Bass Night

This was just last night. It was a perfect evening, warm and calm.

I found a nice bobber but I didn't need it. I tied on a plastic worm rig and never took it off.

I got interest in it right away along the east side. Lots of pulls by bluegill and a few little bass that came undone or flipped off the hook.

I crossed over to the shadow side. I have never fished this west shoreline exclusively with a plastic worm. I decide to rectify that.

Lots of hits and pulls again and a few hookups.

Sometimes my eagerness got the best of me. I hooked up with a big bass. I don't know if it was another 7 pounder, but it acted the same and felt the same. I got one look at it when it lunged out of the water and threw the hook.

This was my next cast. Just a little rattled.

I started fishing down the dam and right away got another heavy bass on the line.

Easily the second best bass of the season measuring a hefty 19 inches.

I drifted on down the dam through calm pockets of rose-scented air looking for another bass like that. Now I know that the next cast could actually be the one for the bass of a lifetime.

The smaller bass kept me busy as I continued my quest.

I fished on past the peanut gallery on the lip of the spillway, and got one more bass on the stretch where I caught the big one.

That was fun. I'm going to do this again--maybe tonight.

Bites

May 23 at Yellowwood and deer flies were out. They became a minor irritant when the fish began to bite, too. Another lovely spring afternoon on the lake.

I'll Keep Trying

May 20 and I'm back at Yellowwood. I start down the east side as usual but a couple in a little boat pass me and settle down in my way. I could go around but they would just do it again, so I cross over.

Bluegill are active in the shadows.

And a pumpkinseed. This guy hit hard and my reaction set launched him into the air.

Note to self: it's the time of year to check the cup before drinking.

The shoreline trees have been busy with the flitting of migrating warblers. Today I finally get a shot of one. My point and shoot can't do it justice, but I can see enough to make a sure call: Prothonotary, warbler of swamps and marshland.

I fish down the west side finding the haunts and hideouts of bluegill.

I see a little white mayfly but can't discern a hatch. Last year there were bass lined up along the dam snacking on them. As if to confirm the memory I pull in a little bass.

That's the only bass this time, but there are bluegill here too, working in the dark.

Fireflies spangle the dam with lights. They've been active for several weeks. Tonight I try for a shot but as soon as I click the shutter they all turn off at once. As soon as I put the camera down they come back, thousands of lights rippling up and down the shoreline. I manage to capture a few including a reflection in the water. That seems like a victory of sorts.

It may be that capturing fireflies on a digital memory card is as anticlimactic as sticking a few in a mason jar was when I was a kid. But I bet the survival rate is higher. As with the bluegill and bass, I'll keep trying.