Hobby Sports



Their first bass

Ed, his son and I spent another morning at Irvine Lake.  As like our last visit, Ed left his fly rods at home and he and his son fished gear while I tried my luck with the fly. Once the wind picked up at around 10am the bite began but once it stabilized it ended as quickly as it started. We missed a few strikes and I came home with the skunk this time while Ed managed two bass that his son landed.     Tried just about every fly and every retrieve, I was stuck a few times and missed a bass while in between strips.  The brutally hot day today is good warm up for our Barrett trip this weekend. 


Their second

Ive waited months to finally board Eds boat.   We took it out to Irvine Lake in the hopes of slaying some bass.  The last time he and his son came during the spring, they slayed them.  His son even managed a 4 pounder.  Although young Kyle did not get any fish today at least he was able to see a bald eagle flying overhead.  We didnt start fishing until about nine.  Ed and his son fished gear as it was easier for three people to fish but moreover it was more convenient since his son needed a lot of help.  The lake was calm and the water clear.  Surprising given all the recent heat.  The morning was filled with missed opportunities.   Strikes were delicate and once you detected something amiss it was too late to set the hook.  I started with the ubiquitous purple crystal bugger but with no success I swapped it for a ASS fly.  As the sun began to cook us, we drifted along a treeline and I finally was able to hook up on a 1.5 pound bass.  This would prove to be the only fish for the day.  Throughout the day I switched from my T&T 5weight to my Sage XP 8 weight.  With the larger rod I tried various large patterns including a new crayfish pattern Ive been tying up lately but no fish was willing to be the first one hooked up on that fly.  Unlike my other trip on another buddys boat, we had no significant issue with the craft.  It nice to be on a proper boat with a trolling motor, fish finder and comfortable seats unlike most rental boats Im used to fishing out of.