As the morning's evolution drew to a close and sun shone through the mist like the warming hand of God, it seemed right to test the waters and fish. So I climbed in the rig and headed out to the dam in search of action, first time this year.
I wasn't expecting much, to be honest, it being deep Texas winter January and solidly off-season, so having the pier to myself wasn't unsurprising, pleasant though. Regardless, I cast off in search of fish, steeling myself for disappointment. As in "hey, it's really good to be outside in the clean air of the Brazos even if nothing bites" type of deal.
But no, they were on, and on and on and on. I stopped after three perch, three cats, two striper and one crappie. OK, they weren't huge but they weren't shabby either, especially the striper which put up a good fight.
So that was that, first catch of the year and it augurs well, I think, for 2020. Plenty of fish, Mini Mike B spends all his cash on a futile bid for power, hypersonic tech goes mainstream and 45 steams into the White House on a landslide of shattered liberal dreams.
Tight Lines and Full Disclosure,
LSP
18 comments:
Nice! Congratulations!
There is still ice on the lakes near the White Wolf Mine... so here's me green with envy.
Stripers, regardless of size, do indeed put up a fight. My biggest fresh water fish I ever caught (45 years ago, off the bank of a cooling pond near San Angelo TX) was a 3 pound 16" long striper, caught it with a 'Spin-n-Glo', 1/4# test line, and it took me almost half an hour to land.
Most fun I ever had fishing. Then I bought a boat...
My fishing experiences have been trout and grayling (native to a few CO rivers). Need to expand my horizon.
The winter here in Central Florida is pretty much non-existent, so I can identify with getting out early to try it. No stripers in fresh water around here, though. Just the cats and crappie.
Looks like a better day than sitting around the house, for sure.
Went out today in beautiful SC weather but faced rising muddy water from recent heavy rains. Got skunked.
What a haul, good on you!
We are back to rain and snow, so the fishing is slow.
Thanks, Linda, what a good afternoon!
That sounds cold, LL. If you want a respite from our Old Enemy the Weather swing by and perhaps we could wrangle a guided striper expedition on the lake.
I can picture the scene, Fredd. Big fun. Then there's boats. I want one, of course, but I don't want the bills that come with them. Maybe some kind of canoe would make sense, perhaps with a small motor?
Never fished salt water, have to correct that.
WSF, I want to get on the trout but I'd have to travel.
We're pretty fortunate with variety here though -- all kinds of bass, which are big fun, obviously, as well as perch, gar, cats, drum, crappie and on. Striper and wide mouth are probably the best action, especially the former, but gar can put up an outstanding prehistoric fight -- leaping, thrashing, running and all kinds of rod bending action.
I was pleasantly surprised, SiG, wasn't sure if they'd bite or not and they did. Great result. Jealous of your Florida fishing but perhaps that's more saltwater?
Sorry to hear that, Pewster! Next time you will TRIUMPH over the piscine adversary.
It went well, Brig, I was taken aback. Wrap up warm and light those fires.
Padre: your canoe idea is a 'gateway boat' as you had called it earlier. It depends on what kind of stuff you are made of; if you can resist anything more than putting a small Johnson 4HP outboard on this canoe, then your costs will be low, and your access to better fishing spots increases by many fold.
BUT: if the dark side of you takes over, and the devil has his way with your new found access to big lunkers in the middle of the lake, and you start looking at, oh, say a 15 HP Evindrude outboard power plant, then you are a goner. Pretty soon you will be mainlining the hard stuff: Ranger bass boats, and all the evil entailed therein...
I think I see what you're driving at, Fredd. It starts off almost innocently and then BOOM, you're in a world of trouble. But here's the thing.
I can't count the number of times I've caught fish after fish while some crew in a fancy bass boat just out of casting distance gets NOTHING. This makes me feel vindicated in not having a boat.
Saying that, I've also caught giant striper from, you guessed it, a boat.
You see the dilemma?
Yes, I see it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I recommend you don't.
Fredd, I appreciate your concern but not to worry, I can't pay for one. Mind you, there was that time I nearly persuaded the church "executive" to buy a large boat for the mission. "Church asset."
They wisely said no. Grrrr.
So I'm stuck with hitching rides on other people's boats. Maybe that counts as a pastoral visit? 2 birds, one stone?
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