A Big Fish Day at Yates Place

Sep 25 2014

Thomas E. (Tom) Dillon

Toad

Member Since :
2014
Number of Posts :
516

Yates Place – Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Jackson Bean and I fished Yates Place on September 24th from  6:40 until around 5:30. I caught 9 longer than 16” and harvested 8 “unders.” I have no idea how many Jackson caught, for we were fishing from 2 separate boats. I’m sure he’ll update this. It was another “8-pounder day” at Yates for Jackson,  producing yet another 8-pounder for him – That’s an 8+ for Jackson on 3 trips to Yates Place in a row! The young man knows how to catch big bass! Unfortunately, the big one of the trip still got away. Jackson had a 10+ in his net, but when he turned to put his rod down, the big mama just jumped back out of it again. I know that Jackson has caught at least three 10+  bass, so he definitely knows what one looks like….and I saw it happen, as did both Mr. and Mrs. Yates. What a terrible moment that was. He landed the fish, and still lost it…a true heartbreaker.

 It was a great day for me, though. My 9 keepers included a 6-10, a 5-09, and a 9-02 -  a new personal best for me. It hit a wacky-rigged black/blue flake 5” Senko in less than 3 feet of water, WAY back in the north creek. Its belly must have been full of shad, for it looked like it was ready to spawn!  It was only 23.75 inches long! I caught a couple in deeper water, but most of my bass were shallow, and all but one hit that black/blue flake Senko. Nothing but one on other colored (green) plastics; none on Rattletraps, deep-divers, topwater, jigs, swimbaits, etc.

I found 74° water all over the lake (my transducer is on the bottom of my trolling motor, about 2-3 feet below the surface; Jackson found it about 3-4 degrees warmer with his higher transducer.) We found no discernable pattern for the day. The bass were chasing shad all over the lake, and they were both moving into and out of cover and up and down the water column all day.

I’m still looking for my first DD, but it was a great PWF day for me at Yates.

Posted By: Thomas E. (Tom) Dillon

Sep 25 2014

Seth Knochel

Admin

Member Since :
2014
Number of Posts :
455

Here is Tom's big fish. What a beaty!

Sep 25 2014

Thomas E. (Tom) Dillon

Toad

Member Since :
2014
Number of Posts :
516

Correction - All 3 of my bass over 5 were from the south creek, not the north creek. Sorry - I must have awakened directionally-challenged this morning.

Sep 26 2014

Jackson Bean

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2012
Number of Posts :
225

Tom and I sure had a great time out at Yates Place.  He put on quite a clinic though because I didn't get the results he did.  I had a colassal "Whoops!" occur at the brushpile in front of DeWayne and Kay's house for everyone to see first thing in the morning.  I hooked into a monster….   I mean a real dinosaur of a fish on a small shaky head with a pumpkin curly tail worm.  When I set the hook there were two seconds of drag being pulled out and I keep it as sinched down as 20 pound fluoro can handle.  The fish started swimming out toward me putting on quite a top water show for all to see.  With my rod tip thrust as high up into the air as I could and my left arm making uncoordinated swoops at the fish I finally got the beast into the net.  Then…..  in the blink of an eye, I get my balance back in the boat and lower my rod and poof the fish swims back out of the net and comes unbuttoned.  IT WAS SICKENING!!  I hate to speculate as to how big the fish was but it was a really, really big girl.  I still replay the events in my head and think of the ten things I could have done better.  Ugh!  But these are the stories that keep us coming back for more.

There was another bright spot in the afternoon where I pulled an eight pounder out of deep brush but this time on 65 pound braided line with a great hook set.  This baby wasn't going anywhere and I was calling for the camera man as soon as I set the hook.  It was another eight pound Yates Place beauty.  The rest of the day was pretty slow for me but the weather was just about perfect.  I only caught eight fish total but every one of them over 16 inches with bellies so full of shad they looked like Springtime fish.

We didn't discern any type of pattern.  Tom was catching fish out of the shallows and I was trying to stay deeper.  The long periods of slow bites were filled with great weather and beautiful scenery.  Soft plastics got the best results for both of us.  I had watermelon red curly tail worms and a variety of plastics in pumkin colors.  I caught one early morning fish on a swim bait but got blanked on a variety of crank baits, buzz bait, jig, and Carolina rig.

As Tom said, the big fish are biting out at Yates place.

Tight lines,

Jackson

Sep 26 2014

Tom Dillon

Toad

Member Since :
2014
Number of Posts :
516

Well said, Mr. Bean. Now we gotta go back and catch that big girl's momma!

Sep 27 2014

Frank James

Fingerling

Member Since :
2005
Number of Posts :
86

Great report, guys!  Jackson, I'm so sorry to hear about the one that got away—I've had several heartbreakers myself!—but at least you had the pleasure of bringing it in and seeing how big it was.  And you know that it's still swimming around waiting for Round 2!  laugh

Oct 06 2014

Tom Dillon

Toad

Member Since :
2014
Number of Posts :
516

Here's another photo of the same fish.