Went fishing, caught a toad

[djkimmel]

cameraguy took me fishing again Tuesday, September 13 because neither of us have fished for bass in about 3 weeks, I think. We are limited to a few miles from home right now so we took it easy going to little Round Lake. Only my second time out there this year.

It looked like we were going to get a little sun with but it just kept getting cloudy. Since it was early, we started shallow right by the ramp fishing the edge of the pads. That didn't work. As we got out into the mid-depth flats / weeds, we started getting bit a little. I was tossing a creature bait and got bit off clean (braided line too - felt heavy) right after cameraguy caught his first fish of the day - a hammer-handle pike. And then he got bit off too.

The pike were really biting. We tried quite a few different lures and techniques. We had the two Texas-rigged bite offs and I caught a small bass on what is usually my top lure there - a green-pumpkin 7" Power worm. But I was missing a few solid bites too.

We were seeing lots of nervous bait fish on the surface and even some definite gamefish attacks but my Pop'r I threw for a while was ignored. Sometimes the bait and attackers were over deep water, sometimes right off the drop edge and sometimes right up shallow. I tried a big Fat Free shad and caught my biggest pike of the day in 15 feet but that was my only definite bite on that.

cameraguy was throwing his combination of worms, swim jig and traps. He started catching a few bass including a few decent ones. Still catching a few pike. There was no real hotspot. We might get 2 or 3 bites kind of close together but we didn't land them all and I got bit off again clean. cameraguy too!

The air started getting wet. It briefly faded and got sunny and then the clouds thickened again. The wind was blowing pretty good so I took us to the windy end of the lake. That was also my one hot spot in early July. We were switching baits a lot and throwing opposites, still not finding the one hot bait. cameraguy was catching more than me when we did catch 'em.

I just wasn't getting bit real good for a while. I think I was zigging when I should have been zagging. And I was missing a few bites. But cameraguy had some fish on too that didn't get in the boat. At least I remember it that way.

I decided I was boring myself to death trying to fish the worm and some other slow baits too much so, considering the clouds and wind, I rededicated myself to a small Redeye Sexy Shad. I had blown in too close to the scattered weed edge while I changed baits but had a really good looking bass slash at it right at the boat.

I thought I might be on to something. Then the wheels fell off... the shad got slammed! I mean slammed. Rod buckles hard and nothing..?!? What the?? Okay. It happens. A few casts later and the same exact thing happens. And then it happens again. cameraguy helps me by asking if I have the hook covers on. Big help. Thanks!

This one little stretch I get slammed hard 4 or 5 times and hook nothing! For a short time, the air keeps getting wetter and colder, and the bites slow down. I think cameraguy catches a few fish as we are looking from another run of fish. I get SLAMMED again. My rod buckles over. I'm fighting a strong fish!

For two seconds... and it's gone. I have no idea what is going on. I think cameraguy might not be laughing 'with' me. (I'm positive he wasn't laughing with me when I sat on my sandwich!) I'm getting these wicked strikes on the shad. The hooks are real sharp. Yet I'm hooking nothing so I switch out lures for a while.

A few more fish are caught, pike, bass, mostly by cameraguy. Then the 20% chance of rain starts up and the wind dies. Not lots of a rain for a while, but not bad for 20% chance. The surface activity that had vanished for a while with the stiff breeze starts picking up again. We try my last year's hotspot again. I think I catch one almost keeper bass.

cameraguy wants to go back to an earlier spot where there's more activity though we didn't catch a lot earlier, he is still catching more. It's obvious that there are fish eating bait there. I decide maybe I didn't get bit better earlier because I was fishing it wrong. I put the Redeye back on.

I might have caught another pike. cameraguy caught some more fish - bass, little hammer handles. I get slammed really hard and this time I've got it! Or it's got me! I tell cameraguy I have orca (I think I mentioned I haven't fished a lot this year). If it was swimming any faster, I'd be sure I had a really big pike or possibly snagged a carp. But I'm suspicious it's something else.

I've caught some nice bass on Round including one about 4 pounds last November 30, but mostly they have been a few about 3 and lots of 2 pounders and less. I see this strong fish swim by and IT'S A BASS! A BIG 'UN!! The day just got a LOT better!

I keep telling cameraguy that I got a toad! I can tell he might still be 'not laughing with me.' I'm pretty sure I see a hint of the look a parent gives to humor a child. I could be wrong... but that changed when my bass jumps near the boat. 'Whoa... you really do have a big 'un on!' IT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU!!!'

No net of course. Didn't think of that. I can see the big-headed whopper is barely hooked in the tip of the top lip too!! I don't want to lose this bass! Man! This bass is really fighting hard!! What a great feeling when I am finally able to grab that lower jaw!!!!

You can see the happy results at the top of this story. Big head! Long body and even though it looks a little lean it has a pot-belly about the size of a swallowed tennis ball! I LOVE the big ole hog green bass!!

Doesn't even bother me now that the 20% chance of rain keeps thickening. Or even that cameraguy catches more fish. We do finally realize we are getting fairly wet feet and neither one of apparently wanted to admit the rain might keep coming so we didn't put our bibs on. I make a decision that we'll fish our way in because I have not had a topwater bite yet.

Even though the cloud cover is very thick, it's raining pretty good and it is getting chilly, I think some of the pad bass might be moving around. Within minutes, a solid bass leaps out of the water and right over my horny toad. The bass misses but I'm thinking this should be fun!

Unfortunately, cameraguy's white swim jig is getting a lot more attention than my horny toad. I remember now that last time this happened on Round last year, I switched to a white horny toad and started catching bass, but the boat is now so wet and we are near the ramp I just keep casting. cameraguy gets a good one and a little one that ignored by toad. I think I even spook a couple bass.

For a change, cameraguy keeps saying we should fish just a little longer though he's wearing shorts and the rain is now pouring down!! But I see a giant doggie roll and I want to take it for a walk!! For some reason, the big dogfish sneaks away and we finally decide maybe it is time to call it a day since we are the last boat on the water. We head in with a soaked boat, wet feet and a fairly good day of fishing, especially for cameraguy. Here's a couple of his better ones.



(mine was bigger )

[Manxfishing]

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!

[VinceR]

I've never fished Round lake, but always wanted to try it. How's the ramp there? Can I get my boat in there?

[cameraguy]

The ramp doesn't look like much but Dan gets his rig in and out of there without much of a problem.

[djkimmel]

Hey! You cut into my posting!!

I got my boat in there. What do you think?

It's a little soft and slightly crooked but the old dually F350 gets stuck easy and I haven't got stuck there yet. I would just not go to be safe though. I think we caught them all.

$6 at the store.

[Skulley]

Great report DK.  I am glad you got to get out and relieve some stress.  It always is good to go fishing after a tough week.


BD                             

[djkimmel]

It was fun as usual though I sure would have enjoyed hooking and landing more of the thumpers I had smack my lure!

[bigjc]

NICE FISH DK!

[cameraguy]

NICE FISH DK!

Hey! What about my fish?! They aren't THAT small. Okay, Dan's is bigger, but mine aren't too shabby. Besides, if I hadn't whined so much about going back to that spot, Dan wouldn't have caught that lunker! 

[Big dreams]

Cameraguy has a point...

[PIGSMALLIE]

Nice fish DK!!!

[djkimmel]

Cameraguy has a point...

Not really. It's a tiny lake. We fished most spots twice.

I would have gone back earlier but I like to hear him whine. Sounds like my cat when he thinks he has a mouse. I might have some video of that... I'll check

[cameraguy]

Nice fish DK!!!

Aw, that hurts. Besides, my two weighed more than that one. So I win! 

[bigjc]

Cameraguy,

My most sincere appologies...It looks like you clear take first place, but it's BIG BASS that turns heads!!

Nice fish gentlemen, and great report.

[djkimmel]

I think my one actually beat his two but apparently... the non-cameraguy made the cameraguy's fish look bigger!

[cameraguy]

Oh c'mon. I had to coach you into that shot cuz you were using my camera and you had rain covering yer glasses. You forget that I have a "no cheat" lens on that camera. So despite yer insistence that the 4 1/2 lber. in the picture was in the 5 lb. range, my camera tells the truth. So there! Ha! I win!
Next time I'll make sure to bring an extra wide angle lens. Then you can hold yer fish real close and make yer guppy look like a lunker!

[djkimmel]

Jealous jealous jealous... maybe some day you can catch a toad too instead of those little squeakers!     

[cameraguy]

That's my m.o., going for squeakers! 

[djkimmel]

squeaker catcher!

[Big dreams]

Cameraguy, you and I are a lot alike.  I seem to take the team to the good spots but only to be shown up by the other guy.  I keep telling myself, I will get 'em next time