Awoke to winds out of the SW at 18 mph, gusting to 29. You know from my previous report that I immediately had one thought in mind. But before I go there, a little history. Out this spring with Asshat on the river one day when I cast my bait to a laydown log and get hung up. In we go to the bank to get it unsnagged. Upon closer inspection, I ended up catching what appears to be some old catfish line wrapped around the log and the overhanging tree above. I say catfish line because the line is heavy and there is a hook with three large egg sinkers firmly attached.
I take a pair of snips and cut the line, being careful to save the egg sinkers. They'll make good weight for "pushing jigs" when chasing crappie, if I ever get around to dragging out the long poles and trying that technique. In addition to that wonderful find, an even better one awaits. For while I'm clipping off the egg sinkers (Asshat is looking perplexed the whole time) I also stumble upon a nice shiny inline spinner that has also snagged itself in the heavy snarl of line and been broken off. I quickly possess the new found bait - Asshat is now even more in disbelief.
So here comes the reasoning. Turns out I have a friend who fishes with his father in law on the local lake where I live, who loves to throw in line spinners and occasionally gets into the white bass good with them while they're chasing largemouth. I don't own any inline spinners, so I'm delighted at the chance to get one, especially for free...and especially so I don't have to risk anyone seeing me purchase one from a local tackle store :) I have a serious bass fishing reputation to maintain.
Fast forward to today, and that shiny little inline spinner that has been sitting in my boat, hung from the carpet for the past 6 months completely neglected gets picked up. I cut off the rusty hook, add a fresh split ring, then finish the deal with a #6 dressed Gamakatsu feather treble that I would typically add to a Pop-R or Splash-It. Tie it on to some 4# monofilament spooled on my 1000 Series spinning reel and attached to a 6'6" ML custom rod and I'm ready to hit the bank.
I walk up to the first point with the wind just howling in on it and make a cast. First cast, first fish. Then another, and another. This goes on for about 10 casts, which is neat. What is neater is that half the fish are white bass, but the other half are largemouth. I eventually move over to a flat adjacent to the point and continue catching fish. Turns out this area produces 90% white bass though. After spending a good bit of time there, I swing over to a pocket on the other side of the point and continue tossing the little inline spinner.
Again a whole lot of fish - but this time they are running 90% largemouth. This is kind of cool, and forms the basis for the rest of the trip as I keep walking back and forth along the bank. On the main point I always catch a mix of whites and greenies. If I go to the flat on the south side of the point the catch becomes white bass, and if I go to the north bay around the point the catch becomes largemouth.
When all is said and done I look at the little fish counter I brought this trip to see the total - 103 fish in 3.5 hours, all from the bank, and all on the little inline spinner tied to 4# test. I only retied once all day, never lost the bait and never broke off a fish. I'd estimate the ratio for the day at about 60% white bass, 40% largemouth. A perfect mixed bag of fish with tons of action, all on a "free" bait even.
A Google search on the net this evening turns up the identity of the said magic spinner. Turns out it is a Blue Fox Flash Spinner in the Rainbow Trout (RT) color pattern - just in case any of you guys want to go purchase a few of these little gems. Just don't let any of your bassin' buddies catch ya' ;~)
