Had a chance to hit Haller this weekend. I figured the bite would be off this late in the year, but wound up catching one rock bass and three LMB (including the monster pictured) over three hours. Not bad at all really. Tried all the usual goodies, but got nothing until I tried dead-sticking a short little Yum Dinger drenched with Smelly Jelly "Bass Hammer". Figued this one out accidentally. I skipped it under a dock and let it sink, decided to eat some almonds before reeling it in, and when I finally got around to it WHAM. Had to really let it soak - a full 30 seconds probably - and then just reel in real slow. Got the rock bass and two of the LMB that way. Fourth fish came on a slow-rolled spinner bait (3/8 oz white, colorado + willow) worked medium-deep - my first spinner bait fish at Haller! The more I use them the more I'm enjoying fishing "the blades". Overall a good time. Made it all the way around in 3.5 hours, no one else on the water. A nice Sunday morning.

All the fish were little. I wonder where the big guys are? Maybe suspended deep? Next year I plan to have a fish finder mounted on the 'toon. Should help me track down the bigguns!

Oh, and replaced that 8lb P-Line CX that I had on the Stradic with 6lb Seaguar Inviz-x. First time I've used 100% fluro on the spinning reel and man, what a pain in the ass. Really stiff compared to fluro-coated copolymer, and twice I had to actually clip knots out of it and re-tie. Overall it's probably worth it, for all the benefits that come with using fuoro on heavily pressured water. I eventually got the hang of it, you just have to be a little more cautious and careful.


Tight lines,
Ever / zerobpm

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