Water Up, The Angler Is Revealed

Water Up, The Angler Is Revealed

Dec 23, 2018

Location: Kelly Ane Williamason Pond, aka "Fly Lab II"

Conditions: Bright, high skies, sunny

Wind: light, WNW

Temperature -  

Air: 50's

Water: Cold 

Tackle: 

• 7' Shakespeare "Wild Series" light spinning rod 
• 2500 size, 1 bearing, South Bend reel

(One bearing? What the heck is that?)

• 6# test Mr.Crappie, "Camo" monfilament

Tactics: Silent Stalking Weightless Finesse Worm 

With the passing of the recent storm fronts, we're looking at freshened, cool conditions for the next 5 days. 

This means mild day temps and stabilizing atmospheric conditions, both of which improve the chances of meeting with some willing fish, even in winter. 

I was hopeful.

My usual hangout is nearby power reservoir, Lake Murray, but it is earning its nickname right now - "Lake Murky." 

Recent rains have turned the water to turbid soup, and the level has been severely lowered for their six year maintenance program. 

So I opted to visit Fly Lab II, aka, Kelly Ane Williamason Pond.

The fact that the pond belongs to my neighbor and is only 100 yards from the back door is a bonus!
Thanks to Kelly for the opportunity.

As The Worm Turns *

This is what happens to a "weedless" worm that gets snagged. I don't know what it hung up on, of course, but I had to go to the straight-line-pull-and-pray method of release. 

It came loose, but as you can see, the worm was worse for wear. 

This is a red / black fleck Zoom 4" Trick worm on a 1/0 Tru-Turn worm hook. 

* And who doesn't like to say, "... as the worm turns?"

High Water

Here you can see how far the water in the pond has risen with all the rain we've had lately. 

The yellowed, stick-up weeds you see in the back were 6 feet from the waters edge, high and dry just a few weeks ago. 

Now the water is all the way up into the long grass and the pond has risen about 5 feet overall.
This brings a lot more open water to the fish, giving them maybe 50% more surface area. 

It also increases the depth significantly. All in all, this has probably doubled the total water available to  them. This bodes well for future recruitment, I hope.

But, with more room to run, it is harder to pinpoint them. 
Today, though, I finally found a school of bass in a south-facing, back corner. 
The blue skies and bright sun had their effect back in there, and the water was undoubtedly warmer than the rest of the pond. 

I was slowly working my way back, one cast at a time. Its a placid world in the small pond, and you can't just crash around like a baby elephant.
This ain't "power bassin' at the big lake" - you have to move deliberately and with care. "Stalking" is how I think of it.
I had received one strike along the way, for my trouble, but it didn't result in a solid hookup.

But, eventually, I got close enough to the corner. 

I sent my my first cast back towards a little inlet in the weeds - and the place erupted in a boil for 10 yards around!

Previously languid, sunning fish were frightened by a hefty worm falling from the trees, I guess.

They scattered in a rush, and I figured at least three to five fish were there.

"Well, it makes sense they're back there. Its warm and calm. Now I know...," I muttered to myself.

Good anglers talk to themselves, by the way; don't let anyone tell you different.

And, warmed up by the sun, they didn't miss their chance at a worm falling on their head from the trees.... I hooked up with two more fish from that corner before the commotion drove them away.

A Study in Grass

I had gotten a line tangle along the way, as often happens when light casting on a spinning rig. I stood there at the waters edge, juggling line nippers, rod, camera.... and this picture was captured. 

Now that I see it, I like it and have made it my phones new wallpaper.

Fish at the Edge

This one was waiting for me to get the camera-phone out. 

Camera phones. What is it about these damned devices?

You use one to take a picture, then get it switched into standby mode and secured in your pocket, to await the next photo. So far so good, right?

Then, when you catch a fish and have it subdued, you pull out the camera-phone....

And you find the thing has gotten into some whacked out mode that's not even close to how you stowed it. 

You spend the next 30 seconds trying to get the shot.

• "Careful - don't drop it!" you shout.
• "Watch out! Don't step in that ant pile!"
• Agggh! My fingers are wet and the buttons don't work!"
• "Oh crap... the fish is getting away! Grab it, quick!!"
• "There, now my fingers are dry....Hey, I didn't touch that #$&^% button; why did it do THAT!?"

Fortunately, the fish was patient and I was able to get things in hand and get the shot

Hooked Deep

I crushed the barb on these hooks, so I was able to extract the thing without too much stress to the fish. Its a hazard one faces when fishing weightless worms; fish sometimes pick the thing up gently, and gobble it before you know they are there. 

And since I'm not a guru of worm fishing, with a cosmic connection to the fish, this is usually a distinct possibility. 

On the other hand, a deep caught hook means the fish is unlikely to throw it, so it's something of a back-handed benefit.

With a crushed barb, though, I take much of the worry out of extraction and release if the fish gets hooked down in its gullet.

So I do it.

   

The Angler, Hisself

While I was fooling around with the camera-phone early on, trying not to drop it or step on the ant hill, I managed to snap this pick of myself in flip lens mode. 

I was surprised when I first saw this...

"Who the hell is THAT creepy old fart?

How did he get in there?"

Ooops, the answer became obvious.

Now some guys would reject such a pic, and delete it immediately. 

But I'm embracing it. 

You can't undo the moment and you either own it like a boss, or, well... there is no other choice.

"I yam, what I yam"

- Popeye The Sailor

Thanks for reading and Tight Lines,

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David

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