Lanark 9-19-09
Posted: September 20th, 2009, 10:18 am
Called around looking for a partner and nobody could go so I loaded up the sled and put in at Lanark by myself around 7:35. Not hardly anyone at the ramp. The wind was pretty serious out of the ESE and my gameplan - since I was by myself - was to check out some new spots which I hadn’t fished before. The gameplan started coming apart before I got to the traffic cones due to the coffee colored water - can’t really scout new turf when you can’t see whats down there.
Anyway new spot #1 had water that looked like a Dr. Pepper and floating grass. Lots of bait/mullet/bird activity but nothing doing except a ladyfish and a gull which got snagged on my She Dog. The bird was reeled in and released unharmed. I spent about 45 minutes at new spot #1 and the tide was bottoming out. No fish. At that point I was glad I didn’t have a partner on the boat because this was looking bad.
So I dumped my scouting plan due to water clarity. I decided to go fish some old standby holes to see what I could do with the bad conditions. I made a big run East and found some clearer water but it still had a pronounced stain. Spot #2 had a problem of its own however; a nasty chop. Bounced around at Spot #2 with only a Spanish to show for it. At this point the was coming back up pretty nicely. I have to say that it never looked like it got as low as the chart predicted out there. Looked about a half foot (or more) higher than the chart read all day.
Okay so at this point my fishing skills officially SUCK and I am really glad I don’t have a partner out on the boat with me to who I would have to be apologizing. Put the powerpole down, had a sandwich and a Gatorade just got to think this out.
So I have one more spot I want to check out which is kind of on the way back to the ramp. Bounce over there in some pretty good rollers/chop. I get there and the water quality is horrible (looks like a sweet tea) but the water is flat and there isn’t a ton of float grass. Tide is screaming in. This spot is sort of protected from the wind as well. Good mullet activity in all sizes (fingerlings up to eaters). Ospreys were out as well as a couple wading birds on the hill. The hill had some good looking grass on it. If the water was clear this would be perfect.
So I am thinking to myself - this day sucks - lets see if we just can’t have some fun. I am confident there are fish on this spot from past experience. Lets se if they will hit a plug due to the dark water even if it is close to mid-day. I switched from an inline spinner to my She Dog and went to town.
Second cast with the She Dog bags a 23’ red. While fighting that red I put the powerpole down. Landed, measured and released the 23 and I uncorked another cast to unkink my line and reset the drag on my Revo Inshore. Before I even get the drag set a 24’ red smashes the plug. This has potential. Went on to put 5 reds in the boat on topwater almost all of them sitting on the exact spot where I caught the first one with the powerpole down. (stayed there for 45min) The reds measured 22; 23; 23; 24; 25. Two more nice reds were Palm Beach released because I didn’t have a partner on the net and my boga grip skills need work. The routine was as follows: land/measure/release the fish, check the gear, fan cast around, wait for the explosion, repeat. The fish were nice and orange most had traditional spots but one had 8 on one side.
I stripped one of the hooks off my chrome and blue She Dog with my pliers on the second or third fish so I switched over to Suber’s favorite plug and it did the most damage. Blacktip/spinner showed up and it didn’t seem to impact the bite that much. It did impact how long my hands were in the water however.
Eventually the bite tapered off, I drifted a little bit off the money hole, heard a thunderclap and saw a lightning strike off in the distance. Chicken wings and college football were waiting back at the house so I took it to the barn.
Anyway new spot #1 had water that looked like a Dr. Pepper and floating grass. Lots of bait/mullet/bird activity but nothing doing except a ladyfish and a gull which got snagged on my She Dog. The bird was reeled in and released unharmed. I spent about 45 minutes at new spot #1 and the tide was bottoming out. No fish. At that point I was glad I didn’t have a partner on the boat because this was looking bad.
So I dumped my scouting plan due to water clarity. I decided to go fish some old standby holes to see what I could do with the bad conditions. I made a big run East and found some clearer water but it still had a pronounced stain. Spot #2 had a problem of its own however; a nasty chop. Bounced around at Spot #2 with only a Spanish to show for it. At this point the was coming back up pretty nicely. I have to say that it never looked like it got as low as the chart predicted out there. Looked about a half foot (or more) higher than the chart read all day.
Okay so at this point my fishing skills officially SUCK and I am really glad I don’t have a partner out on the boat with me to who I would have to be apologizing. Put the powerpole down, had a sandwich and a Gatorade just got to think this out.
So I have one more spot I want to check out which is kind of on the way back to the ramp. Bounce over there in some pretty good rollers/chop. I get there and the water quality is horrible (looks like a sweet tea) but the water is flat and there isn’t a ton of float grass. Tide is screaming in. This spot is sort of protected from the wind as well. Good mullet activity in all sizes (fingerlings up to eaters). Ospreys were out as well as a couple wading birds on the hill. The hill had some good looking grass on it. If the water was clear this would be perfect.
So I am thinking to myself - this day sucks - lets see if we just can’t have some fun. I am confident there are fish on this spot from past experience. Lets se if they will hit a plug due to the dark water even if it is close to mid-day. I switched from an inline spinner to my She Dog and went to town.
Second cast with the She Dog bags a 23’ red. While fighting that red I put the powerpole down. Landed, measured and released the 23 and I uncorked another cast to unkink my line and reset the drag on my Revo Inshore. Before I even get the drag set a 24’ red smashes the plug. This has potential. Went on to put 5 reds in the boat on topwater almost all of them sitting on the exact spot where I caught the first one with the powerpole down. (stayed there for 45min) The reds measured 22; 23; 23; 24; 25. Two more nice reds were Palm Beach released because I didn’t have a partner on the net and my boga grip skills need work. The routine was as follows: land/measure/release the fish, check the gear, fan cast around, wait for the explosion, repeat. The fish were nice and orange most had traditional spots but one had 8 on one side.
I stripped one of the hooks off my chrome and blue She Dog with my pliers on the second or third fish so I switched over to Suber’s favorite plug and it did the most damage. Blacktip/spinner showed up and it didn’t seem to impact the bite that much. It did impact how long my hands were in the water however.
Eventually the bite tapered off, I drifted a little bit off the money hole, heard a thunderclap and saw a lightning strike off in the distance. Chicken wings and college football were waiting back at the house so I took it to the barn.
ahhh, you know texting is a little above my tech-saviness. Thanks for the invite, and one of these days.....