Rob's Thursday morning Hunting & Fishing log

From this week going forward I have time in my schedule to go hunting or fishing on Thursday mornings. I use to only hunt Saturday mornings, but this will allow me to spend more time with Jennie and Mia on the weekends. Now if hunting or fishing is REALLY good on Thursday, then I might just have to get after them again on Saturday. I grew up hunting and fishing with my dad on a weekly basis and sometimes several times a week. I haven't gone fishing as much last 15 years as I would like, maybe about 4 trips a year. I will have to scout and try different things to up my game on the fishing. It will be a challenge at first as I look for locations and find productive patterns. I have added challenge of being boatless, but hopefully I can get one by the end of year. So for now my fishing will be from the bank. After each trip whether a good or bad trip I will log the catch, sometimes pictures, and tell a few lies too.

Report #: 1

Date & Time: April 2nd, 2009 (8 to 10:30 AM)

What & Where: River bank fishing for White Bass upstream from Lake Grapevine.

Results: 1 White Bass (0 Kept)

Lies & Lessons Learned: So my first Thursday trip wasn't great, but at least caught one. I had never been to this place before and scouted about half mile of this river. Water is very low and parts of it not passable by the fish, so fishing the holes. The White Bass are upstream trying to spawn right now or stuck post spawn. Should have got there right at sunrise as two other fisherman in same spot caught 3 keepers then. So I need to get there earlier and I'm going to try a few different lures. I had a catfish pole out too with liver, a few nibbles from small ones just stealing my bait.

 

I might just do that. I have planned to hit the Sporting Clays some Thursday mornings. You can join me, the shop will be fine.

 

I had to miss today! I am an instrument pilot now though!

If I don't have a headache in the morning I will hit the river, a little closer to the lake. I think the white bass run is over.

 

Report #: 2

Date & Time: April 10th, 2009 (7:45 to 10:30 AM)

What & Where: River bank fishing for Crappie and White Bass upstream from Lake Grapevine.

Results: 16 White Bass, 8 Crappie, 1 Bluegill (1 White Bass keeper)

Lies & Lessons Learned: Same river, but only about a 1/2 mile from where it feeds into Lake Grapevine. A neat little place in a park, cost $3 for parking. Spotted a Turkey driving in, hard to spot in the picture back in the woods. Jumped 3 Blue Winged Teal spot I fished, later a Mallard drake landed down from me and right before I left 2 Canada Geese circled and landed upstream. Small White Bass and Crappie were thick, just couldn't find the big ones. Both have to be 10" to keep. I caught a few crappie just short of 10" and they have more meat on them than a 13" White Bass. I prefer Crappie fishing and eating, but the White Bass put up a great fight. I don't think there are many keepers in this area, but this will be a perfect place to take Jennie and Mia to have fun catching. The last pic is maybe the smallest Crappie I have ever been able to land and that says much considering I've caught about 5,000 Crappie in my life. Not much bigger than the minnow.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Report #: 3

Date & Time: April 16th, 2009 (9:30 to 11:30 AM)

What & Where: River bank fishing for Crappie and White Bass upstream from Lake Grapevine.

Results: 2 White Bass, 3 Crappie (2 White Bass keepers)

Lies & Lessons Learned: After the fast action on small ones last week I figured this would be the perfect place to take Mia. I knew she wouldn't stay interested long, so didn't rush to get out there early. We arrived about 9:30 AM. I think the morning bite was mostly over and got a bad batch of minnows, several were already dead when we arrived and the others were inactive and dying. I will look into portable minnow buckets that keep them alive longer. In winter it isn't too hard to keep them healthy and alive. We fished for about 40 minutes with not a single bite. I was disappointed to get her out there and not to see a single fish caught. She was having a blast playing with the dead minnows though. Finally got a bite and brought in a very nice White Bass, well over the minimum length. I would reel them in close to shore and then let Mia fight them for awhile. She can't reel yet, but fights them holding the pole and then backs up until the fish is on shore. We did this routine with the 5 fish we caught and she had a ton of fun. Both the White Bass were very nice sized and 2 of the Crappie were just half-inch short of legal. Looks like I have another fishing buddy.

Mia fighting and bringing in a White Bass (3.4 Mb): http://www.ferrarichat.com/images/fishing/MOV08518.MPG
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Report #: 4

Date & Time: April 23rd, 2009 (7:00 to 11:00 AM)

What & Where: River bank fishing for Crappie and White Bass upstream from Lake Grapevine.

Results: 7 White Bass, 2 Channel Catfish, 6 Crappie, 1 Bluegill (keepers: 7 White Bass, 2 Channel Catfish)

Lies & Lessons Learned: It was time for me to get my game on and fill up the skillet. Decided to get out there sunrise and work them hard all morning to get as many keepers as possible. Last week I was with Mia for her fun and week before that was my first time figuring out this spot. I started 7 AM and they were biting. Had 2 keeper White Bass within 10 minutes. The White bass were biting through about 8:30 AM and then the Crappie started biting, but all the Crappie were below the 10 inch minimum. Something new today I got 2 Channel Catfish biting the minnows. They are a great fight and although not very big, perfect restaurant size for eating. Also cool I caught 4 different species of fish, most were on minnows, but also caught some on spoons and jigs. Didn't catch much at all past 9 AM, but I kept after them hard. They're all cleaned and we're having fresh fish for dinner tonight.

I’m going to start exploring some new places on this same lake. I also have an idea for a little more fun while fishing, but will unveil that later.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Sounds good. Next Thursday?

 

If anyone else around DFW wants to shoot Sporting Clays next Thursday morning speak up.

 

Looks like they are only open in the morning weekends. To do in the week would have to be afternoon. I wonder if those are just winter hours?

http://www.elmfork.com/hours.html

 

Report #: 5

Date & Time: May 14th, 2009 (2:30 to 3:30 PM)

What & Where: City park pond. Bob Jones Park in Southlake, TX

Results: 1 Sunfish

Lies & Lessons Learned: I missed the last 2 weeks because of schedule and weather, things weren't much better on those two fronts today, but I snuck out to a local city pond for an hour. I've been meaning to try this place. They stock with Rainbows in the winter and Channel Cat in the summer. I think it is too late for the Rainbows, but I took one pole rigged for trout anyway and the other for catfish. I got nibbles on both, couldn't hook either. Some hope the nibbles on the trout pole were actually tricky Rainbows, but when I finally hooked one it turned out to be a Sunfish not much bigger than a minnow. There were some decent sized catfish heads laying around the outside, so maybe a die off. I'll use this place in the winter right after they stock Rainbows and maybe bring Mia here to catch Bluegill. Did get up close to a water snake, which is always cool.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Report #: 6

Date & Time: May 21st, 2009 (7 to 9 AM)

What & Where: Meadowmere Park - Grapevine Lake, TX

Results: 3 Largemouth Bass, 2 White Bass (2 White Bass keepers)

Lies & Lessons Learned: Tried another new spot close to my house. A cove about mid-lake with old boat houses all around. Plan was to fish the edges of the boat houses for some Crappie. Didn't catch a single Crappie, but caught 2 keeper White Bass and 3 Largemouth Bass with one of them being decent sized. I'm really getting more motivated to get a boat as more opportunities than bank fishing. I found some guys bank fishing down from me to give my left over minnows and they said a couple months ago they would catch a few dozen Crappie around these boat houses. I think there are still Crappie in there, but the spawn is long over. This place is another good option for my list though.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Report #: 7

Date & Time: May 31st, 2009 (6:15 to 8:15 PM)

What & Where: Meadowmere Park - Grapevine Lake, TX

Results: Zero - Zip - Zilch

Lies & Lessons Learned: So I finally got my new toy in! Had been too busy last few days to get out there (actually, a couple mornings too tired for sunrise fishing). I got a 12 foot Native Manta Ray fishing kayak. Very stable and fast, but designed for fishing with rod holders and several storage areas, some waterproof. I kept it in the cove anchoring around some boat houses and then spent most of the time drifting the cove. It still moves around quite a bit with anchor and hard to be precise around the boat houses like you could with a trolling motor. It is perfect for drift fishing though, I think that's how I'll mostly use it drifting shrimp and shad for big cats. Amazing how fast you can get going with it, won't be any problem taking it all over the lake getting a good workout. Had a few small bites drifting the shrimp, but I had a big hook and shrimp on there going for the bigger ones.

Planned to take a picture of it, will next time.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Report #: 8

Date & Time: June 6th, 2009 (10 AM to 12 PM)

What & Where: Sporting Clays at LaSada Ranch - Russell, KS

Results: 35 of 50 (2nd place by 1 target )

Lies & Lessons Learned: Jennie's brother Pete is getting married this weekend. This morning Pete got all the guys together for a half round of Sporting Clays. I haven't shot since last year, but it was fun. One of his buddies beat me by one with a 36. 2nd picture Pete is the one in white with his friend prodding him whether he really wants to get married or not. Neat little hunting ranch and sporting clay course out here in middle of nowhere western Kansas.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login