Fall Fishing in the pond (I haven’t been back to River Bend due to bad weather)
The last two weeks I’ve been trying to “catch the big one” in the pond. I have heard for a long time and from many sources that fall fishing is the time to catch the “big one”. So, that’s just what I’ve been concentrating on. I’ve tried all my go to baits: the stick worm weightless and with a small split-shot sinker, (the water is only about five feet deep on average), in colors, light green/white, black/red, and brown/tan…I purchased a shallow baby shad rap in white/yellow without a single hit…several Mepp’s spinners of various sizes and colors…Wardens rooster tails…and Blue Fox spinners…ultra light Rapalas…Yum baby craws and Shaw Grigsby craws…Strike KIng jigs with craw and tube trailers…Berkleys swimming ribbon tails in shad colors and some fly patterns like the Woolley Bugger and the minnow patterns and with the fly rod the “swimmin minnow and tiny craw. The winner is…the Blue Fox spinner. BUT no big fish .
The largest fish in the last two weeks was a bass of about 2 1/2 lbs. No channel cats and no crappie bigger than 9 inches.
I did take out some live night crawlers with me the other day, leftovers from my last outing with my granddaughter. But, I didn’t have the heart to use them because when a bass takes them they usually swallow it and that is not good. I don’t want to hurt the fish since I return nearly every fish that I catch. However, I’m almost certain that night crawlers could catch the most and biggest fish based on fishing trips that I’ve made in the past when I intentionally went out to bring home some fish for a meal.
For those of you that do want to keep fish, and I have no animosity to those who do, I will suggest that you bring a blower with you to inflate the night crawlers so that when they are laying on the bottom the tail end floats up. Air escaping from the worm is also an attractant. This old method really works especially in dirty water. You will not only attract bass but bluegill, catfish, crappie, carp, and any other fish in the lake. Worms are probably the best bait around if fished properly. So, expect to lose a ton on worms on fish you don’t want to catch.
I’ll keep trying but time is running out for this season for me. And another factor that has impeded fishing lately is the rain and strong winds and the unseasonable cold. Maybe the weather will get a little better before I pack all my tackle away the the winter. River Bend is a destination that I’ve put off while the weather has been poor. Boat control on the lake is hard enough without the high winds and the cold air and rain doesn’t make a trip there promising.
Tight lines
Jim
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