Well, after a 6-week hiatus from bass fishing due to medical issues, (seemed to me like 6 months), I ventured forth yesterday to answer a question:  Have I recovered well enough to put in a full day of fishing in the Texas summer heat. The short answer?  No, not yet.

I drove up to Ada, OK on Sunday and stayed in a motel, and then on to Cody Ranch's South Twin Lake yesterday morning. I was on the water by 6:30, with about 15 minutes left of a solunar minor period. I immediately caught two fish, one about a pound, one just under four. Then no action at all until 8:38, when I boated another 3-pounder. Twelve minutes later, a 2.25. Between 8:50 and noon, I really struggled to catch  three 12" fish and two dinks. The only daytime solunar major period yesterday was due to start at 12:04 p.m. I had fished one of my favorite brush piles several times during the morning, with no success at all, but I went back to fish it when the 'major' started. Well, 10 minutes later, at 12:14, I cast a wacky-rigged, green Pumpkin Senko toward the edge of the brushpile.  The worm hadn't sunk for more than a few seconds when I saw the line twitch and start moving off to my right. I immediately set the hook, and all %&@#* broke loose. The fish immediately and quickly pulled about 15 feet of line against my drag. It did this repeatedly for about 20 seconds, changing directions each time - so I was beginning to think I might have hooked a catfish. Nope. It was a big bass. Although I tried to keep it from jumping, she tried anyway. That bass was so big that she couldn't get anything out of the water but her head, which looked to me to be the size of a volleyball. Back down she went, and I fought her for about another minute. I can honestly say that I have never before - ever - hooked a bass that was that strong. The water was only about 7 feet deep, but she didn't jump again for a bit - just kept fighting like a big channel cat - pulling against the drag in one direction or another. Finally, she again tried to jump, but again did not come out of the water enough for me to see her body. That time, she threw the hook and worm back at me from about 15 feet away. I don't know how big she was, but if her body was at all in proportion to her head, she could easily weigh well up into the teens. Her head was a LOT bigger than the one on the state record replica at BPS. I wanted to cry. It was my own fault, as I got excited and failed to loosen my drag. I think that little 1/0 just finally pulled out of her mouth. Thinking about it this morning, I still want to cry.

Anyway, I picked up another rod, made another cast to the same brush pile, and a 4-01 picked up my 12" Ol' Monster worm. Thirteen minutes later, I boated another nice one. I have always tried to be in one of my most productive spots when a solunar major period starts. My past experience has proven to my satisfaction that there very definitely is something to the solunar tables. Anyway, it was so hot that I stopped fishing at 2:30, even with still another hour left to go of the solunar major period. I was hearing some good splashing in the shallow pads, too. Unfortunately, it was just way too hot for me to be out there any longer. I ended up with only 12 bass in 8 hours of fishing, all of which were released. I drove back to Ada and cooled off. Drove home this morning.

Conditions:  The wind varied from a dead calm to maybe 5 mph from the south. Cloud cover was infrequent. Water temperature climbed from 85.5 to 87.5 while I was on the water. Visibility throughout the lake was a uniform 2-3 feet. The dollar pads are at their annual maximum, and the big pads are blooming.

Lures that worked:  wacky-rigged, weightless 5" Senkos in watermelon/red flake, black/blue flake, and green pumpkin/black flake;  wacky-rigged, weightless 12" Ol' Monster worm in black/red flake and black/blue flake (all of the little ones hit that huge worm); white single spin with #5 Colorado blade; and a sexy shad Rattletrap.

Lures that didn't work:  jig and pork eel, hollow-body frog, Ribbit frog, buzz bait, fluke, creature baits, Yellow Magic, Whopper Plopper, chatterbait, crankbait, soft swim bait.

Even though I lost the big one, I know that she's still swimming free in South Twin, and now I know at least one place where she hangs out. Maybe next time.

Tight lines,

Tom

Posted By: Tom Dillon