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My buddy and I started out the day fishing the Green River for salmon but that didn't go to well. We checked out a spot we had good luck before and got nothing in the 1 hour or so that we fished there. So we debated to either try our luck bass fishing on Desire for what may be our last chance before winter, or to move to another spot. We chose to take our chances bass fishing.
At our spot on the Green River, it was hardly raining and there was no wind. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as we get in the boat, the rain and wind picks up. We started out working some docks and pads and within a few casts, my buddy misses a fish while he's busy controlling the trolling motor and battling the wind. It stole his bait off of his drop shot. Although it's never a good feeling losing a fish, it gave us hope that he fish would be biting in this nasty weather.
We kept working our way along the bank drop shotting, throwing jigs, various plastics, swimbaits, etc. As I am working my drop shot, twitching it along, I don't feel a bite but I just feel a lot of weight so I set the hook hard! My rod gets stopped in place and for a split second I wonder if I have a snag. Nope, it's head shaking and it's coming in! FISH ON!!! And oh man it's a nice one!!! It peeled out drag, made several runs, shaking it's head hard and thrashing around! We get a glimpse of it and both of us are like OH MAN!! NICE ONE!! I was guessing at least 2 - 2.5 lbs, maybe 3. I get her close to the boat and my buddy lips her for me and we get it in the boat! YES!! We snap a few photos and weigh her up. My Berkley Digital Scale put her at 3 lb 4 oz! YES!! YES!! YES!! I haven't caught a largemouth or any bass over 2 lbs since late summer so I was absolutely dying for one!!
Very Next Cast, I twitch it a few times and the same exact thing happens. I don't feel a bite. I just feel the weight and I set the hook! FISH ON!! I'm fighting it in and it's peeling out some drag and shaking it's head. It feels heavier than the last one. I get it really close to the surface, see the fish flash, and she gets off the hook! BUMMER! This happened within a matter of 5 seconds so it wasn't hooked for long. Must have been barely hooked. I was super disappointed but what can you do right? I make another cast, nothing. I make a second cast, and the same thing happens AGAIN! I felt the weight, set the hook and FISH ON! This time it's hooked good and putting up an awesome fight! Just like the first fish this one was a drag peeler, a head shaker, and a hard runner! But this fish felt heavier, put an even bigger bend in my rod, and fought much harder! I made sure not to horse her and tire her out a bit before trying to land her. I get her close to the boat and my buddy grabs the line and is trying to lip her. I'm getting ultra nervous just hoping that my line doesn't snap. He gets her in and she's a nice one! Snap a couple picks and weigh her up. She came in at 3 lb 7 oz! My buddy and I both saw the one that got off flash and it was pretty much the exact same size. We both came to the conclusion that it was very likely that I caught the fish I lost, 2 casts after losing it.
Both of these beautiful fish were released to grow bigger and fight another day. Both of these fish also came out from the exact same spot. On top of that, both of these fish also completely inhaled my lure. They were hooked in the roof of their mouth, way back towards their throat. When I caught the first one, I was nervous because I couldn't see my bait and was worried that with all the headshakes, my line would get frayed from the teeth and snap. After releasing the fish I check my line and right above the knot, the line is super frayed. I cut it and retie my drop shot. Same exact thing with the second fish. I was nervous when I didn't see my bait and my line got really frayed. I cut it off and retied again. Both of these fish didn't really hit my baits but rather just inhaled them and I'm guessing tried to swim off.
A few minutes later, I decided to rig up a spider grub in a new way that I personally have seen or heard of anyone else doing. Most people use it as a trailer, texas rig it, or use it on a football head. I decided to try something a little different, a little more finesse that gave it a very slow rate of fall and allowed the bait to fall horizontally instead of vertically. After several casts, I'm slowly working it back to the boat when I feel weight on the end of the line and I set the hook! Fish on! This time it's a dink that was probably about 1/2 - 3/4 lb. I'm super excited that I got 3 fish in the boat within a matter of 15 minutes or less.
We then fished on for a while and got no more fish. My buddy missed one more fish that stole his plastic again.
What an amazing day! I have fished Desire 4 - 5 times this year and have never been able to land anything over 1.5 lbs. Today I killed my previous personal bests from this lake with a 3-4 and a 3-7! Before today, my biggest fish on a drop shot was a 3 lb 0 oz Smallmouth. I beat it with my 3-4 Largemouth and then I beat it again 3 casts later with my 3-7 Largemouth!
What an AWESOME WAY to bring closure to the 2011 Bass Fishing Season. I may try a couple more times but with water temps dropping quickly, chances are getting more and more slim. Oh yeah, I don't know the exact water temp but when I felt it with my hands, it was absolutely freezing! I would say low 50's for sure.
First Pic is the 3-4.
Second Pic is the 3-7.