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RECOMMENDED BY JIM PORTER
FARM 13 / STICK MARSH FISHING REPORT
FOR DECEMBER 2001
December 18, 2001
Checked those spawning areas yesterday PM. Larger males moving in and very easy to catch. May be going into a guard position already. Also had one tremendous giant female take the slow crank plug in the same area. So, things are shaping up as the spawn approaches.
I had an email query about why the southwest end of the farm is such a good spawning area, considering I am always saying to key to the north and west directions. Location, location, location are the key words. Consider the area you are fishing; then, think about where the NW and N winds will have the least effect on the area. That makes for the normal spawning concentration area. Anything to the western side will have a break from W and NW winds. So, the southern areas may not always be bad. But, nothing in fishing is an absolute. Every rule of fishing is broken time and again. The rules associated with spawning appear to occur the MAJORITY of the time and govern the process. Nut, there are always exceptions. That's why it's called 'fishing' and not 'catching'.
After looking for spawning areas, next look for some definitive break or feature outside that spawning area that would provide a gathering and holding place for the females. Females DO NOT go into the spawning flats on their own. They wait and a male will eventually come and herd her onto the nest. He actually does have to herd her, pushing and shoving and controlling direction just about like a sheepdog keeping his herd together. It is an interesting process to watch.
The female bass staging area is usually some form of open water, rather than cover oriented. Open water adjacent to a grass line is a possibility. A canal or ditch is another. Remember, the Marsh has little sand bottom visibility so sight fishing is basically nil. It can even be just the open water adjacent to the spawning area and it may have no specific cover or structure definition. The key is to find the proper spawning area. Once you locate the active males, it is just a matter of time before the females will be along. In the meantime, look for the female staging location.
The male bass will hit most any lure adaptable to the cover and water depth where they are. For the females, work slowly.
December 12, 2001
Ask predicted, the larger males are now moving to the spawning shallows. We made a special trip this afternoon to assess just that possibility and it was just fine. Yesterday, a friend reported catching 50 fish while fishing with his daughter. Because she fishes very little and normally uses a Zebco 33, Lou had her use a very lightly weighted Swimming Worm. Michelle caught 20+ of the 50 fish. But, the good part was that 20 of the 50 were GOOD fish. They fished the spawning areas we like and the false spawn juvenile bass have been 10 to 1 ratio for small fish to decent fish. So, Lou and Michelle had experienced a major improvement.
Our short period today was specifically concentrated on a 10-acre area that has, in the past, been habitually used for bass (and crappie) spawning. We used the swimming worm, an unweighted fluke, and a 4-inch Texas rig worm. All were readily attacked, but the swimming worm was best by a long shot. Most strikes on all lures came almost immediately after hitting the surface, indicating really aggressive fish. The ratio of small fish to decent fish went up a zillion percent, with 5 being 2.5 to 4 lbs for each dink or two that was caught. This says that what we predicted earlier has started to happen - the false spawn dinks are being pushed out by the true spawner males.
That also means that, within a week or two, we should find the big females very close to the area and possibly along the nearest canal lip, or grass line. I won't post quantities, but I did wear out 6 swimming worms in 2 hours (if that tells you something). Good times are a'coming. Think west, think north.
December 11, 2001
You never know what is going to happen on a guide trip. Sometimes fishing is good; sometimes it can be poor. I call that being the bug one day and the windshield the next.
But, the trips are usually always enjoyable and have little rewards all along the way.
Such was our recent trip with Pat Shay and his neighbor, Ozzie.
Picking up our shiners from Joe Middleton at the shack, we cruised over to the southeast floodgate in the Farm 13 section. As luck would have it, a boat was anchored too close to the location I wanted to fish and we had to settle for a second choice. A few bass later, we decided to make a major move to a different spot over in the Stick Marsh side.
Arriving at the Stick Marsh 'Super Secret Hawg Hole', we found ourselves basically all alone. As the shiners went swimming, two bass immediately gulped them down. But, they were small fish. After a lull in the action, one other bass came aboard. Then, it all went stale. The spot is so good most of the time that I was reluctant to leave it too quickly. Plus, it has produced many, many trophy bass. But, when the shiners put up their hammocks and started sunning themselves, I could tell they were in no immediate danger. So, we departed.
Our next stop had been a good spot the Friday before, with a number of 5-7 pound bass coming off it. Measuring the direction of the wind so as to keep the shiners in position, we anchored and got set up. Ozzie was the first to start teaching his shiners to swim, and swim they did.
BAM - down goes a bobber. As Ozzie is grabbing the rod and getting a hook set on the fish - BAM, down goes the second bobber. Hey, this is getting to be fun. Ozzie holds the first fish with his right hand and grabs for the now-departing second rod with his left. After a quick, hard hook set, the angler now has two bass on two different rods, but no way to reel or control either. So, he deftly holds one rod between his legs like a knock-kneed pelican and reels the other.
I think the bass did this on purpose. Since Don Willis, the self-proclaimed 'World's Worst Fisherman', fishes the location some, I suspect the bass assumed it was him on the other ends of the lines. Anyway, those two bass found ways to tangle the two lines that I had never thought of. One got off and the other stayed around to admire their handy work. The pictures tell the story.
Pat got into the swing of things, but found the mudfish though Willis was around, too. But, there were a lot more bass than mudfish and the bass finally took over.
When we booked the trip for Pat and Ozzie, Pat's wife advised me that the trip was her birthday present to Pat. Accordingly, she expected him to catch fish. I promised we'd do our best. My wife, Dot, even got into the act with the idea for an on-the-water birthday cake and present for Pat. Thank goodness, he also got a good fish to go with the cake.
December 6, 2001
 This week we had one of our more memorable guide trips, made possible by Don and Loretta (Lor) Musickant. Experiences like this are what make a guide's whole year.
First off, Don is 83 years old. He and Lor live on a mountaintop overlooking Las Vegas. Don has decided that there were many things he had planned to do over his lifetime, but never got around to experiencing. So, in this period of declining health, he and Lor made a list of those missed experiences and set out to 'make up the time'. Don told me he had never caught a bass over 2 pounds and that his goal was to catch a 'big one'. Lor, with a purse full of cameras, was going to record it.
Don has one of the wittiest minds and 'tongue-in-cheek' humor veins I have encountered in a long while. He has a flair for writing, I believe, as his emails were very entertaining. Some excerpts follow:
- "This Saturday I am in a "normal" mode because my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, has drawn a bye. Next Saturday, they'll be playing Michigan and I'll need injections to keep the agitation at a minimum. "
- "Loretta won't be fishing. She'll just keep taking pictures and applauding."
- "It is good your STRATOS is so big, as Lor seems a bit claustrophobic lately. Every time I put a pillow over her face, she seems to get agitated."
- "We shall meet you there at the appointed time, with great expectations and expired credit card in hand."
'Meet' we did, and what a great experience it was for all of us.
As I helped them into the boat, I put my neck out a little and assured Don and Lor that we would do even better than had hoped. Maybe there was a little premonition on my part in doing so, but I felt confident. Health conditions only allowed a few hours on the water, but the fishing had been very good in past days.
On our way across the Marsh and Farm 13, we saw wildlife galore. A big gator slid off the grass as we passed and an Osprey dove for a shad right beside the boat. Statuesque Blue Herons stood at attention and as road guards all along our way. We even had the opportunity to interrupt our run and idle close to a beautiful Bald Eagle surveying his domain from the top of the remnants of a long-dead tree. Mallards, Teal and the ever-present Coot ducks bordered us right and left the entire distance.
Pulling into a stretch of shoreline back near the SE floodgate in the Farm, we positioned the boat, set the anchors and helped Don into the front fishing seat of the STRATOS.
The first four wild shiners we flipped up to the grassy shoreline cover hardly made it to the water and were immediately blasted on the surface.
'Bam, bam, bam, gotcha!!'
Don's first fish exceeded his original 2-pound record by 2 additional pounds. The fat-bellied 4.2-pound bass appeared to be a female with developing egg sacs. In the next 2 hours, his catch of 22 more bass would all exceed the 2-pound mark significantly. I would estimate the average weight at a bit over 3 pounds. 23 bass on 36 shiners equals a 64% success rate. That's pretty darn good for anyone, let alone a gentleman with advanced arthritis and a lot of miles behind him.
When the initial blow-ups from the active bass in the grass line stopped, the bobbers were still never motionless for long. The bite of nearly all bass caught was sudden, strong and swift. There was no playing with the shiners and no giving them a second chance; the fish just went on the shiners with an intensity and determination. Occasionally, the bobber would go down so fast a popping sound was heard. Bass appeared to be passing through on a regular basis. Another boat, about 30 yards from us, seemed intent on setting a new record for mudfish catches and must have sent their bass population down our way, too.
Although Lor did not fish, as she dutifully recorded voluminous film records of the morning, she did have to rescue a rod that very nearly went over the side from a sudden strike and run. Having the rod already in her hands, Don told her to go ahead and land the fish. After a few shrieks from Lor and three excursions under the boat by the big fish, a nice Farm bass came over the side. As fate would decree it for a non-fisherperson, the fish was in excess of 5 pounds.
Sometimes during the 2-hour cycle of action, Don latched onto what would be his personal 'trophy'. After the hook set, the big fish surged up to the surface and gave us a close-up and personal look at her 24 inch frame. As Don waved me off and stated that he needed no help, the bass bullied her way around the front of the boat and to the backside. Our guest angler performed absolutely like a seasoned veteran, as he kept her off the anchor rope and out from under the boat hull.
With his largest bass weighing in at nearly 7 pounds, Don Musickant stated that he was more than satisfied that he had accomplished his 'experience' goal for bass fishing.
And, you know what? I think I did, too.
Thanks, Don and Lor. It just doesn't get much better!
December 2, 2001
I put up the hex sign, threw Muskie Jitterbugs at Don Willis, and finally gave up and paid him 20 bucks to get his 'World's Worst Fisherman' jinx at least 200 yards away from us. I think the fish then gave him $30. So much for free enterprise.
So, WE moved. THAT worked!
Craig Martin, and his buddy Tom, started out with 5 on topwater and then moved to the grass with shiners. Couldn't make the grass work, even around the Magic Tree. So, we moved to a grass section along a tree line. Still nothing.
Made the decision to go to wood. George Welcome was sitting close to a spot we like and doing OK. So, we decided the wood decision might be the trick.
Recalling a big cluster of large stumps that were around a small depression (probably a pothole surrounded by trees at one time), we moved out past George and set up. Sure enough, there were fish. After a couple of flurries of fish activity, we decided to try for more and larger fish.
The next spot was grass again (dumb, dumb). Didn't stay there long. So, we made a major move and hit the paydirt.
The first 4-5 shiners tossed along the drop-off were blown up on the surface. Shiners flopping and water flying and all of us whopping it up. The way fishing should always be. The blow-ups then stopped, but 'bobber down' stayed pretty steady. Size stayed so-so until, suddenly, Craig had an old Momma bass take his stuff. Boy, was she a beautiful specimen. Fat from too many shiners and two growing egg sacs. Then, the shiners ran out.
Heck, we were all having too much fun to quit and there were 45 minutes of daylight left. So, off to the land of the thick cover. We decided to just fish until the cows came home, daylight to dark.
Sure enough, it paid off and a number of small fish waxed the worms and flukes. As it was about to get dark, I started getting the trolling motor up and the seats down. Craig and Tom both applied the 'rule of the wet lure' and kept casting.
Sure enough, both their last casts produced bass. Lucky Craig again got the big one. We took a photo with the rapidly sinking sun behind him.
We also tried to take a photo of the ramp with the full moon over it, but you can see we were a bit late getting back.
Another good day with great company.
Today's Weather for
the Stick Marsh Area
Past Fishing Reports
Farm 13/Stick Marsh Information Guide
Email questions to jporter@jimporter.org.
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