Lazy Loch Lomond 9/4/06

I was supposed to meet the Surfingmarmot at LL today but both of us were quite ambiguous with our times.  Must be the weekend!!

I got up to the lake at around 10am and somehow scored the spot right next to the ramp!  I put my stuff on board and set off.

Right from the start I was not really into it.  I dunno, it was weird.  spent 10-11 just diddling around the lake and tying lures or rods that were sitting empty.

Finally got my brain together and headed to "The Alamo" the same point that won me the KC father's day tourney.

Set up the same bait, on the same rod the same way (except for the spectra part of it).  I actually got to fish the very point that I wanted to in the tournament because there was no one there (I fished a bit back in the cove for the winner).




Conditions could not have been more perfect.  Little wind, empty point fish being marked at ~38 feet.  I drifted in dropshotting almost vertically of the yak and just nudged myself along with the paddle.

I felt a TAP and was nonplussed for a second.  Drop shotting in 38 feet with mono results in bites that are mushy and hard to detect.  Like a taaaapp.....  This was a TAP!  It suddenly hit me that I am fishing spectra and had just been bit, and I ought to set the friggin' hook!!  LOL!

Set the hook into something solid!  Fought the fish for a good while, as I was using 6# mono topshot on the 10# spectra.

No net today, so it was to the frontlines with the lipgripper.  Worked perfect.  Gripped the fish no sweat.  I estimated it at 4.5#  Definately bigger than my tourney fish.  As I was unhooking it I realized that I had severed a major gill artery with my hook and the fish was probably not going to make it, so I cut 2 more rakers and put it on the clip.

After that I fished that point for 45 min for no more bites.  I forgot my radio so I wanted to stay near the launch if Marmot happened by.  I diddled around for a while looking for bluegill for no luck but a dink bass.  Smallest bass I have caught at LL which made me happy as I thought the population was aging a bit.

Finally caught up with the Marmot and checked out his new Marauder.  Pretty sweet boat, he has it tricked out with one of those combo FF/GPS units that looks awesome.

Had to get home to start up the smoker for ribs tonight so I bailed around 2.

Here is a shot of the bass.  4 pounds even after being bled.



MolBasser

Very niice fish, but then you know I think that having already told you that on the lake. Darn it, I just got there too late. I drifted all around the lake and tried drop-shot and Texas-rigged--but absolutely cold-shouldered  Had to use 1/2 oz bullet sinker to keep it down aith a 0.6-knot drift in the gusty afternoon  . I did get what felt like a few taps but nothing serious enough to be there when I struck . I had not fished LL by kayak before (only shore) so it was good to scope it out. Next year I'll be ready

Helluva freakin Bass there Mbasser!!

NICE ONE!  So, what do you think of braided line so far? 

He convinced me about brainded line--I am switching as soon as I get a chance to re-spool all my spinning reels --even my ultralight.

I like it.

One thing that is a pain with spectra is backlashes.  Because the braid is so limp, it is a pain to get out backlashes.

I have a relatively new casting reel that I am getting used to and I had a couple of gnarl backlashes.

BTW, did you all notice that that bass had a severely deformed/damaged upper lip?  It was almost like it wasn't there.

Crawfish parts in the stomach.  That lip gripper deal is pretty sweet.  Grabbed the bass no sweat.

I've found a couple of points with good bass on them, I'm gonna go once more before they close.

MolBasser

I have Spectra on my freshwater bait casting reel and my Shimano Tekota ocean bait casters. Backlashes are a real pain with limp Spectra--fornately I don't think spinning reels will tangle very often or very much and I am guessing braided line resists the twisting spinning reels are famous for a lot better. While I can cast the freshwater bait casting reel well enoughto aoivd backlashes most of the time, the finesse to cast the Tekotas any distance without backlash still eludes me. Need to practice some I guess.

I also saw some nice points that seem to have fish holding off them but they were very deep by the time I got there and weren't interested in eating anything I presented it seemed. I mean we are talking Rockfish depths of 35-40 feet. I also would like to get there but it is unlikely--booked next weekend and not sure I can get away weekdays. Maybe I'll just take a day off next week and open the place.