"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Sorry, I didn't take any pictures. No big fish, or even any good solid
fish for me. Sunday was the Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club's season opening
bass derby.

I started out throwing crankbaits in Fishers for two fish. One 13" line
toucher that I threw back figuring it would be no help anyway, and one
solid 14 incher. Since I had gotten two pretty quick in Fisher's I
probably spent too much time there. I got nothing for the next hour and a
half.

Then it was down to Squaw after hitting a couple of my favorite spots in
between for nothing again.

Then I worked my way into a little backwater lake that I figured was to
shallow with the low water because there is a deeper pocket in the back
that I thought might be holding a fish or two. An off hand cast of a Senko
to the tiniest little indent on one bank got me another solid little
fourteen incher. Again I think I spent too long in the area after catching
one, but it was getting close to noon. I tried another similar lake with a
shallow front and deep pocket in the back, but it didn't produce at all.

Since it was a YVRGC derby (any legal method allowed) I spent a little
time trolling around one lake while I thought about what to try next. I
decided to see if I could get into one of my favorite spawning lakes. It
was an interesting effort. With the low water I couldn't make it down the
channel. I wasted 15 minutes trying to get in, and another half an hour
getting out.

I backed off to hit some minor current break spots. In the first one I had
this obsessive feeling that I was going to pick up a keeper. I picked
apart an area about 5-6 feet wide for nearly ten minutes until I was able
to sling a Senko into exactly the spot I was trying for, and boated my 4th
fish of the day. It kept, but not by much. Then I hit another spot similar
too it. I didn't even waste any time fishing any of the water in between.
I just fired up my big motor and ran down until I was close. This
spot/stretch was maybe 20 feet long. I picked it apart and missed a little
keeper. It would not have been any help. I cranked as fast as I could but
he rushed the boat. I was never able to catch up with him to set the hook.

I was absolutely certain that spot would produce a bigger fish. I gave it
a few minutes to calm down and worked another area, then headed back. It
took me five pitches with a Senko to put it exactly where I wanted, and
WHAM! Felt like a pretty good fish, but it wrapped up and came off. Dang.
I wasn't sure if I had missed my last chance to improve my bag or not, but
I still had a compulsion that there was a good fish there that would bite.
I rigged up a different Senko and pulled out my flipping a stick and
rigged it with a fresh bait so I could show that fish something different.
Again I worked some water away from the spot and gave it about ten minutes
to calm down and then moved back through again slicing and dicing first
with the alternate color Senko and then with my flipping bait. I pitched
into a tiny little stick pile about a foot from where I got bit earlier
and when I lifted up to shake the bait it didn't move. My brain said I was
snagged, but my hands weren't fooled. Even as I was telling myself I was
hung I was setting the hook on my biggest fish of the day. It was another
14 incher. LOL. It did cull out my dink though. Some improvement.

I worked that little stretch half heartedly for a few more minutes and
then fired up the big motor again to head to another little current break
spot just down the way. As I was working my way up to the "SPOT ON THE
SPOT" I got hung up again. Again my hands weren't fooled by my brain and
they set the hook automatically. Another 14 incher, and I was able to cull
again, but I had to use the balance beam. Three clones for my three fish
bag. I might have been able to improve my bag, but I had brought my scale
because Lannes didn't know if Rod & Gun's scale was in the weigh shack or
not. I figured I better get in before he opened the scales.

I didn't have a great bag, but I figured 6.5 pounds for a 3 fish bag give
or take. I thought I might have a chance if nobody stuck any toads. Three
solid 2 pounders in January didn't seem to bad, but the first person to
weigh in beat me out with one fish. They only had one, but it was over 8
pounds they caught it first thing in the morning in Fisher's. Well I
thought I might have a shot at 2nd. Nope. Another single fish weighed was
over 9.5, also caught in Fisher's. Dang it. Third had a bag similar to
mine, but theirs were all a little bigger to give them 7+ pounds. I
decided to go load my boat.

Lannes did take pictures of that 8+ and that 9+.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

I may just start posting a link to my fishing reports on the forums instead
of taking the time to post the whole thing here. Atleast then I'll know if
anybody read them.