No big deal, my wife was just humoring my camping idea. Honestly, she was probably relieved that we weren't camping. My plan being unsuccessful, she suggested driving to Little Rock and spending a few days with family. I'm not against the idea as long as I get to fish. I was just humoring her, b/c a trip to visit family in LR is code for "girl trip". Here's how it works...I suggest a trip to BassPro. It gets replaced with a girl trip (aunts, nieces, sister-in-laws, mother-in-laws, girl friends, etc) to Children's Place, the "Place". I suggest a hike up Pinnacle Mountain, replaced with the Zoo. You get the idea. I've found a way to combat this, and now all the guys in the family have kayaks. What do we guys do when the "crazy ladies" start talking about Dr. Seuss live at the kids theater? We pack the yaks and find some water. Great news was the White Bass were on the move.
The plan didn't include staying awake BS'ing until 12 am and getting up at 5 am but that's what happened. Staying in someone else's home has it challenges. Like checking out of the conversation at a reasonable hour Friday night. OR, brewing a cup of coffee Saturday morning. The Keurig was lit up and ready to brew my favorite morning elixir. However, all I could locate was decaf...50 plastics cups of decaf coffee. I searched high and low, and located several more boxes of DECAF! Seriously, is there a more useless item than decaf coffee? Not wanting to waste any more of my life, I jumped in the truck and drove to the nearest McD's. 16 miles later I was enjoying a warm coffee and life was back on track.
Located the fleet of kayaks waiting on me to arrive in the dark and unloaded. About that time, 200 powerboats with similar plans locate the same boat launch. It's the weekend and the 1st day of Spring Break in AR...it was expected.
The fleet departs but I decided to hang back and test a few areas that everyone passed up in the hurry to get back in the creek. They were productive and a few whites were quick to take the clouser I had tied a few weeks earlier.
After about 30 minutes, I decided to join the group and made my way up the creek. It was just as I expected. Boats packed together, so close you could have walked from one end of the creek to the other w/o getting wet. I managed a few more whites but the fishing was slow, casting a fly nearly impossible.
Around 11 am, the boats moved on and the fishing improved for me as I had more room to work. Tried a bunch of techniques, sink tip with unweighted and weighted streamers/clousers. Floating line with heavy clousers. Everything caught a few fish but the best pattern was sink tip and unweighted white streamer. Getting the fly to suspend or fall slowly was the key to getting a take. Of course, I hung my best producer in a tree...casting can be a challenge in the area (see pics).
Getting hungry I vacated my area and went looking for the yak fleet. Best idea of the day. I found them warming up some lunch and happily beached the yak for some grub.
Wasn't long before everyone was full and ready to make a trip up to the bridge to see if we could find some space and more fish.
I located a few right away. The wind picked up and made standing and casting the sink tip a little more of a challenge. After an hour we were all ready to pack it up. It was a good day. Brought some fish to hand and avoided standing in the checkout line at the "Place"!
Part 2 here : Part 2
Drew
ReplyDeleteTalk about some up and downs on a fishing trip, this one had it. At least you got to land some nice white bass, on some awesome clouser patterns, I assumed you tied. Don't you wish our wives enjoyed fishing as much as we do. Thanks for sharing
Your comment just reminded me that my wife has expressed some interest in fishing during our camping trip, dang so close!! It was definitely one of those trips. You made the correct assumption, I tied a bunch of freshwater and some saltwater patterns a few weeks ago...just need to test the salt patterns now.
DeleteLooks fun. And yes, there is a more useless item than decaff coffee: a cup without ANY coffee to put in it.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, if all you want is coffee. But a cup, such as a red solo, has many other uses!
DeleteAlways look at the ups.
ReplyDeleteStrong looking bass.
Great advice. I like a challenge. I purchased a nonresident annual license and plan on learning a new river this year!
DeleteLooking at that water and stumps, I'm forced to say that it would have been a zoo anyway with me catching everything but fish.
ReplyDeleteHaha, trust me Howard it was a complete zoo. I had Alabama rigs flying over my head, landing next to my kayak. Those umbrella rigs look like chandeliers when they are hanging from trees!!
DeleteNow you're talking about something I really understand!
DeleteDrew! Sounds like you guys made the best of what started to be a no go trip! Great post and nice fish! Thanks for sharing! Couldn't help but feel your pain hooking the tree. The tree fish are not forgiving and have a knack for taking that streamer or fly that is making a difference! Been there and done that! Tightlines!
ReplyDeleteThx! Yeah, it started a little shaky, but ended with everyone having a great time and creating wonderful memories. That's what it's really all about!!
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