The one that got away... Oh, that hurt.

 

One that didn't get away!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul looks like famine or feast. Couple of nice hookups. 

The one that got away looks like a beast

12 hours ago, slonezp said:

The one that got away looks like a beast

That fish was a beast; That was one motivated leap. That pic only shows the start; She really got up there, and finished with a graceful head then tail entry. Give her a 10!

 

They were really jumping that day. Seems to happen in early summer, the bass seeming to have energy to spare. The jumps are really high and that one above -I figured about a 5lber- struck late in a 15hr day. I just didn't match its energy and simply let the load off the rod, like I was just watching it... do its thing. After it was gone I said, dispassionately, "Well...that was a big one." I probably should have already gone home by then.

20 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Paul looks like famine or feast. Couple of nice hookups. 

The famine part was discovering a hole in the age structure of the pond's bass population. There were a LOT of little ones, no "quality"-sized fish, and a few big ones. I found I needed a trophy fishing mindset -hence the super long fishing days. The second fish was a 6+lber on an 11hr day. Thinking I may move on to another water. Or break out the really BIG stuff and see who else might live there.

8 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

That fish was a beast; That was one motivated leap. They were really jumping that day. Seems to happen in early summer, the bass seeming to have energy to spare. The jumps are really high and that one above -I figured about a 5lber- struck late in a 15hr day. I just didn't match its energy and simply let the load off the rod, like I was just watching it... do its thing. After it was gone I said, dispassionately, "Well...that was a big one." I probably should have already gone home by then.

The famine part was discovering a hole in the age structure of the pond's bass population. There were a LOT of little ones, no "quality"-sized fish, and a few big ones. I found I needed a trophy fishing mindset -hence the super long fishing days. The second fish was a 6+lber on an 11hr day. Thinking I may move on to another water. Or break out the really BIG stuff and see who else might live there.

That’s what I’d do

If there’s a 6, there’s gotta be an 7!!

 

 

 

 

Mike

@Mike L That's the... hope. But, in a perfect world, I'd like to have some 2lbers in there to keep my ego going (the honest kind -keep my energy up/psyched). I have to say I am able to spend 15hrs in a float tube, watching the Earth roll over; Plenty to see and do. But my aging body can't do very many of those, without starting a physical training regimen. What's really "tough fishing", though, is the mental game: When I feel lost, as though what I know to do isn't working. On this water though, with its size structure gap (due to a massive flood 6-1/2 years ago now that knocked down reproduction and curtailed the supplemental stocking then) my ego is pretty safe. Right now I have to get back to my other reality, my job and chores, and make some plans for my next marathon outing.

47 minutes ago, Paul Roberts said:

@Mike L That's the... hope. But, in a perfect world, I'd like to have some 2lbers in there to keep my ego going (the honest kind -keep my energy up/psyched). I have to say I am able to spend 15hrs in a float tube, watching the Earth roll over; Plenty to see and do. But my aging body can't do very many of those, without starting a physical training regimen. What's really "tough fishing", though, is the mental game: When I feel lost, as though what I know to do isn't working. On this water though, with its size structure gap (due to a massive flood 6-1/2 years ago now that knocked down reproduction and curtailed the supplemental stocking then) my ego is pretty safe. Right now I have to get back to my other reality, my job and chores, and make some plans for my next marathon outing.

Drought and flood are mother nature’s population control, time will heal it 

Thanks, @TnRiver46. Yeah, I'm pretty much used to boom-n-bust fishing, being a small-water guy. I'm a patient man. But, I'm getting grayer and grayer in the mirror, and those 10+hr days are getting tougher on me!

1 minute ago, Paul Roberts said:

Thanks, @TnRiver46. Yeah, I'm pretty much used to boom-n-bust fishing, being a small-water guy. I'm a patient man. But, I'm getting grayer and grayer in the mirror, and those 10+hr days are getting tougher on me!

Ha! Yes time will heal the bass populations but it has the opposite effect on you and me!

4 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

@Mike L That's the... hope. But, in a perfect world, I'd like to have some 2lbers in there to keep my ego going (the honest kind -keep my energy up/psyched). I have to say I am able to spend 15hrs in a float tube, watching the Earth roll over; Plenty to see and do. But my aging body can't do very many of those, without starting a physical training regimen. What's really "tough fishing", though, is the mental game: When I feel lost, as though what I know to do isn't working. On this water though, with its size structure gap (due to a massive flood 6-1/2 years ago now that knocked down reproduction and curtailed the supplemental stocking then) my ego is pretty safe. Right now I have to get back to my other reality, my job and chores, and make some plans for my next marathon outing.

Don’t feel alone, I know how you feel!

 

 

Mike