I decided to go fishing after work and didn’t really feel like hitting Lake Washington as what I really want to catch there will have to wait until Tuesday. I decided to hit the secret hole near the house. When I arrived the water was like a mirror and although it was seven thirty the sun hadn’t broken over the trees so none of the lake was bathed in light. Noting that the weather has been warm I decided that I would use my grasshopper popper, I had a feeling these guys were going to be top feeding.

I have a normal circuit I fish on this lake and I started out in the cove. I had worked this area for about 15 minutes and was thinking of moving when Slam, LMB ambushed the popper, set the hook and pulled him in 8 ¾” not a bad start. I cast out again and was hit again but this fish was too small to deal with the popper. I could see that the sun had finally hit the other side of the lake and decided to move on over there.

There is an island in this lake that can be accessed via a fallen log, so I crossed and started to fish the midway point of the island where the fish were just leaping out of the water. It was at this point that I noticed sitting above the Milfoil what looked like a tiny splotch of water that was being rained on. I cast out toward it and noticed it shift to the side. It was a bunch of fry schooling together and the bass were just eating them up. I worked the Milfoil pad for about another hour catching three LMB, largest one around 12” and the smallest one not much bigger than popper, greedy little guy.

In my opinion surface fishing is one of the most exciting ways to fish and with this lake I am becoming obsessed as I know there is a large bass in it. Two weeks ago he mouthed my popper and easily had a lot of extra space and instantaneously spit it out; heart pumping moment to say the least. I will get him.

---