A short stint on the same lake as last week, though we were out there for more than three hours. Fifty-five degrees when we got on, and somehow 55 when we got off the water at about 9:30 a.m. Later in the day, temperatures would rise into the mid- to upper-80's.
Once again, the Yo Zuri caught bass, three this time, the biggest about 17 inches. Brian threw some plugs, too, though he caught his bass on a Chatterbait. I also threw the Mini King and a size 7 Rapala floater. Yellow perch colored. Something small hit that plug right before I would have lifted it.
Bass Didn't Want a Chatterbait
I just got the feeling last week that bass here don't want to kill a Chatterbait. I used one for about the first hour, and it did get knocked once...not really committed to. At the other private lake we fish, bass nail Chatterbaits so hard it's like they're absolutely furious. This outing and the previous, Brian has spoken of bass "pushing" his Chatterbait instead of slamming it, so many times I just don't want to use one. And sure enough, the plug's paid off, though three bass isn't many.
Water temp was 65. It was 60 last week, so it's not like the water's cold.
First Try of Lake's Center
We did something different this morning--trolled through the center of the lake. It's round but shallow. My son and I used to fish Lake Musconetcong years ago, and we always caught bass out in the middle. Everywhere you go there, it's five feet deep, though bass have amplitudes of weeds to thrive on. I suppose even after they bombed the place with weed killer. Here, it's six feet deep. So if there's cover out there, you can bet there's bass, but we only got hit near shore just to the right of where we launched. When we went out, and when we came back before we trailered up.
Two Attempts Compared
We did better in less time today, and we didn't suffer boredom like we did last week, not to mention how badly my lower back suffered without a seat cushion, but the outing last week culminated well: a long journey from one bass to the next four hours later. It ended well today, too, though not so dramatically after moments of despair.
It doesn't matter that the fishing hasn't been up to standard. Not compared to having the opportunity to fish with Brian again. Has been a long while. And he's reminded me today a number of times that figuring out a new lake is a worthy challenge. No guarantee exists that this one will ever yield. It reminds me more of Budd Lake, though I've only fished the six-foot depths out there near its middle through the ice; Lake Musconetcong's weedy cover makes it very interesting to fish.
If there's stumps out there, there's probably bass, but they might be hard to find.
So It Doesn't Add Up...Yet
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