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5wt Sweet water fishing
4.13.2012
This Friday the 13th I got out this morning with my buddy Hank for a little sweet water fishing. Though I live near plenty of fresh water ponds full of bass and bluegill, I find myself drawn to the saltwater when I go wet a line. Today was the day however I took Hank’s invite to do some fresh water fly fishing.
Hank in is trolling motored canoe and me in SUP. We were launching our craft way up the river at Ray’s canoe hideaway. A quaint little establishment tucked away in a corner of what you can almost say, old Florida.
Photo note: All photos shot on the Nikon AW100 point and shoot.
Ray’s place consist of a rustic building draped in old Christmas lights and inside full of canoe rental gear. A couple picnic tables and the ramp was pretty much it.
The launch fee was $6.00. A steal considering you have someone to watch you truck while you were gone and all. Not that it’s a problem but you never know these days.
The launch was carpeted as to not scratch the boat with a nice gradual slope.
The yellow popping bug was pretty much what we used on our 5wt the entire time.
My first fish of the day 5minutes after I launch was this little snook on the popper. I gotta say on a 5wt it was an awesome fight!
Hank with one of his many blue gills.
My two other species, the bluegill and the large mouth bass.
We packed it in about noon time to grab some lunch. I had a blast and will definitely do this laid back fishing more often. Besides if it’s too windy fresh water is always a good place to hide. 
Nothing like a buddy with a motor for the easy ride home…
Holy Cow of a World Record Pending Bass?
Beleive it or not, Large Mouth Black Bass make up the majority of the revenue generated in the fishing industry. From the numerous larger and smaller tournaments to recreational hardcore bass anglers fishing anywhere from California to Mexico to Florida, and yes, even to Japan… it is a culture in this planet’s society. There has even been a recent fly fishing documentary released by the famous Jamie Howard (the Chasing Silver and Location X dude) based around Bass fishing. I can’t get my head around it yet… this whole concept of a fish that doesn’t pull drag, doesn’t make long runs, and shakes it’s head on the surface until it is landed. But as I look deeper into this culture, I am starting to understand. It is about the gear junkies; this plastic worm or that crank bait to locate big bass. Maybe it’s about the fancy nascar wrapped boats and the culture surrounding it. Or maybe this is just an old timer’s tradition that our youth has kept alive for many generations. Whatever the draw may be, I have great respect for a fish that can be found in so many geographic locations, inspire so many anglers of all generations, generate the capital it has into the fishing industry, steer the coarse of spin/plug tackle development, and display such an incredible eat on a popping bug fly.
Tomorrow January 8th, could be a day that will live in infamy on the bass fishing front. A very big bass has been caught and a decision will be made at the IGFA tomorrow that will determine whether this record will be valid or not. Manabu Kurita landed a 22 lb 4 oz largie that could set the IGFA record for the biggest large mouth bass. The last time this record was broken was over 8 decades ago. Interestingly enough, about the same time we were in a depression. I guess there is some link to a crappy economy and catching big bass. Maybe saving for a rainy day is worth it when you get to go record chasing when the economy is storming.
For more information and updates, stay tuned to the IGFA website. Here is the link: http://www.igfa.org/Records/World-Record-Largemouth-Bass.aspx
Click here for the video —> Manabu-Kurita-Potential-World-Record-Bass.aspx
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