Sunday fishing excursion location, as we usually do. We settled on a familiar local flow that was running a little high. I was excited because I've never floated this entire section.  We were set to meet at the get out around 6 am to shuttle cars.

The blood red moon hung just over the horizon as we headed west. We launched around 7 am in stained swift water, both second guessing our decision and concerned it may be a tough day of fishing.

The early morning started with all the usual tactics (spinnerbait, rattletrap, lizard, swimbait, fluke, etc) and no bass to show. A few hours in, Mack anchored up near a deep hole and went for a few crappie with a small roadrunner. He caught one crappie and got broke off by a small bass.

We fished all morning with 2 small bass caught, mine was on a bettlespin with chartreuse curly tail, I think Mack's was on another roadrunner. We were banging the bank, checking every creek and eddy looking for the fish and were coming up short. I was starting to think I may not even get to pull out the camera! 

Finally, after mid-day we found one small creek flowing clear with a nice pool just up from the creek mouth. I caught a small bass on a smoke gray colored grub with black pepper flake, and Mack hooked but lost another decent bass on a tiny rebel crank.

Mack was beginning to think a finesse minnow presentation may be the ticket, and I was paying attention.

On the opposite bank, there was a large shallow stillwater channel behind an island. As soon as we entered the channel, Mack picked up a few redbreast and lost yet another bass on his minnow. I promptly tied on my 2.5" Rebel Minnow. I managed 4 bass and 6 crappie in this short channel between the minnow and smoke grub, including a 4 lber. Mack wasn't quite so lucky ...







I had my heartbreak moment as well, seeing a 5-6 lber strike my minnow, get hooked, and just as quickly get unhooked.

We picked up a few more small fish on our way down to the get out. This float had the most whitewater I've seen this year and was a pretty good trip, except for the incessant upstream wind!

Mack had the answers, I just put them in action.