Lake Bixhoma, 7/2/2013...

[Allen Morgan]

Headed back to Bixhoma this morning.  I thought of a couple things to get me a little better distance, and I wanted to see if it would help me connect with some fish.

 

On arrival, the water was warm, and had some fog lifting off the water.  I could see about 5’ down into the water.  It was dead calm.  Couldn’t see any actively-feeding fish in open water, so I decided to do a little trolling and graphing, to get an idea of the contours of the lake bottom.

 

I didn’t get anything on the classic Rapala F7 for awhile, I decided to switch over to a X-Rap, size 6, in silver/black.  My other rod was rigged with a Rebel Jumping Minnow in Bone.  I got a couple hits when I encountered feeding fish, but they came unbuttoned after a couple seconds.

 

Trolling around, over on the northwest side, I saw a fish hit top just about 20’ from the boat.  I saw the wake, then a few feet later, the swirl and splash as the fish inhaled a baitfish.  By this time, I had switched over to a silver/black Jumping Minnow.  I tossed it out, actually behind where the fish had hit top.  I twitched it back, past the ambush point, and was getting ready to bring it in when the fish grabbed my bait:

 

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img580/8608/kbvq.jpg[/IMG]

 

A little small, but not bad!  My first fish by jump-fishing!

 

I ended up going all the way back down to the dam, just slowly paddling around, trolling as I went.  I was headed for a spot where I had seen a small school of bass jump some bait on two separate occasions.  I was just S.L.O.W.L.Y. gliding into what should have been prime casting position, when my trolling rod went off.  I pulled in this fish:

 

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img850/7995/ke4p.jpg[/IMG]

 

A little bigger one!  Nice!

 

I noticed that a lot of the action, while sporadic, was concentrated near the south bank.  I started trolling down that bank again.  I had small schools of bass jumping bait here and there, all around me.  I connected with this bruiser:

 

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img94/1289/t39n.jpg[/IMG]

 

I noticed some fish jumping bait along the west bank, so I started trolling up there.  I had a small school in front of me, and had made a few casts again.  Once again, my forward momentum had dropped to nearly nothing while I was fishing.  Once again, my trolling rod went off.  This fish almost pulled me over into the water!  I raised my rod up a bit to help with the surging runs this fish was doing.  I also jumped a couple of times, giving me a clear view of another decent fish:

 

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img600/1741/wnhl.jpg[/IMG]

 

After this, I tried to target a few more small schools of bass, but they would sound before I got within casting range.  I ended up going back to the launch.  It was break time, and I had forgotten, yet again, to pull my inflatable seat cushion out of the van.

 

After stretching my legs a bit, getting my seat cushion, drinking some water, and eating a granola bar, I set out once again.  By this time, it was just about 0900.  I noticed that the surface activity seemed to be winding down.  It was pretty much dead calm again, and I had a bluebird sky.  I figured that the fish would probably be down near the thermocline.

 

I did a little more trolling.  Once again, I had a small school in front of me, jumping bait.  I wasn’t able to connect, so I figured I would start paddling on.  Just as the boat started moving, my trolling rod goes off, again!  Unfortunately, this time I didn’t connect.

 

I realized that the X-Rap seems to really shine after it sits for a bit, then you start to move it.  I’m beginning to wonder if, whenever I fish one while bank-fishing, that I’ve been fishing it to fast all this time?

 

I also learned that using a Jumping Minnow on a medium-power rod definitely get better range than what I was using last week.

 

Bait was scattered pretty much all over the lake, but seemed concentrated near the dam, and on the south bank.  Bait was usually in the top 10’ of water.  The wind (when it was blowing), was generally out of the northwest and/or northeast, but several times it was dead-calm.  I did a little bit of paddling in the creek arm, but didn’t go far.  There was some surface activity in there, but not much.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

HEY ALLEN , GGGGGGGGREAT TUTORIAL ON YOUR EXPLOITS THAT DAY !!!!!

[Allen Morgan]

Thanks!

[Leo Nguyen]

Great info on the water and the hunting gears needed. Hope someone near your areas can benefit from this great insight.

[Allen Morgan]

I wouldn't be surprised.  I posted this one to four different boards simultaneously.  One of those is a local board, and many folks know that lake well.  One of them told me there is a car in the water on the dam.  I didn't find it with sonar.

One of the reasons why I make a detailed post like this, is that it helps me to think about what I did, how I reacted to conditions, what worked, what didn't, etc.  It prepares me for next time :)

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Sort of a net based, "fishing diary," then? Great!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I'm with the rest of these guys - great way of spinning the tale so we can relate to what you are doing.

I do appreciate that, as I always crave details. Great job, sir!

And it is official - you have made me regret selling my kayak!

[Tony Livingston]

Nicely done Allen! Taking the time to put your thoughts and experiences down in E-print is something I wish we saw more of here on the site.