A bad day fishing is still fishing!

My wife has been having health problems, and work has been busy, so
when I went camping on a private lake with the men from church, it was
my first outing since June or July. Everything was hectic that week, so
I didn't get to prepare like I normally do. I had committed to feed the
group Friday evening, so what time I had to prepare went into that.
Friday morning I was headed to work when my truck decided to start
spewing diesel out of the fuel filter assembly. the dealership said
they could have it ready Sat. morning. Ouch. This lake is only
accessible to high clearance vehicles. A co-worker offered his truck,
but it meant a 2½ hour round trip after work. I got to the campsite
just as the sun set, tossed my boat in the water so the guys could use
it and cooked dinner. I finally got on the water somewhere close to
midnight. The high that day was in the low 90's (I'm in north Texas)
and was dropping nicely, water temp was 83º, not a cloud in the sky
and one of those full moons you can almost read by. I may not be a
great fisherman, but I knew it was topwater time. This lake is full of
hydrilla, and sometimes you have to pull in 10 or 15 pounds of it with
your fish, so I tied my SW buzzbait to a heavy baitcasting rod and
started casting to where I remembered the underwater weedline was last
spring. Just a few casts rewarded me with a big splash and a stout pull
on the line. I gave a quick snap to set the hook, and wound up with
nothing, not even a lure! I could feel I was using braid, so I decided
that I must have had a nick in the line. I discarded 10 or 15 feet of
line and tied on another buzzbait. Deja-vu all over again! I wanted to
cry, now there were TWO nice bass swimming around with my lures. Got
out the flashlight and discovered this rod didn't have PowerPro, but
another braid I sppoled up this spring to try out. I grabbed another
rod and discovered I didn't have any more buzzbaits with me. I chose a
jitterbug I bought last fall and kept getting short strikes. Even
sitting still, they would just swirl at it. Finally, I caught some lip
and set the hook! I know the hook set well, because it decided to stay
in the fish instead of the lure. I now have a jitterbug with a small
hole in the rear instead of a treble hook. (this is the second time
this has happened to me, maybe I should email Arbogast and see if they
send me a box of new lures.)
Broken truck, late start, lost lures, no fish, I was frustrated, and
decided to call it a night. I had a wife to care for in the morning, so
I needed some sleep.
I woke up just before sunrise, and realized I was the only one up. The
temperature had dropped to 55º. I decided I couldn't go home smelling
of skunk, especially since I don't see another trip happening for a
while. I crossed the lake to the spot a 14½ pounder was caught a
couple of years ago, and tossed a zoom white lizard with my worm rod,
thinking about how beautiful the day was. It wasn't long before I
pulled in what would be a nice keeper IF I was keeping. I didn't even
try anymore, I was happy not to skunk, and I could see someone stirring
the fire to make coffee.
I did get a couple of pictures.
Big bass of the trip at 6 lbs. 4oz.:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/970/bobby64byj5.jpg
And another that might have been second:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4345/jamesbpa3.jpg
A little pickin' and grinnin':
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5937/pa060005rk5.jpg
If I did it right, clicking on the pictures will give you a closer view.

"Henry Hefner" wrote in message
oups.com...
My wife has been having health problems, and work has been busy, so
when I went camping on a private lake with the men from church, it was
my first outing since June or July. Everything was hectic that week, so
I didn't get to prepare like I normally do. I had committed to feed the
group Friday evening, so what time I had to prepare went into that.
Friday morning I was headed to work when my truck decided to start
spewing diesel out of the fuel filter assembly. the dealership said
they could have it ready Sat. morning. Ouch. This lake is only
accessible to high clearance vehicles. A co-worker offered his truck,
but it meant a 2½ hour round trip after work. I got to the campsite
just as the sun set, tossed my boat in the water so the guys could use
it and cooked dinner. I finally got on the water somewhere close to
midnight. The high that day was in the low 90's (I'm in north Texas)
and was dropping nicely, water temp was 83º, not a cloud in the sky
and one of those full moons you can almost read by. I may not be a
great fisherman, but I knew it was topwater time. This lake is full of
hydrilla, and sometimes you have to pull in 10 or 15 pounds of it with
your fish, so I tied my SW buzzbait to a heavy baitcasting rod and
started casting to where I remembered the underwater weedline was last
spring. Just a few casts rewarded me with a big splash and a stout pull
on the line. I gave a quick snap to set the hook, and wound up with
nothing, not even a lure! I could feel I was using braid, so I decided
that I must have had a nick in the line. I discarded 10 or 15 feet of
line and tied on another buzzbait. Deja-vu all over again! I wanted to
cry, now there were TWO nice bass swimming around with my lures. Got
out the flashlight and discovered this rod didn't have PowerPro, but
another braid I sppoled up this spring to try out. I grabbed another
rod and discovered I didn't have any more buzzbaits with me. I chose a
jitterbug I bought last fall and kept getting short strikes. Even
sitting still, they would just swirl at it. Finally, I caught some lip
and set the hook! I know the hook set well, because it decided to stay
in the fish instead of the lure. I now have a jitterbug with a small
hole in the rear instead of a treble hook. (this is the second time
this has happened to me, maybe I should email Arbogast and see if they
send me a box of new lures.)
Broken truck, late start, lost lures, no fish, I was frustrated, and
decided to call it a night. I had a wife to care for in the morning, so
I needed some sleep.
I woke up just before sunrise, and realized I was the only one up. The
temperature had dropped to 55º. I decided I couldn't go home smelling
of skunk, especially since I don't see another trip happening for a
while. I crossed the lake to the spot a 14½ pounder was caught a
couple of years ago, and tossed a zoom white lizard with my worm rod,
thinking about how beautiful the day was. It wasn't long before I
pulled in what would be a nice keeper IF I was keeping. I didn't even
try anymore, I was happy not to skunk, and I could see someone stirring
the fire to make coffee.
I did get a couple of pictures.
Big bass of the trip at 6 lbs. 4oz.:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/970/bobby64byj5.jpg
And another that might have been second:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4345/jamesbpa3.jpg
A little pickin' and grinnin':
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5937/pa060005rk5.jpg
If I did it right, clicking on the pictures will give you a closer view.



NICE