Pre-Arthur Trip 7/4/14

On the Water: 6:20am - 9:40am
Air Temperature: 70 - 72
Water Temperature: 80 - 82
Water Clarity: Clear
Skies: Overcast
Wind: 0 - 9 Mph N
Barometric Pressure: 30.00 - 29.98"

I figured I'd try to get out before the storm arrived, so I went over to a local lake/pond that I haven't been to since the pre spawn.  I didn't have much luck here the last few times, and it's a place I really want to figure out.  I know there are giants here.

I noticed the water level was extremely low, the launch was almost at a 70 degree angle to the water.  Once I put in I began fishing the edges of lily pads with a wacky rigged Cobra Bait deadbolt and a strike king swim jig.  First cast I got hit on the deadbolt but couldn't hook up.  I worked my way around the lily pads and eventually hooked into a nice pound and a half largemouth.  As I was releasing the fish, the bare hook was submerged in the water, when I picked up on my rod to make another cast, I felt pressure so I set the hook, and it was a tiny crappie on the other end of the line.

I moved off the lily pads trying to find the deeper submerged weed line, and after a few minutes of paddling around, trying to figure out the contour of it, I picked up the drop shot rod.  As soon as I cast out, I heard two rather loud rumbles of thunder.  I reeled in fast, and began paddling back to the launch.  After about 10 minutes, the audible thunder had ceased, so I made my way back to the weed edge.  I picked up another pound and a half bass on the swim jig as well as a pickerel.  While we are on the topic of swim jigs, if you haven't made them part of your arsenal, or you just choose not to fish them, I strongly suggest giving them a look.  The strike you get on these lures is so violent, and so exhilarating, it only takes a back seat to topwater, and like topwater, it can really attract giants.

I followed the weedline out towards deeper water where it comes out to a point, and caught a few more on a deadbolt, and missed quite a few on the swim jig.  I picked up the drop shot rod again, and like clock work, the thunder rumbled, so like before, I started making my way back to the launch.  Someone really didn't want me fishing the dropshot today. Again, I didn't hear any more rumbles, so I made my way back out and caught another couple bass.  However the thunder came back, and was louder and more frequent, so this time, it chased me off the water for good.

In total I caught 7 bass and missed a good amount, plus a pickerel and a crappie. Biggest was a pair of 1.5 lbers, everything else was a pound or less.  Had it not been for the weather, I would have ventured off further to the areas that I had marked on my map last night, but I didn't want to get stuck in a thunderstorm being that far away from the launch, so I stayed pretty close in case I needed to make a fast exit.  If I didn't have to go to work in the afternoon, I probably would have hung out a little longer and waited out the thunder, but I didn't have much time left.