03-27-2004, 09:26 PM
[cool][blue][size 1]The past week has been upside down, with my mother being in the hospital with a broken thigh. I welcomed the opportunity to hit the water Saturday morning with Southernman, who was down from Vegas with his brother for some spring training games. He is from Chicago and a big Cubs fan, like 75% of the Phoenix population.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]We hit Saguaro Lake about 6:30 AM. The air temp was around 50 and the water was 65 when I launched my Fat Cat. Southernman trudged around the east shoreline to do some bankin'. He had already missed a couple of hits when I kicked close to his position.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]After missing a couple of hits myself, I switched to my tried and true white Roadrunner bait bug, with a piece of fish flesh...flavored with salt and shad oil. Within a few seconds of making the first cast with the white trinket, I felt a solid thump and set the hook in a heavy kitty fish. That was right on the dot of 7 AM, and I did not persuade it to climb into my net for about 15 minutes. It measured out about 25 inches and weighed an estimated 6.5 to 7 pounds. I put it in my basket, but never got it home. More about that later.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Just as I resumed fishing, I heard a resounding YEEEE HAWWW from the bank and observed Southernman locked in mortal combat. He had a heavy fish hooked, but alas his line gave up on him. He did not receive my condolences well. I think I asked him something about how many years it had been since he spooled with new line. His terse reply was that it was new line. I gave up before I got myself in trouble. Sorry, Dude.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I kicked around and tried different jigs and retrieves to no further benefit. Southernman scored a nice yellow bass, from his shoreline spot, and communicated same via the walkie talkies we brought. I kicked back over to the east bank area and soon got bit with another cat. This feisty two pounder turned my craft clear around about three times before joining the bigger one in the basket.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Once the sun hit the water, the yellow bass got more active. I scored several...before the swim club set out their buoys right on top of the "spot" and began holding olympic splashing contests. The fish on my sonar disappeared and my stick remained unbent for a long time. I had a couple more hits during lulls in the swimming activity.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Southernman finally got the hang of working one of my Roadrunners and brought in another nice yellow bass...missing several more of the now wary linesides. I collected his two fish for the dinner basket, when he had to leave early to take his brother back to the airport. I stayed another hour and managed a couple more yellow bass, but only after the swim club brought in their buoys and shut down for the day.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Back on the beach, I took out the camera and shot some pics for the folks back home. The shots of the fish in the basket went okay, as did the shot of my new lightweight 3 tube rod rack on its maiden voyage. Works great.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Then, I thought I would take the biggest cat out of the basket and pose it next to the 18 inch measure on my tube apron. That kittyfish cooperated nicely and stayed put when I laid it gently into position. BUT...as I opened the cover on the camera, that sneaky catfish arched its back and sprung about three feet up and out...making a perfect 6.0 dive into the shallow water where the rear of my craft still floated. With no hesitation, it rocketed toward deeper water, throwing a roostertail for the first few feet.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I wrote a post last year about catching a cat with a stringer still in its mouth. I called him Houdini. I think my cat must have come from the same family. They sure do have an instinct for escape and survival.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I still ended up with the smaller cat and a dozen nice yellow bass. Will let you know how they turned out on the table. Southernman, TubeBabe and myself are planning to dine royally on them before hitting the evening Cubs game.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]We hit Saguaro Lake about 6:30 AM. The air temp was around 50 and the water was 65 when I launched my Fat Cat. Southernman trudged around the east shoreline to do some bankin'. He had already missed a couple of hits when I kicked close to his position.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]After missing a couple of hits myself, I switched to my tried and true white Roadrunner bait bug, with a piece of fish flesh...flavored with salt and shad oil. Within a few seconds of making the first cast with the white trinket, I felt a solid thump and set the hook in a heavy kitty fish. That was right on the dot of 7 AM, and I did not persuade it to climb into my net for about 15 minutes. It measured out about 25 inches and weighed an estimated 6.5 to 7 pounds. I put it in my basket, but never got it home. More about that later.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Just as I resumed fishing, I heard a resounding YEEEE HAWWW from the bank and observed Southernman locked in mortal combat. He had a heavy fish hooked, but alas his line gave up on him. He did not receive my condolences well. I think I asked him something about how many years it had been since he spooled with new line. His terse reply was that it was new line. I gave up before I got myself in trouble. Sorry, Dude.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I kicked around and tried different jigs and retrieves to no further benefit. Southernman scored a nice yellow bass, from his shoreline spot, and communicated same via the walkie talkies we brought. I kicked back over to the east bank area and soon got bit with another cat. This feisty two pounder turned my craft clear around about three times before joining the bigger one in the basket.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Once the sun hit the water, the yellow bass got more active. I scored several...before the swim club set out their buoys right on top of the "spot" and began holding olympic splashing contests. The fish on my sonar disappeared and my stick remained unbent for a long time. I had a couple more hits during lulls in the swimming activity.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Southernman finally got the hang of working one of my Roadrunners and brought in another nice yellow bass...missing several more of the now wary linesides. I collected his two fish for the dinner basket, when he had to leave early to take his brother back to the airport. I stayed another hour and managed a couple more yellow bass, but only after the swim club brought in their buoys and shut down for the day.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Back on the beach, I took out the camera and shot some pics for the folks back home. The shots of the fish in the basket went okay, as did the shot of my new lightweight 3 tube rod rack on its maiden voyage. Works great.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Then, I thought I would take the biggest cat out of the basket and pose it next to the 18 inch measure on my tube apron. That kittyfish cooperated nicely and stayed put when I laid it gently into position. BUT...as I opened the cover on the camera, that sneaky catfish arched its back and sprung about three feet up and out...making a perfect 6.0 dive into the shallow water where the rear of my craft still floated. With no hesitation, it rocketed toward deeper water, throwing a roostertail for the first few feet.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I wrote a post last year about catching a cat with a stringer still in its mouth. I called him Houdini. I think my cat must have come from the same family. They sure do have an instinct for escape and survival.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I still ended up with the smaller cat and a dozen nice yellow bass. Will let you know how they turned out on the table. Southernman, TubeBabe and myself are planning to dine royally on them before hitting the evening Cubs game.[/size][/#0000ff]
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