Journal of a Minnesota Angler

The title of this post might lead you regular readers to think that I made it back to Boulder to fish with my brother. No such luck. As you know, I’ve been a bit preoccupied as of late. So in order to save you from another exciting post about Lego League, my brother was kind enough (without me asking) to write a guest post. I very much appreciate the effort. Who knows, maybe I can convince him to make it a regular feature.

Thanx, bro.

So if you are anything like me, you’re getting tired of checking in on a fishing blog written by someone that doesn’t fish. I know my brother is a bit too busy lately to hit the water, so since I get out a tad more often than he does, I thought I would guest blog for him so there was something new to read.

It’s full on fall weather here in Boulder and I know there aren’t too many bass catching days left in this year. So, on a balmy 50 deg. Tues afternoon, my buddy Terbo and I decided to go fishing. We grabbed our float tubes and headed to one of our favorite lakes. Once we arrived, the weather had already changed to a cool, overcast sky that threatened rain in a few hours. But prepared for the worst, we geared up and started the trek to the lake.

As always, we stopped a few feet short of the shore to fish the float tube put-in. There is a fallen limb that juts from shore to about twelve feet out. Terbo got the first cast with a small jig head and plastic worm. With no luck for him, it was my turn. I cast out a texas rigged Zoom super speed craw. As the craw fell next to the branch, I felt that familiar tick and pull. I took up the slack and set the hook on a small 13 incher. Not skunked! The day was looking good.

We put in and let the wind take us down the West side of the lake. I hugged the shore and fished with the craw while Terbo was a bit farther out fishing deeper water. Not five minutes in, Terbo brought in his first bass, a 15in largie. Being fall and impatient, I switched to a spinnerbait on my baitcaster. But I went fish dead for a stretch.

Now on the South side of the lake, I switched back and forth between plastic craw and spinnerbait to no avail. This was as much to warm up my non casting hand as just trying different looks. Casting close to shore, under trees, around fallen trees and even into deeper water brought no fish up. I then switched to a black and red jig with black Netbait paca chunk trailer. A few casts in, I pulled up my second fish of the day, another largemouth bass.

After another lull, and switching of many lures and colors, I found myself in a favorite Northeast corner. By now it had started to drizzle and I felt the fish were starting to stir. My concentration was broken by Terbo screaming far off in the middle of the lake. He had been searching for crappie and had apparently nabbed his first. After watching him wave his arms around for a bit, I went back to my corner. I was now just tossing a spinnerbait, hoping the rain was turning the bite on. And it was. Once I started slowing the lure down a bit, I went on a tear. Fish after fish mashed the spinner. Before I knew it, I was in double digits and had missed five or six more.

 

Between all my fun, I looked behind me to see Terbo heading for shore. I then finally realized how cold I was. So I pointed myself in that direction and fished my way back, landing four more on the way in. Near shore, we asked how each other did. Terbo ended up with three crappie and a bass. With a called last cast, I hucked my spinnerbait as far as I could and slowly rolled it back in. Best last cast ever, I nailed my 15th of the day in front of my bud (not that I would ever rub it in like that).

Looks like we had a good last day, cuz this is what that light drizzle turned into. Open water fishing is coming to a close here and I’m looking forward to some winter midge fishing for trout on the rivers and of course some ice fishing on those mountain lakes. I hope to get back to Minnesota to do some icing with my brother and friends. And now that I gave my brother the secret weapon (spring bobber) he can keep up with me. Hopefully we’ll both get into muskie and walleye this year. And more importantly, maybe he’ll have something to write about.

Now all the companies I mentioned, send me free stuff. 😉