Spring Time is for Bass Fishing!

 I was becoming impatient and heen chomping at the bit for the thump of a largemouth on my line. I did not get my kayak until mid-July of last year, so I have been looking forward to starting my spring fishing from the Old Town PDL. The wind in Missouri has been ridiculous, and managing a kayak in winds of 20-30 miles per hour isn't on my to-do list. If you haven't been turned around by the wind in a kayak, let me be the first to tell you, it's pretty frustrating. I did, however, take a morning to walk along the banks of a local hotspot, hoping to catch something! I beat the banks for three hours tossing a black and blue jig and any piece of cover I could see. Finally, I got that familiar "thump, thump" I had been waiting for. 

A few days later, I had a free afternoon and the cooperation of Mother Nature, so I loaded the kayak and headed to one of my favorite spots. It's a quiet little lake tucked behind some hills, and the water was like glass. I've been lucky there before, and last summer it produced the biggest bass I had caught thus far. I don't know how long it was or what it weighed, because I didn't have either a scale or a measuring board. All I know is that it was a total surprise—a sudden tug that felt like a rock on the end of my line. Landing it was a real challenge, and seeing it finally in the boat just solidified my love for kayak fishing. You'll just have to trust the pictures!

July 29, 2024

Bass #1

The one-mile paddle from the boat ramp was much longer than it looked. Judging distance on the water can be deceptive at times. For my first few casts, I threw the trusted black and blue jig with a Christie Craw trailer. I felt comfortable with the lure and I could cast it well. That same combination helped me land the fish I mentioned earlier, so why not give it a try? I targeted a rocky bank lined with a few blowdowns, but had no luck.

I had recently watched a handful of videos that listed a ghost red craw crankbait as a preferred lure for March. I tied on the Money Badger and started bouncing it off some submerged timber in about 10 feet of water. After a few frustrating casts, my lure found its mark next to some visible stumps. I worked my retrieve with a crank-pause cadence, just as the videos suggested. Suddenly, a dead weight on the line. I reeled, expecting the familiar resistance of a snag, but then my line began moving sideways and the rod tip bent under the pressure of a decent largemouth. This wasn't a snag; it was a fish. I set the hook, and the fight was on.

I couldn't believe I had found success on a new bait and was even more shocked by the size of the fish it had enticed to bite. In short order, I had another stud of a bass by the lip and an ear-to-ear grin. After a few more casts in the same area, another big tug on my line had me reeling like my life depended on it. I was absolutely sold on the early spring craw pattern for big bass! The second didn't have the length of the first, but it was well-fed and thick. 

The remainder of the day was uneventful, and I made my way back to the ramp. The mile paddle wasn't so bad after finding success and landing a couple of studs. As soon as I made it back to the truck, I fired off the pictures to my son, who had joined me the previous fall. I assured him that I left a few for him when he got the opportunity to return. 

The following day, I returned looking for the same kind of luck. With my new favorite early spring lure still tied on, I cruised a rocky bank looking for some more hungry pre-spawn bass. With limited time, only one fish volunteered to join me in the kayak. The fish were few, but the quality was unbelievable!

Bass #2

Bass #3 the following morning