Monday Bass Fishing

[RiverRat77]

Heading out Nevada way to go pop up some bass today... Looked for a few fishing partners, discreet inquiries only but no takers so I'm flyin solo today. Gotta love being a state worker... get every holiday they can come up with off of work. [] Anyway, out I go, through snow, sage, and ice to try and capture some bass, gills, and anything else I can sink a hook into. It'll be my first trip this year so I'm hoping it goes well. I'm hoping to be on the water at first light so that should be good. I'm taking the digital so I'll get pics on when I get home. I know I appear to be keeping insomniac hours if I"m leaving at four, well, supposed to be getting up then, but I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd leave all the working stiffs with a teaser while I"m out there collecting photos. Tubedude, I gotta admit, I went into Sportsmans on Saturday and bought a fish basket.... just couldn't help but think that the more gear I have like the master, maybe more masterful my fishing will be.... I know, wishful thinking but a guy can dream right... LOL. Anyway, that and some different colored PopR's are on the list for trial today so we'll see how that goes... talk to you guys in a few hours... Oh, little disclaimer... I'm not built for ice fishing, thats why I bass fish in the middle of winter... I know, it seems crazy to me too sometimes... [pirate]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#ff4040]Good Luck to you Mr. Riley. Can't wait to see your report and pics.[/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Good luck, Bro. I have planned three trips over there so far this year and all three have been aborted...crazy weather, other commitments, etc. I guarantee that I will make it within the next couple of weeks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I synthesize wit you. I would rather hear a splash when my lure hits the water, rather than have to drill a hole to get there. My float tubes are whimpering out in the garage.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, I was also in Sportsmans on Saturday. I bought TWO fish baskets. TubeBabe and I are gearing up for a full year. We got 39 waters and 33 species to tap this year. Only 2 and 3 so far. [/#0000ff]
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[RiverRat77]

[size 1]Well, here's the rundown on my trip... for those of you on the list who have no idea what the heck I'm talking about, I went out bass fishing yesterday when I had a holiday from work. I went out to this place by Wendover. Anyway, it snowed and sleeted on me on the way out there but when I got to the lake, the air was clear and crispy and freezin cold. It was a race against frostbite to get into my waders. [cool] Of course, the lake was as I thought it would be... almost completely grayed out by mist. I put on my "clear" popper and caught a fish while standing on shore casting over by the dock. Then I got into the tube and started fishing seriously. I tubed around the west and the north side throwing poppers and Chug Bugs but only got a couple fish. I hooked a really nice fish that jumped once and then came loose about five feet from my tube... I have a feeling that would have been the best fish of the day... isn't that always the way it is?? I fished all the way around the pond throwing topwater and then went back to my truck to get my worms I had brought. When I got into the pond first thing... my dang waders leaked. The whole inside seam on my waders aparently is full of holes because my left leg was completely soaked when I got back to the truck. Well, since it was really cold and windy, I thought, like a true genious, I'll hang my socks out on the tailgate to dry in the wind.... BAD MOVE!! I took about a half hour nap in my truck, ate my sandwich and got out of the truck to put my socks back on. Well, that wasn't happening because they were FROZEN SOLID. I couldn't even get them apart to get my feet into them. Well, shoot, what do I do now?? Again, the genious mode kicked in and I thought, well, Blue lake is warm, I can go thaw them out in the water and then hurry and put them on before they freeze again.... I must be a glutton for punishment because it felt like I was scraping my legs with ice cubes when I put them back on. At this point, I seriously considered hanging it up and calling it a day but I just knew there were more fish to be caught so I couldn't give up. Stupid, I know. So I get back in the water, my waders fill with bathtub warmth water once again, only this time, I can feel it seeping in under my rear and down my other leg... I guess that my whole left side was full of water. Anyway, tied on a worm and started drifting it back and forth on the North side where there are some structure changes and some underwater points and stuff. I picked up a small Bluegill and put her in my fish basket I bought to be just like my buddy Tubedude. [cool] Anyway, Leaky, it works really well... better than having the net there. I just need to rig it with a float. So, I caught a bluegill and a fifteen inch bass on my first pass and then made a second pass catching three more bluegill and another bass that all hung out together in my fish basket. At this point, I decided to go down and fish the outlet since it was one oclock and I'd have to be heading back soon. I kicked the tube over to the outlet and caught a small bass in the first wide pool.... going down a couple more pools I got nothing but saw some big darker fish that were in a small school. They went scooting down the outlet in front of me but I managed to catch another bass and then that was it for my day... the coots (which need to be hunted out of there Leaky), [] kept running down the pools and down the outlet so that there were no bass for the catching. I think because of the multiple storms too, they had moved into the pond. Now, thats just a personal theory because I didn't even see any spooking by me in the undercuts.... normally that creek is full of bass and a few gills but this time, the two bass I caught were the only two I even saw. The water was gin clear but mossy and even in "sure" spots from previous trips, the bass just weren't there. I did catch one on my blue fleck tube and one on a Gulp minnow I just happened to have with me. After about a mile of creek, I had had enough, hiked my tube up on the bank and walked back to where I'd tied my fish basket. Got the fish basket, and hiked back to my truck. When I got there, I was kinda in a dilemma about what to do because my sweats, underwear and socks were all soaked by this time. That and there was a truckload of divers there who were packing up to head out too..... the wind and cold had bested them too apparently, even though they had set up their camp trailer and everything... they came after I was on the lake. So, in a method that would make a fashion model jealous, I did a quick change stripping down and throwing on my clean dry sweats... thank god I thought to bring a change of pants anyway.... Warm sweats have never felt so good.... even though the ride home was commando style. [shocked] TMI, I know.... Overall, the day went about how I expected besides the dang waders leaking. The fish were not as eager to bite this trip, but I kinda figured that might be the case after the snow storms rolled through. Half a night crawler on a bare hook was the lure/bait of the day, although I'm sure the topwater will pick back up in better weather. It was a clear post cold front day so the bass were suspended I'm thinking and from fishing these conditions last year, I think the bass pull back into the pond when a front rolls through... explaining why there was a minimal bass presence in the outlet creek. It was a disappointing trip only in numbers of fish but the scenery was gorgeous and hearing coyotes half a mile away and seeing lots of geese and flocks of ducks in the surrounding ponds was really cool. The sock incident kinda cracks me up too now that I'm warm and can reflect back on it. :-) I didn't jack rabbit hunt at all even though I saw quite a few of them first thing in the morning. Maybe next time..... When I finally got home, my waders were frozen solid since they made the trip home in the back of my pickup so that was kinda fun hanging those up to dry. The bass and bluegill were filleted out and eaten, in the Leaky style. They were sure tasty...... makes me want to go back and suffer again. Anyway, here's some pics too of the day and the fish.[/size]

Ok, I resized some of the pictures and they came out tiny so I'll have to redo it. It'll be tonight before I get the pics in this post so if you don't want to wait that long, here's the link to Photobucket where you can just click on the picture and it'll blow it up so you can see it.

[url "http://photobucket.com/albums/d41/RiverRat77/FishingPics/"]http://photobucket.com/albums/d41/RiverRat77/FishingPics/[/url]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Sounds like you managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Good story.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You reinforce what I always advise for the first trip of the year...make sure your waders are okay. They have a way of developing leaks when not used for awhile. Wader gremlins.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Second, it is always a good practice to bring a complete second set of clothing, whether tubing or ice fishing or even just walking a bank. Stuff happens. It is more endurable with dry clothing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm guessing that you probably have the Hodgman Wadelite waders. Notorious for developing pinhole leaks (or worse). Turn them inside out and coat the inside along the seams and other problem areas with "PlastiDip" It looks nasty, but will be on the inside and you don't need to worry about funny looks from the divers.[/#0000ff]
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Plasti Dip...another handy product to have for wader repairs, and a lot of other fishermen type things.


Plasti Dip repairs the pinhole leaks often developing in lightweight waders with "breathable" material. Although ugly, when applied on the inside, it seals the leaks and is not visible to others. [/size]

[#0000ff]Let me know the next time you plan a trip and I will come along for immoral support.[/#0000ff]
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[fsh4fun05]

I stopped worrying about what others think when I bought a dull yellow boat. I just tell myself that I catch more fish than those people anyway....I'm going to pick up a can of that goo coat my channel lock handles and set aside for the next leak in my waders. I'm sorry Riley but that was pretty funny about your socks. Good report, I almost felt like I was there!
I'm guessing you didn't go to the other pond? Also, how does that fish basket thing work? Looks better than a stringer but where do you put it? How do the fish stay in? Guess I have to go to S W and check one out and find a few impulse buys that I wont use till next year when I run out of the ones I currently have, I hate that store.
We are going to have to make it out there again, after some wader repairs of course. I'm Headed out to Utah lake Sunday, taking the virgin bow mount out for a test drive. I Don't know where to go on a boat in Utah lake, I've always fished from the shore but you're invited if you can make it.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Here is a part of a pictorial I put up on the tubing board, on how I rig a fish basket. Works good. Can be used on a pontoon or over the side of a boat too. Just be sure to hoist it in before hitting mach 3 going down the lake.[/#0000ff]
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After wearing out a lot of different fish baskets over the years. I have standardized on the 19" X 30" wire mesh baskets. I add some flotation, from a kids' swimming "noodle" and attach a clip for hanging it on an outside D ring on my craft.


Closeup of the connection.


The twin wire carrying handles can be brought down and wedged inside the foam to prop the opening of the basket open while fishing.


When tied off where it is convenient to reach, and if the wire lid is left open (disengage the tension spring), you can fill the basket in a hurry when fish are hitting fast.


Works fine for individual larger fish too, like this six pound walleye. [/size]
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[leaky]

Hey Tube,
Once again, your suggestions are great, thanks a bunch. Question, does that stuff work on neoprene, i.e. Hodgmans also and where do ya get it?
Leaky

[Red-head]

Man if they made that plasti dip in large enough cans.... Just jump in and vola! CUSTOM FIT, NO LEAK WADERS![sly]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]It would probably work okay for pesky pinholes, but if you get a big hole, a tear or a seam failure, you need to go to a dive shop and get neoprene cement.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can find the PlastiDip in the tool section of Home Depot and probably most of the other "big box" stores.[/#0000ff]
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[leaky]

Thanks Dude.
Leaky

[fsh4fun05]

I wish I would have had one of those baskets when that crappie decided to kamikazi my toon. Three pinholes in a matter of seconds. I thought that cover was dang near indestructible, but no match for a fish on a stringer. Going to have to make another investment. I wonder if I can get one to match the boat??
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I doubt if you will be able to find one of those swimming noodles that color, but if you look on the back shelves of a very old hardware store, you may find a can of "mellow yellow" paint in the archives. Just be sure it is water base and not solvent base. The styrofoam does not like some chemical solvents.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Seriously, those styrofoam noodles also act as bumpers so that the basket does not actually come into contact with your air chamber. Crappies, bluegills, perch, white bass and other spiny fishies are notorious for putting holes in tubes. They seem to be diabolical in coming loose in midair, while you are lifting them aboard, and in doing a perfect one and a half dive so that their dorsal spines hit your tube first. PS-S-S-S![/#0000ff]
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