Working The Points

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The river finally started to recover from the recent rains and high water.  It was expecting to rain later in the day, but I felt it would be a good day to chase after some bass.

The river is still new to me.  I took my depth finder out a few weeks ago to get a better sense of the river near the river house.  I then think about the places I catch fish.  I do seem to catch a few fish near shorelines, but I seem to take more fish just upstream or downstream of the various small islands.  This time I just decided to work these areas.  I would slowly paddle to each point (downstream side and then upstream side), slowly closing in and casting about the points.  From my soundings with the depth finder, the river would rise from about 15 feet right up to 2 feet near the points.  The river-bottom by the points is rocky and weed free.

I had consistent success using this approach.  I caught a nice 12 inch bass near the pier downstream of the Crescent Islands, and then another upstream of Goose Island.  Both fish were fighters and jumped as I brought them in.  I then caught a nice 18 inch largemouth - the biggest bass so far.  I was using light tackle and had fun bringing it in.

I then caught two more fish (one downstream of White Birch island and one upstream of it).

The water by Squirrel island was still very murky (it is near Sucker Brook) and it is quite shallow and weedy.  No takers there.

I paddled along the north bank of the river and caught a small bass near a stump.  It started to warm up and get muggy - the storm was approaching.  I paddle along and worked the logs near the shore.  My last fish hit my lure.  It was so sluggish I though I had snagged some weeds.  I hadn't set the hook well and he jumped and shook it out.  I kept fishing, but all got still.  The coming storm and low pressure seemed to put the fish off.

I think I will try the fly rod soon.  Though getting a great cast from the kayak is hard, the water is very shallow and wade-able by the points of the island.  Maybe I can paddle to each point, anchor the kayak, get out and cast about from the shallow water to the deeper water.  Sounds like a plan . . .