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FARM 13 / STICK MARSH FISHING REPORT
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March 26, 2004
Every so often, a guide trip becomes one of those 'special days'. Just as we don't know why fish don't seem to bite, even when all the conditions look like they should, we also don't know why some days they appear to try and jump into the boat! My common-sense answer is that you don't catch fish because you are probably NOT fishing where they are. (Remember, FINDING them is the hard part!)
We just finished an absolutely great trip with Charles King and his son, Kevin. Kevin is a student at Duke University and it was Spring Break time. So, Dad invited him fishing on the fabled Stick Marsh. It turned out to be that 'special day' when everything seemed to be in our favor. The bass were everywhere we fished and were more than ready and willing to eat our shiners and artificials.
Just picture this: The first two shiners we put in the water get eaten immediately. As I net Charlie's 5-pound bass, Kevin is having his own good time trying to control a giant. The hook on Charlie's fish gets hung in the net and we can't get the fish out. So, we drop her back into the net just in time to scoop up Kevin's 10 pounder. Now, that's a net FULL of bass and a heck of a way to get started.
Our first stop was a schooling location on the east-west canal that bisects Farm 13. This combination shellbed and grassbed location is the only place I have seen that has bass chasing baitfish on the surface year-round. Normally, that type activity stops in the winter and spring months, kicking back off when the weather gets hot again. But, this group of fish just stayed at it. And, their bodies show it. All are like footballs, meaning that they eat all the time. Their growth in length just can't keep up, proportionally, with their increase in girth. They also have a tremendous amount of strength and stamina for fish their size. BY the way, did I say that they average 3.5 to 4 pounds? Yep, they do, and there are usually a few big fish mixed in with them.
Setting up with two anchors, we got everything rigged and tossed out those remarkable first two shiners. That set the pace of the day. The action was constant, with shiner after shiner going down the tube and big fat bass coming up in their place. The number of four pound - plus bass that came off our fishing hole was astonishing.
And, when the action started to slow a bit, we simply moved the boat 50 feet and it all started over again!
The south end of the Farm was also hot for drifting shiners, but then it has been for a long time. All you really have to do is stay away from all the other boat traffic and the fish will cooperate. I think all the boats drifting back and forth over some of the small areas they seem to concentrate on causes the bass to drop down into the grass. I am sure you have seen fish run like mad when the shadow of a bird moves across the water. Think about what it may look like to them when 15-20 boats are constantly overhead.
When we finished up, I think all three of us were in a state of shell shock. I had so many pictures of big bass coming into the boat, I was unable to remember which fish weighed what. Plus, when they get to be giants, it is truly hard to tell which was the largest.
Needless to say, I expect we'll see Charlie and Kevin back again!!!
 Larry 'Doc' Tolley was just down on the Marsh with us in February. He and our old friend, Gary Sale, had made their annual pilgrimage from the cold mountaintop in Winchester, VA. That time we put as much time on crappie and we did on bass.
We the duo got back to Winchester, the weather was still in the 20's during the day and downright cold at night! So, when Doc's son, Ben, mentioned he had Spring Break coming up at dental school, the wheels in Doc's pointy head started whirling.
I can see the thought progression clearly:
- Cold as Hades here; but it's warm in Florida.
- Lots of ice here in Virginia; lots of big fish in warm Florida.
- Ben has a week off from college; I have a week off all the time.
- If Porter has a guide opening tomorrow, we can be there in 16 hours driving time.
- And, it gets warmer every mile we go south!
- Plus, Ben's older brother lives in Orlando; we can always make like we are going to visit him instead of fishing!
- Where's that telephone!?
In all fairness, I have to say they pair did stop at the older son's home in Orlando. But, the next morning, they arrived at my place ready to thaw out and do some fishing. And, they got to do just that.
We only had a short period of rain, with the rest being beautiful, warm and sunny. The shiners got bit and the Stik-Os got chased pretty good, too.
We had to hunt around for awhile with the shiners, as the bass were thin on our primary spots. Then, we though about the old submerged barge where we took Tony Principe for some last-minute bassy heroics the week before. Sure enough, the bass were right where they should have been and we got them good! There was a lot of hydrilla underwater that continually snagged the shiners. But, we found a small spot, about the size of a five-gallon bucket lid that was clear and right at the edge of the thick overhead vegetation. Everytime a shiner hit that spot cleanly, the shiner and bobber immediately disappeared back under the vegetation mat. It was a matter of putting your foot on the gunnel of the boat and simply winching the big bass out. Doc got the giant bass of the day out of there, plus a couple of more in the 5-6 pound range. A good number of lesser sizes also took the shiners before we ran out of them. Ben got the 'Last Gasp' Award by getting a solid three pounder on the last shiner in the livewell. Never say die!!!
Of course, the Stik-Os did their usual magic after the shiners were gone. Ben got the upper hand on the artificial s and did a job on Doc. He got the right 'touch' and proceeded to work the fish over good, with a couple of big old sows to his credit.
Doc and Ben are back in the mountains now. And, it is still cold. But, turkey season is just around the corner and so are those warmer April showers.
 The month of March has been spectacular on the Stick Marsh. In fact, looking back at my records, March has ALWAYS been exceptional. I think it would be a good idea to remember this for next year, if you plan to make a trip down to fish. In fact, I caught an 11-lb. 11-oz. bruiser while out with Greg Glickstein yesterday. He and I had one of those 'special days' all over again, with 6 pound, and up, bass coming from all directions. You'll read about that trip and see the remarkable pictures soon.
The HARD SAYING for today:
SUCCESS ALWAYS OCCURS IN PRIVATE, WHILE FAILURE HAPPENS IN FULL VIEW OF EVERYONE.
March 20, 2004
 Dave Krupa and Jim Mallinak made up their minds -- they were going to get their butts in gear and get out of the cold!! It was 17 hours to the Stick Marsh from Ohio and they drove straight through, too. In fact, it was only a couple of hours after they made it safely in that I met them at the ramp.
Dave and Jim made an excellent decision in hiring a guide for the first half day on the Marsh. Anyone, who spends the money and time to drive to Florida, dragging a boat all the way, should invest in gaining the knowledge of someone who knows the waters. First, it gets them on fish right away and gets them a running start on catching. And, very important on the Stick Marsh, they learn where they can run that boat safely.
As it turned out, Jim was Dave's boss back at the workplace. But, these two fishing buddies left all that back at the office. When I asked Dave if Jim being the boss meant Jim was to get the big bass, he assured me that was NOT the case. So, we left the ramp with hopes of two big old girls biting a shiner or a jerk bait.
I think the pictures speak for themselves. Jim did, in fact, get the big bass that afternoon, but not by much. Dave's was a close second.
A good time was had by one and all. And, as usual, I got the best end of the deal, watching to two good friends whooping it up and having great time on the Stick Marsh.
It was a long drive from Atlanta, but Mike Rittelmeyer and Tom Hispanski figured it might be worth it if big Stick Marsh bass were a possibility. Well, getting away from all that late-winter cold weather just might have also been a reason, too.
It's tough to watch bass run a shiner to the surface. I kinda feel sorry for the little critter. He looks like he's trying to find a ladder to climb out of the water on. And, then, Ms. Giant Bass decides to help the shiner climb up in the air. BAM!! She also helps by catching him as he comes down. SLURP! I don't care how many times I have seen that scenario, it still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck!
Mike and Tom must have arrived at the right time. It appeared as though the bass were starting training for the Fishy Olympics high jump and shiner-blasting contest. Mike was in the 'lucky seat' this day, as the bigger bass seemed to gravitate to his end of the boat. He caught a number of big old girls and I had a hard time deciding which picture to use. I finally settled on his Big Lady, who still had one heck of a potbelly, even though she was obviously spawned out. That belly is always an indicator of a truly BIG bass. One they get to around 10 pounds, the lengths of big bass varies little. The extra mass, as they get larger and larger, is nearly always contained in the girth. You can compare it to Bubba down at Bunny and Fluffy's bar. He may not have eaten in awhile, but that big old gut will still be hanging over his Big Smith work pants. Just from seeing that, you KNOW Bubba is a pretty big boy.
Another fine day on the fabulous Stick Marsh, with great weather and two new friends. I sure love my job!
 
We just finished a trip-of-a-lifetime with Charles King and his son, Kevin. But, we don't have time yet to get the pictures and write-up done before we post this report. It gets saved to the next round. But, just picture this:
The first two shiners in the water get eaten immediately. As I net Charlie's 5-pound bass, Kevin is having his own good time trying to control a giant. The hook on Charlie's fish gets hung in the net and we can't get the fish out of the net. So, we drop her back into the net just in time to scoop up Kevin's 10 pounder. Now, that's a net FULL of bass.
See you then for the full story.
Today's HARD SAYING: THE PROBLEM WITH THE GENE POOL IS THAT THERE IS NO LIFEGUARD!
March 13, 2004
I guess I am behind on fishing reports again! But, getting the chance to meet so many good folks and to fish all the time does have some advantages. But, having enough time to get all the administrative stuff done is not one of them.
We have been using a method of presenting shiners that has been awesome. I am going to do a special article on that presentation method, as well as the key piece of equipment that makes it possible. That key piece of equipment also makes fishing in many difficult situations very productive. You won't want to miss this informative article.
One day in late February, we received a call from Tony Principe. Tony is a resident of what was then a very cold and blustery Chicago. It seemed Tony had booked a guide over in the Kissimmee area for two days of 'get me outta this winter freezer' fishing. But, the guy called and said his boat was broken down and he couldn't do the trip. What a bummer, for sure. Tony had even purchased his plane tickets (non-refundable, of course). He started to frantically look for guide names on the Internet and came across one of my counterparts, Capt. Frank Carbon, down in the Miami area. Frank is THE premiere guide for largemouth bass in the 'Glades' and Peacock bass in south Florida (www.hawghunterguideservice.com). He also guides the Stick Marsh for multiple day trips. But, he was booked, so he sent Tony my way.
Tony is glad he did, too!
We dished shiners most of the time and had them blowing the hapless bait up on the surface. But, most were just average fish. Occasionally, Tony had a nice one grab on. But I sure wanted him to have a BIG Stick Marsh bass to make up for all the aggravation he had gone through.
So, with about a dozen shiners left late in the day, I suggested we go to my 'Super Secret Hawg Hole'. Well, the area not so secret. In fact, it gets fished to death. BUT, virtually no one knows where the old sunken barge is ------ that's the secret!!!
The wind was not ideal to hold the shiners in on the grass line, nor over the submerged grass bed on the old barge. We improvised a bit and tried the shiners.
Boy, did those poor little critters get attacked. I mean immediately and hard! But, it was a resident school of giant mudfish sucking them down. With four shiners in the well, we moved the boat a bit. At the same time, the wind changed and our set-up on the grass line got a lot better.
Shiner #4 picked up a gigantic chain pickerel.
Shiner #3 deep-sixed as soon as it touched the water, but nothing was there when Tony set the hook.
Shiner #2 hit the water swimming, making an immediate run for the grass bed. Then, the shiner tried to climb a ladder and splashed on the surface. Bam!! A 5.5 lb. largemouth went all over the bait. Tony smiled like the proverbial possum!
Shiner #1, the final salute, landed right at the edge of the grass line and immediately swam for open water. Just as I was about to bring it in and re-position the bait close to the grass, the shiner did a 180 and made for the grass.
 Shiner #1 never made the grass line. The bobber actually made a popping noise as it was pulled down hard. Tony set the hook and we watched for the telltale sign of a rolling motion (mudfish) or of the line starting to cut towards the surface (a bass heading up to jump). The fish made a strong rush away from the boat, but turned right on Tony's pressure. As the fish moved towards to end of the boat, the line started to cut upwards!! I called out that it was a bass and to keep her from the anchor rope. As Tony applied pressure, the bass surfaced and tried to get its 8 lb.-plus body into the air. One more pass by the front of the boat and the beauty went into the net.
What can be said, except that it was the end of the day and the very last shiner. Maybe it was just never giving up and maybe it was a bit of luck, too. But, Tony got his big bass!!
Don't you just love that smile?!
Ron and Don Benton are brothers. Ron, an ex-military office like me, lives in south Florida. He works too much and fishes too little. Don, on the other hand, lives in Texas and fishes too much. I suspect they will soon name a Lake Fork boat ramp after him.
It is all a matter of priorities. Confucius say, "Do not lay on death bed wishing you had spent more time at the office!"
But, these two brothers and buddies travel all over plying the waters for all types of fish when they can. And, they certainly know how to fish.
We majored in 'soft jerk bait out in the submerged wood of the Stick Marsh'. Don had a solid B for a grade, until he caught all the large bass. He then went to an A. Ron, on the other hand, had an A all the way, as he figured out the finesse presentation of the Stik-O about as quickly and as well as anyone I have seen.
We let the wind drift us across the west-central section of the Stick Marsh, hooking fish after fish, while trying to keep them out of all the brush beneath the water. It soon became apparent that a heavy action, 7-foot rod with 17-20 lb. line was the ticket for this location. I fished off the backside, away from my clients, and got bit well. The problem was that my medium-heavy spinning rods, being only 6-feet long, failed to give me the leverage to immediately get the fish up on top of the water and too keep it there. Even with the no-stretch feature of my Fireline, a number of the bass hung me up. But, the truth of the matter is that short of a winch and steel cable, it is really difficult to get the big bass out of all that submerged brush and timber.
Ron waxed us all with quantity. He was talking to that soft bait and made it do its job. But, as noted earlier, it was Don with the larger fish of the day.
Both guys had big bass on, but lost them. One that I saw cleanly was a good 9 lbs. or better. Two others may have been as big, or bigger. But, that's how they get big in the Stick Marsh -- by getting away. And, that's the story of my life.
In the fishing guide game, a guide gets to meet a lot of people. Well, let me tell you that they don't get any better than Randy and Connie Medlin.
Spending a month in Florida and away from the cold winter of St. Louis, these two were ready to try the Stick Marsh.
Connie told me that she did not plan to fish. She was going to take pictures and applaud a lot for Randy. Plus, she planned to lounge under her umbrella and read a book when things were slow. Randy wished she hadn't said all that. It never fails, as you shall see.
With shiners bouncing off the walls of the livewells, we departed the ramp with great expectations. The weather was perfect, with no cold fronts or changes in the past 5 days. Everything appeared stable. Yet, the bass were very inactive. It was either that, or we just did not fish where they were hanging out. I mean, it was slow.
Finally things started to pick up. Shiners got blown up. Randy boated a number of them. There were no big bass, but most were averaging 3-3.5 lbs. It was 'good catching'.
In fact, it got so good at times that two rods would go down at once. One of those times, Randy was fast on a good fish. So, what else does a friendly fishing guide do?? He hands the second rod to the second client.
Connie was not too receptive to this deal. She acted like she did not want the rod. But, I told her the bass had the shiner, Randy was presently pre-occupied, and the guide does not land the customer's fish for them. (If he does, the darn thing will surely be 12 pounds!!)
So, Connie took the rod and I coached her through getting up the very abundant slack line. Then, as the line got tight, I advised that she point the rod directly at the fish and, when she felt weight on the rod, to pull back as hard as she could.
Yep, now you know the rest of the story. Connie got the big bass of the day. Plus, she decided that just maybe she would put that book away and watch that second rod foe awhile.
It's days like that, with Randy and Connie, that make guiding fun!!
A parting thought: 'IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, DESTROY ALL EVIDENCE THAT YOU EVER TRIED!!'
Today's Weather for
the Stick Marsh Area
Past Stick Marsh Fishing Reports
Farm 13 / Stick Marsh Information Guide
Email questions to jporter@jimporter.org.
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