The good, the bad, and the ugly.

I went out today in that nasty wind to chase some LMB and a striper or two.  Today is also the finals of the FLW on the Delta, so I was interested to see if any pros were about.  The bite was tough this week for the pros, but Ish Monroe was in the lead by three pounds going into today.  I did see a 60 mph parade shoot through the slough I was headed into about 7 am, about five bass boats in a row...later I saw a crew filming one of the finalists, Robert Lee...(pic 1). 

For me the bite started off quick with my first fish 300 yards from the launch, an average 1 pound 12 ounce bass.  The outgoing was pretty strong, and the wind was nuts.  I missed another bite along the weed edge working a deep diving crank. 

The tide was a real low outgoing and they seemed to be sitting right on the outside edge waiting for breakfast to float by.  In the main cut, I got a SUPER strong hit that immediately took 10 yards of line out, and I was thinking striper.  Then it headed back to the weeds...and into my net.  A six pound three ounce LMB (THE GOOD: pic 2).  Thirty minutes later, I missed another that came unbuttoned when I tried to turn him in the current.  Moments later, another strong hit and this 4 pound 3 ounce bass was in the yak (pic 3).  It had some really UGLY scars on one side (THE UGLY: pic 4). 

The wind was just howling down all the channels I typically fish, and apparently it put too much stress on my Hobie turbo fins.  I snapped the fin mast while bringing in my fouth fish to the boat, just a small 1 pounder around 10:00. (THE BAD: pic 5).  So that ended my day, one fish short of a limit.  Four fish total was 13 pounds, 3 ounces for a three hour trip. 

I'll be headed out tomorrow, with the small sucky fins.  PM me if you want to hook-up. 

Have a good week. 

HobieBlue

The usual high quality report, Bryan.  Nice one.   

Good report. Must have been tough fishing in that wind.
The "Ugly" fish looks nasty.

Al

I am definitely going to carry my 'dinky' fins with me from now on.
nice job on the LMBs.
Did you outweigh the pros????

I think I may have damaged my fin previously on a landing, which is why it broke.  Small fins are installed now and ready to go.  The new part is ordered and on the way.

Weigh-in is at 4 pm, so we'll have to wait and see.  Robert said he had a limit, but didn't seem to be too happy about it--they must have been small.  That was at 10 am.  I don't think that 13 pounds would be too good, these guys are the best of the best.  If my fin didn't break, over the next few hours I might have pushed a limit sack over 16 pounds (two more fish over 2 pounds), which would be a somewhat descent bag for the average Joe.

Most of the pros seem to be flippin' Sweet Beavers.  Robert was tossing a crankbait into shallow cover, but didn't seem to be working the outer deep edge or rock walls where I have been successful lately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ennio_Morricone-The_Good,_The_Bad_And_The_Ugly.ogg

WtTear it up HobieBlue.....

 Ish is pretty Kool, I hope he pulls it off...

 I bet they sure wanted to pick your Brain.....

 Have to check with my Buddy and see if he lost it again, in his own Backyard...

 Man that's got to Hurt......

 Keep Slugglin SpinnerBaiter!!!!!

Great report HobieBlue. Seriously Bryan, you should get sponsored by Bass Pro
or by Hobie or something. You are doing so well catching those LMB. Thanks for
the report.

Jedmo

Another great report, Bryan.   Nice fish, but yikes -  that ugly sure is ugly.

Freakishly strong work again HB! BRAVO! You really should get into one of those tourneys and show the world how us yakkers can catch some big fish as well. Well, how YOU can! So did you paddle back after the fin snapped or could you still pedal w/ one fin?

Z

Good luck getting the mast.  I have been waiting a month for a new sprocket.  I finally contacted Hobie and ordered the new sprockets with a threaded insert.  I will thread the opposite end of my current current masts to fit the sprockets.  I ordered an extra sprocket, to have a spare, but I'm thinking I should order an extra mast also.

Z and Jedmo--I don't plan to hit the Bass Tour any time soon.  Those guys are real good at what they do, day in and day out.  The top pros are consistantly putting big bags of bass in the live well.  I get a few lucky big fish now and then.  But, I am learning a lot with each season.  Perhaps I'll try a local tourney someday.

Z--My paddle on the way back on Saturday was not too bad, about 1/4 mile...but straight into a head wind.  The peddles don't work with one fin.

Danglin--Ish did win the event, by 8 pounds.

Tote--my 13 pounds was competative on that day, but again the trick is four days of big fish.