Some C&R Fun and a First

[LOAH]

Well, I finished helping out at my Mom's house and went to check my minnow trap. The trap was full of tiny bluegill or sunfish, whatever...can't use them.

After that, I thought I'd throw my "lucky" blue fox around in my white bass stream for some catch and release fun. I'm doing some REAL fishing tomorrow, so I didn't want to keep anything today...Just a quick stop for the halibut.
I had whites on as soon as the lure hit the water. Bam, bam, bam! One of them actually fought me really hard and threw the hook. I was quite surprised. Here are some pics of my whites:





Pretty fun. I had some other pics but they were blurry so they got the big X button.

I continued throwing brass and saw some movement right by the mound of grass I was standing on. I thought it was a white, but it didn't move like one. I usually only see the whites when they hit my lure and that's normally just a flash. This one was swimming slowly and ducked back into the weeds.

I repeated my last cast, since I wanted a look at whatever the mystery fish was (I know there are trout in there, too). The fish swam out slowly as my lure pulled by, followed it until I stopped reeling and then bit. I pulled out what I thought was a really skinny white bass until I realized I CAUGHT MY FIRST WALLEYE! WOOT!

Okay, it's not that big of a deal...or a fish, but it's another notch on the belt and it was a nice surprise. Have a look:



And what a beautiful smile they have:



I went back to my car and drove toward my work (about 4 blocks away). There's a good creek (or ditch) that runs close by and I'd never caught a fish from that stretch despite the fact that I've seen plenty. I threw that same spinner several times in the most "fish worthy" spot I could find and all I saw was a huge carp surface and retreat. I moved upstream about 10 feet and tossed into the same hole (this time against the current) and saw something roll after my lure. I didn't think it was a carp, so I tried a couple more times. Finally I got hit by a nice brown! 18.5 inches long and healthy. Not very fat, but there's not too much room in that creek to become too big around...Between the carp, I mean. Laughing



It might not look like 18.5" from the pic, but I measured it. I tried to get a pic of it next to the tape, but I have a hard time getting an accurate reading while holding the fish down, straightening the tape, AND taking the picture. Especially when I'm trying to get it back into the water ASAP.

So it was a nice afternoon after working in the sun. I trapped a bunch of tiny bluegill or something that I can't use as bait, caught my first walleye, caught some whites, and caught a nice brown out of a stretch of stream I could never conquer before.

I'll post a real report after I get back from DC tomorrow. I've wanted to fish there all year, but only got in a little bit by the Charleston Bridge (that doesn't count in my book). Last time I actually fished the reservoir, I got skunked. It was a buddy's birthday and he caught a 19 inch rainbow.

Happy Fishing, Humans.

[accadacca]

Wow you caught a real variety. My fav lure is a gold colored Jakes, similar to what your using.

[LOAH]

I went to Deer Creek today (er...uh...yesterday, I guess) and caught a bunch (probably 25 or so) of tiny largemouth bass. None of them were longer than my hand. Pretty disappointing. I didn't get skunked, but it still felt like it, since I was trying for food.

Here's what they all looked like:



Some cliff jumpers showed up and ruined the "fun", so I packed up and drove to the Charleston Bridge as a last resort for real fish.

I ended up getting a nice bow of about 16".



The day was hot and long. I missed my family and needed to get home.

Happy Fishing.

[LOAH]

Correction:

Those bass weren't LMB, they were smallies.

[JP]

Correction:

Those bass weren't LMB, they were smallies.

I was just going to mention that when I saw the pic I might be getting out today for some Smallie action. That is one of my favorite to fish for. We have one river here, actually two, that are loaded with them.