Caught Aqua-Marine Round Valley Reservoir Bass w/Abundant Sun

 Photo is evidence I might have caught more bass if I fished the reservoir instead of the pond. But no regrets for five minutes on the way out, catching that bass on my last cast, because I encountered two beautiful black rat snakes about four feet long way down the trail along the pond's west side.

I walked to the reservoir edge to immediately see that brown trout being fought, photographed below. He had two close to 20 inches on shiners. Scouting shadows along the edge which reached into four-foot depths, I noticed a large congregation of sunfish and some small bass which heightened my interest since often larger bass are just beyond in deeper water. I also noticed a school of shiners huddled in very shallow water, dispersing as I approached. Walking back towards the corner, a bass about 10 inches grabbed a shiner almost at my feet. Fascinating that a catchable sized bass had run into Round Valley water inches deep, but I've noticed such as this for a couple of years now and have caught more than a few from two feet of water. I used to think you couldn't catch bass in Round Valley Reservoir in less than 10 feet of that crystal clear water.

I fished in the corner area, but out in 10 or 12 feet of water--very carefully--with the seven-inch Chompers those last three or four casts. I didn't want to blow it because today marks the eighth day in a row for my fishing log (handwritten) without getting skunked, and I like to see numbers unbroken by zeros.

The take felt almost like a sunfish, but a split second later I knew--no, it's a smallish bass (I think). 10 or 12 feet down and about 10 yards out I could see the patch of vegetation this bass emmerged from. Abundant sunshine and all, once again the reservoir didn't let me down.

The first black rat snake shook its tail rapidly in the grass like a copperhead imitates a rattler. Or perhaps snakes don't imitate, that's an anthropomorphism, but I really don't know--did snakes other than pit vipers encounter rattlers doing it and actually mimic them? I doubt it, but who knows. These two rat snakes looked plenty intelligent to me. They certainly are keenly aware. 

The first made no quick exit. It did it's tail thing, then rounded out into strike position confronting me, its eyes locked into mine, not moving. As I took photos, I heard a rustle in bushes yards away and supposed another was present before I saw it actually coming our way. This snake came right up to check me out, eyes locked into mine, as if it were the other's mate making sure things were cool. You've got to see the photo of the second snake not about a foot from my right boot. I never took a step forward. I don't mean I was afraid. I wasn't at all and that's why, I'm sure, this snake felt comfortable coming right to me. Snakes sense that people afraid of them are likely to kill them.