Late Season Bass Fishing Trips

[gstott]

So I really wanted to get a few more bass before it all goes south. I went back looking for smallmouth on Tuesday, but they apparently didn't like that storm we got Sunday night. I got three, and this was the biggest.[inline "smallie small.JPG"]
It hit a jerkbait, the others hit a perch imitation fly and a grub. I tried fishing deep and slow, but all I caught were rocks. I did get one good fight though. When I arrived there was a mass of carp on the surface. I threw them a black peacock sparkle bugger, and one slurped it right up. [inline "carp small.JPG"]

Overall it was a pretty cold, boring day. Water was down to 53.

The next day I went looking for largemouth. I fished a shallow flat where I'd done well all summer. I caught a few small guys and lost a beast, and then no bass. I caught one on a suspending crank, the rest on a jerkbait. To make a long story short, I threw jerkbaits and lipless cranks and this kept happening.[inline "trout 2 small.JPG"]
I gave up on the bass and broke out the 6wt and stripped leeches. Black peacock crystal buggers and a fly I made up with some charcoal grey fur and a magenta sparkle chenille body did the trick. [inline "trout small.JPG"]

I went back the next day, and once again I caught a few small bass early on, and then it was trout time. They weren't nearly as aggressive, but I still got into some nice ones. [inline "trout small 2.JPG"]
Black peacock and olive crystal buggers were the fly of choice. They sure do jump this time of year.
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[windriver]

Those are some nice trout. Thanks for the report.

Windriver
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[gstott]

Thanks! They were a lot of fun and certainly saved a slow day of bass fishing.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Very nice. One good tug deserves another, and heck - if ya can't catch one fish, catching another's just as good. That last trout has some shoulders to him!

You're trying to sell on those Idaho waters again aren't ya!!!

(as young Anikan Skywalker would say "it's working - it's working!")

[gstott]

Well, I'll just let the photos do the talking.

It's always such a problem when you have to "settle" for one hard fighting fish versus another.

That middle trout was actually maybe even a little bigger, but it was a weird camera angle (float tubes can be awkward). Notice how big his tail looks which is up near the lens. I guess I have the opposite effect going on from those guys that hold their fish out toward the camera [:/] I have to plug Rio tippet here though. That trout hit right by the tube and then took off. My fly line had bunched up in a pile and tied a knot, so when it ran, the knot got stuck in a guide. I can't believe that 3x held, he was really going nuts. So thumbs up to Rio, thumbs down to Cortland for their sticky line that gets knotted up so easily all the time.
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[cpierce]

Those are some very nice fish! Not your usual buddies, but no slackers either, even the carp. They are an amazing fight.

Good on the Rio tippet. Unfortunately my tippet didn't hold when I had a nice one on this weekend, but it was my fault. It was a beautiful fish and I thought it was ready to come in and it wasn't. It made a last minute lunge and I didn't give it enough line to do so. My bad!

Cortland has a cleaner for its lines that seems to help with the knotting. I can't remember the name for sure, I think it was X something. Not very expensive either. You might give it a try.
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[gstott]

Thanks, they were a lot of fun.

I probably do need to clean my line, but that sinking line has always been really naughty when it comes to getting knotted up.

Sorry you lost that big one, I know I've lost numerous good sized fish when I get a little to eager to land them.
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[TexasTransplant]

Those look like some very healthy hens!
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[gstott]

They've definitely been eating well this year. I can't believe how many good sized ones I've been getting into.

I went back again today, but this time I put in closer to the dam where the water is much deeper. I thought maybe the bass would be closer to their wintering areas. Well, I caught 10 bass, not a ton, but more than the other stretch. Most were little 11-12" guys, but they were healthy. I did get one better fish,[inline "bass small.JPG"] and despite the cold water he jumped twice. Most of the bass took small suspending jerkbaits. I also got 4 more trout, most were around 16-17" this time. No pics though as all but one hit on lipless cranks again, and I didn't want to stress them anymore than I already had. One took a golden olive crystal bugger, but it threw the hook right as I was about to net it.

I think I may be done targeting bass this year. It seems like it's twice the work to get half the fight now that it's colder, and this cold snap will likely make it worse. Looks like it's trout time.
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[cpierce]

It is sure good to see the bass looking so good this year. I think that is the fullest I have seen the reservoirs at this time of year. Next year should be amazing!
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[gstott]

I agree. Bass fishing has been a lot slower this year, but the ones I do catch are much nicer. Previously the average little guys I would catch at this reservoir were maybe 8-10". Now they're closer to 12" already. In the long run all this water is going to be really great for the fisheries. I can't believe how many little bass fry I'm still seeing all over the shallows too. I hope I can make it out a bunch next spring for those prespawn females. They're going to be immense.

The reservoirs seriously look like springtime levels. Some of them are even closer to full than the one in the pic. I just hope that the weather keeps up with being warmer and dryer than normal overall. If we get another really wet one with them this full already it could be a real mess.
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