"Bass Fishing"

By:  Dan Hastings III
 

 

Went out to the lease the other day to move a few blinds & feeders. Fortunately for us when work was done, the bass were on!

Just a little background, I’ve been fishing this very tank for some 19 years now. I can still remember the first time I went fishing with my grandpa out there. He’d put on a spinner and walk right into the water. Of course lil ole me would follow. He’d catch a fish and I’d carry it back to the cooler. It wasn’t long before I started asking for the rod, grandpa can’t have all the fun =). 19 years later the tanks never gone dry and it’s provided lots of good times. A lot of first fish caught here at a tank we call Bass Lake.

Had a buddy, Matt, come in that was visiting from New York City. He’d never caught a bass in his life. Set him up with one of my trusty spinners and showed him what to do. The man landed his first bass ever on his second cast!

Not a minute later a long time fishing buddy, Mike, was also on a fish. I wasn’t even set up yet.


My grandpa & Mike’s grandpa were old fishing/hunting buddies. It’s funny how the younger generation met up not even knowing this at the time.

I casted a few times with a worm and finally pulled in a fish.


Fished the worm for a while and nothing else bit. Switched over to the spinner and also pulled in a fish, but it seemed to start slowing down.

All of a sudden I hear Mike yell from a distance, “put on a rattle-trap” as he lands a fish. I think nothing of it and continue to work the spinner. Very next cast Mike yells again, “put on a rattle-trap, they’re destroying it” and pulls in another fish. Now he’s got my attention. Took this pick as I walked over to change my setup. Mike was in about knee high water casting beyond the moss.



I have a lil sweet spot on the tank that I can fish a rattle-trap without getting in. Before I get over there Mike’s already bringing in another one. Finally get to my spot and Bam, fish on!


From here it was non-stop action! Fish after fish after fish, all in 2 ½ - 3 ½ lb. Range. Here’s the first double of the afternoon.


Wasn’t long before the 2nd double.


You could hear  Matt yelling at a distance because he had caught another one, but this time on his own.


Had to go help this guy out. I guess he didn’t take notes when I showed him how to release his first fish =).

Things started to wind down and we decided it was time to start wrapping things up. As I was walking to the truck I told Mike, let me just catch one for the road. I put on a Pop-Ark and casted. On the first pop BAMM, a massive strike!!! Man I love that top water action!


Ok, I’m done, my thumb is worn out and I got my fix for the day. Lil brother was also fishing with us but he’d be on the opposite end of the tank when he’d catch a fish. He wanted a pick taken really bad so I handed him my rod and told him we would wait for him to catch his fish and take his picture.

Well, being that he was using Big brother’s set up =), it didn’t take him long at all.


Dave brought in the nicest fish of the day weighing in a tad over 4 lbs. All in all we easily caught over 30 fish between the 4 of us in about 2 hours time.

Thanks for reading along, hope you enjoyed!

-Dan Hastings, III