Last Sunday, I felt antsy. I needed to do something but I wasn't sure what to do. I offered some options up to Wendy and she opted to lounge around and take it easy. Then she gave me "the look". I played coy and said, "What?" She said, "Just go! It's a nice day but don't be gone for too long." I wasn't about to turn down that invitation but I did so with a little reluctancy. I wanted to get out of the house but the wind made conditions less than ideal. With a little hesitation, I grabbed a 5 weight, a box of flies, and headed to the truck with Waylon.
When we arrived at the HOA pond that I had decided to fish, I was greeted with a little good fortune. The wind was blowing against the dam that I like to fish. For most of my life, I have been told, "If you're not casting into the wind, you're wasting your time." I knew that there was at least a chance that I could hook into one or two of the white bass that live in this pond. Experience told me that they usually start moving into the dam and are pretty aggressive starting in April. On my 5th cast, I hooked a fish. It didn't take long to feel power that was greater than a bluegill and runs that were unlike a largemouth. When I saw the fish twist and flash just under the surface, I knew I had a white bass on the line.
It fought hard and put a heck of a bend in my 5 weight. I was hoping that I wouldn't lose him as he started to tire and allow me to bring him into the shallows. As he approached, I reached out as far as I could to grab him by the lip but had to be careful to not slip. I was only wearing some slip-on shoes (Hey Dudes to be specific) and didn't want to ruin them with lake water and muck from the bottom of the lake. As he came closer, I saw 2-3 other white bass with my catch and was both scared they were going to interfere and excited that their presence meant the possibility for more catches.
I ended up putting a strong grip on the catch (not too strong though) and landing the critter. While I will readily admit that I am not a white bass expert and that I don't know much about what qualifies a white bass as "big" I feel confident in stating that this was a big white bass...to me and for this lake. It ended up weight almost two pounds and was 17 inches long. I've heard stories of folks hitting white bass runs just right and catching fish like this all day long, but for me, this was a memorable catch! On top of things, I actually completed a slam. I caught four different species and they all fell to the olive tail/white body/olive hackle wooly bugger.
I have to admit, I sure am glad that I took Wendy's advice. I could have stayed home in my recliner. I could have avoided the windy conditions. I could have went to Bass Pro, ran errands, or changed the flapper in the guest bathroom. However, I'm glad that I took the opportunity to go fishing and experience a surprisingly good little trip. It's also a reminder that you never know what is going to happen when you go fishing. I've stated it a thousand times and I will state it a thousand more times; this is one of the most alluring parts of our sport. Fishing can be a little predictable but you can never predict exactly what is going to happen. The state longnose gar was caught when some folks were crappie fishing. Just click here to watch the video and I suggest you do because it is an incredible story! I took my middle school fly fishing club on a fishing trip in a wind advisory after a weather roller coaster last week. They had never caught or seen so many fish on any previous trips. One club member caught 43 hybrid bluegill! So the next time you have a chance to go fishing, and even if you go halfheartedly, just remember that you never know what is going to happen!
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