Went out with Trent Hale yesterday and got to the lake around 340 ish. Lake was pretty nice not too windy and the water was actually warm. Now mind you, I am the ultimate bad luck guy. I have gone thru 3 fishing hats and eventually this day I ended up taking off the hat and that's when fish started getting hooked. In the continental US I have yet to catch any fish on a boat and neither has anyone that has been on the boat with me. So we leave the launch and not after 2 minutes of moving along the shoreline I spot a bed (water was clear even though I didn't have any sunglasses) with a NICE bass probably pushing 8+ and its buddy around 5+. I call it out to Trent and we work that bed HARD. I got to the point where I ended up hitting the fish on the drop with the senko and NOTHING. They were just so skittish. Trent decided to move on as he was the captain so we pushed on and threw jigs and worms at structure along the shore. I was using a CHARTREUSE JIG and wasn't getting anything. So after a few ticks of the rod tip I figured the water was empty of fish and started to crank in the jig at the same pace as a small spinnerbait. At that point I hear Trent yell there's something following it. I thought he was messing with me but because I didn't have glasses it took an extra 3 feet for me to see it. Trent looks at me and says that's a good sized bass following you. So I get it about 2 feet in front of the boat and its a HUGE RAINBOW. God had to be at least 7lbs. It had a head on it and was SUPER THICK. Of course like an idiot I reeled in not thinking and lifted out of the water to cast back out and try it on that guy again but the trout came up to the surface like he was going to jump out and get it, but left after I went to drop it back in. Of course bad luck guy again.

So we drive on and get nothing and try the bedded bass again. We get them off bed but they want nothing to do with it. We then notice a 3rd and maybe 4th bass just cruising. So we fought over this fish. I had a senko texas rigged and was working that. Everytime I would jig it around and let it sit the bass would dart over look at it and just stay there. Then Trent threw his 12" Culprit work and BAM he got it. 5+ lber. For the first time someone finally landed a fish with me in the boat. After that we hit the cove/northern part of the lake. Water is clear and we are site fishing. We come across another cruiser and we are fighting over him again. I had a 10" Culprit worm on and he was about 2 seconds from hitting it when Trent threw the jig and BAM got that fish too. It was interesting having that clear of water and seeing the bass dart between the two lures for about 5 minutes. Mind you the lures were about 3-4 feet away from each other. This bass was hungry but wanted to see what was on the menu, apparently it was jig =(. So we cruise on, spot some bait fish then find another piece of structure and by this time its dark. Its a bit harder to spot the bass further out as it gets darker, but I spot this NICE pair as we go right over them. We work them for a few but they were just too spooked from seeing us go over them.

We ended up leaving the lake around 950pm. It was a great evening with a new but really good fishing buddy of mine. I learned alot and I have seen how lures stack up against each other in given conditions and circumstances. Biggest thing I learned is I have to alter my techniques to allow me to cater to the bass's moods instead of using what I used when I was younger. Both fish were caught and released after I took pictures of Trent posing with them. I think one was blind as he swallowed the jig pretty good that the hook ended up on the back side of its eye. I still haven't caught anything but weeds and a cold from a boat so I guess I have to buy a float tube =). Thanks for taking me out Trent and sorry for the long report.

RB

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