Report

[Chief Grey Bear]

I had just about 3 hours to do some fishing this morning so I thought I better take full advantage of it. I really wanted to do a float this weekend but that was out of the question. Seeing as how I had to start Easter dinner at noon for a 3:00 feast, time was of the essence. By 9:00 I have my plan and am leaving the house headed for the bass holding waters of Shoal Creek.

I land on the banks of the river and notice she is still running a little high with just a tinge of color. Not a bad color, just a little more than usual from the recent rains last week. So I suited up, readied my rod and off I was to create another Ozark memory.

The wind was blowing rather briskly today and I think that may have been detrimental to a other wise great day on the river. But none the less, I didn't let if affect my plan of attack. Of course the only plan I had was really just to get in a little bit of fishing and hoping to land a couple.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been doing a little hit & miss fishing. I have only been spending an hour or two fishing catching 1 or 2 here and there. I have been throwing cranks during this time and it is fixing to get started. Big time. Today wasn't much different except for the size.

I started tossing a Rapala CD-9 Gold & Black, an old stand by today. I fished for about an 45 minutes or so before I got my first connection. It was a nice fat pound and half or so female parked up in some back water. I had just rolled the Rapala over a small log and was just fixing to pull it up out of the water for another cast when she came darting from my right side. It was just beautiful watching this.

It wasn't long and I was flirting with the second a bass of the day. I had found a log laying along the current with a bit of a high bank. It was the classic log with the root wad on the up stream end creating a pocket of calm water between the log and the bank. I fished it by casting down stream and reeling back along the log hoping for a strike. Not happing today. So I started jigging the Rapala just under the surface of the water where I could still see it and creating a nice flash of gold in the gleaming sun. After what seemed like 5 minutes but, more likely was just a couple, a freaking really nice bass in the 2.5lb range came bolting out of the bottom for a mid-day snack. I think in the excitment I jerked to fast and pulled it away from her. But all I could do was smile as big as I could and just kinda laugh.

I thought to myself for a second. I barely felt the fish since I didn't get a solid hook up. So I repeated what I was doing. And I'll be danged if after a copoule of minutes or so she also came back for another try. It was like it was our destiney to meet each other face to face today. This time I made a solid hook up with her. Or so I thought. I got a good feel and fought her for a few seconds. She went back to where from which she came without me getting to touch her. And again I all I could do was laugh out loud and just enjoy seeing a bass of her size and knowing what her address is.

But the day is not over yet. There is still a little time and a little more water for me to fish before I have to leave. I fished a few more promising looking water without so much as a nibble. But I did find one little spot of wood that I said to myself will hold a fish. But had been telling myself that the whole time so why listen now.

I decided to fish it like I did the other place where I had my other heartbreak hookup. Of course I had been fishing other spots like using that same pattern to no avail so why should this place be any different. It has a high bank. Slow water at the edge of the current. And Me. I immediatly started jigging my Rapala. After 3 or so minutes, a huge explosion shattered the calm. This baby was huge! And I had a great hook set. This girl would have tipped any scale at 3+lbs. It was great battleing her. It is amazing how many thoughts can run through your head in just a matter of 2 seconds. Being on a high bank, I made a quick glance down stream to look for a spot to land her. Nothing. I looked up stream. Nothing. I looked back at her and then nothing. She was gone.

But that is ok. I again did something that was out of character or me. I just smiled great big and laughed. Not one foul word. Either time. And it was great. I was completly at ease with it. There will be a next time and maybe I will win. But maybe I alread did win. I was out on a beautiful day. I caught some great fish. I didn't land them, but I caught them if only for a few seconds.

And maybe they won. They escaped being touched by a human. They are still swimming and getting ready to create another generation for us to continue to enjoy. So I guess we tied today. And there is nothing wrong with that in my book.

[KCRIVERRAT]

All I wanna know is... did you find all the Easter eggs Dylan hid for you this morning?

Though it was short, sounds like a quality three hours on a beautiful Easter sunday. Kinda like a quail or rabbit hunt on Christmas!

See ya soon bud...

KC

[Buzz]

Man, that sounds like a lot of fun. I wish I'd had the opportunity to hit some water today. I guess thats what I was thinking about when my Mom asked, " What's wrong with you, you aren't saying much?" Yeah, I was thinking that I would rather be fishing. Oh well, theres always next week.

[Wheatenheimer]

Hey Chief, great report man! Sounds like you had a fantastic time. You're not getting soft on us, are you?

[Chief Grey Bear]

Soft??? I put too much fluff in the story didn't I?? I knew I was rambling a little, I just couldn't stop typing. I was typing about as fast as I was thinking and then, WHAMO! It looked like it was straight out of Field and Stream, Ozark edition. Ok, well maybe not that quality but, pretty good for me.

Or was you talking about the no cussing cause it got away part???

[Wheatenheimer]

LOL!!!!! No, the report was excellent. I was refering to the lack of vulgarities.

Just joking with ya!

[Chief Grey Bear]

I knew ya was messing brother!

But it is strange about the lack of expletives. OMG, I am a liberal!

[eric1978]

LOL I thought I was reading some Thoreau there for a minute.

I'm still trying to figure out how to not fret over lost fish. It's like they say in poker, you never remember the big pots you win, but you always remember the big pots you lose. There are some fish that I lost 10-20 years ago that still pop up in my dreams every now and then. I gotta work on that Zen you got CGB.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Well, I'll tell you this, if I ever get like Shaw Grigsby, SHOOT ME! There is excited and there is Grigsby excited!

I like the guy, but I am not sure his nutts have dropped yet.

[Kc River Ratt]

Great day in the Ozarks!

Great story!

Every time I drive past Shoal for the Elk I'm thinking I need too try that river.

One of these days we will stop and check it out.