# Caught 4, lost three.



## richg99 (May 4, 2019)

We arrived in TN late Tuesday. I finally got the boat in the water yesterday and woke up to try my luck this morning. Storms were predicted starting at ten (and they did.).

I keep the boat on-the-water on a small deep, clear water lake. I truly don't know how to fish this type of water, but I am learning.

On the fifth cast, on a Texas-rigged Senko imitation, I caught a 1 1/2 lb LM bass. Unfortunately, I forgot to grind off the barb, and it took way too long to get the hook out of her gullet. I think she will survive, but ....?

I immediately smashed the barb down and, when I caught the second of the morning, a half hour later, taking the hook out took less time.

The next two hours alternated between landing and losing four more fish.

I could see the storm building in the West, so I said "Ten more casts!". I do that often to force me to finally get off of the water. If I didn't, it might be 50 more casts and an hour or two later. Ha Ha 

For the last five minutes, I had been using my afore-mentioned Ned rig to no avail. I decided to modify it. The only thing that I did differently this time, was to use a longer cut-off piece of the same Chartreuse tailed Senko knock-off. The "lure" was now about 4 or 5 inches long. 

On my first cast into deeper water, I sensed that something had picked it up on its way down. I was only using a 16th-ounce jig head this time, so the drop would have been slow and easy... As I struck back, I could tell that this fish was way bigger than my previous catches that morning. I'd guess 4 to 5 lbs (but you know the ones that you don't into the boat are always larger).

Sure enough, she jumped and I got a good look at her size. I brought her within two feet of the boat...one more jump...no barb on the hook (remember that!)..and off she went.

Other than missing out on a photo opportunity, no harm done. Oh, I did mark where I hooked her on my graph for the next time.

My arthritic wrist prevents me from casting under all of the over-hanging branches, as I used to do. So, today I fished more OUT into the 15/20 feet deeper water. I have to say that all of the larger fish that I hooked came from the deeper water. 

Maybe the wrist issue will be an unforeseen advantage for me.

Sorry, no pictures. I'll get my act together here, soon.


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## LDUBS (May 5, 2019)

Good report. Thanks for sharing.


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## SevenPin (May 9, 2019)

Thanks Rich. Still trying to get out this year  

SevenPin


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