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I hit the Columbia for a solo trip on Saturday the 11th. The wind forecast for Saturday was worse than Sunday but there was supposed to be a longer period of cloud cover in the morning. I figured it was worth the extra effort of fishing in the 20-24mph wind to have a better chance at a big bass.
Even though I got to the water well before daybreak, the wind was already blowing pretty good. I was expecting that though so I was ready for those conditions. I started the day throwing topwater but could not generate a sniff. So I quickly switched over to the S-waver because it has been doing a great job lately. Within a few casts I had a good-sized bass hit it right at the kayak but the hooks did not catch.
A few casts later I caught my first bass of the day, just a little guy but its always good to get the skunk off quickly! I fished the S-waver for a while and had a lot of follows that just would not commit. It was frustrating to see a decent sized bass right behind it at the kayak and then either swim away or take a half-hearted swipe at it. After a bit I put down the S-waver for a bit and picked up the Vision 110 +1. That produced a couple more small fish. I thought that maybe the big fish were just out deeper so I picked up my wobblehead.
That produced a better fish (2+lbs) but I could not get a second bite. I then fished my way up to a little island without getting another bite on anything I was throwing. I decided to pick the S-waver back up and quickly caught a 2 and quarter pounder but could not get a second bite.
I was feeling a bit frustrated at this. I thought I would be catching a ton with some giants mixed in but that was not the case up to that point. After flailing around with the S-waver for a bit I picked up the 110 +1 again. I am not sure if the bite just turned on or if that was just suddenly the right bait but on my second cast I caught a beautiful 20.5" 3lb 12oz bass. Still pretty skinny from the spawn but a good fish.
On the next cast, lightning struck again. This time it was a 19" 3lb bass.
As I fished my way further upstream I mostly kept that 110 +1 in my hand. I occasionally would hit a shallower spot with the S-waver but that 110 +1 was getting it done! I caught nice fish here and there mixed in with my fair share of dinks. All the bass wanted that 110 +1.
The bass were being super aggressive. I made one cast and as my jerkbait tumbled in the wind the line caught in the trebles. As I quickly reeled it spinning across the surface a bass came up and smashed it. I jerked it out of the mouth of that fish and flew through the air about 5'. As it landed another bass smashed it and I ended up landing that one. I love when they are just being greedy like that!!
After getting reasonably far upstream the sun came out and the wind picked up a bit more. I decided to head back downstream past the launch and fish that water so that I would have the wind assist on the way home. That's always nice at the end of a long day.
As I made my way downstream I came to the little island where I had caught the 20.5" and 19" (and a handful of other decent fish). I decided it was worth a cast or two. On about my 3rd cast I felt a bass smash that jerkbait. This time it was an 18.5" 2lb 15oz bass. That spot was pretty amazing!!
As the day progressed I mostly fished the 110 +1 jerkbait and they kept biting it. I did briefly throw a 4" paddle tail swim bait and (MinnowZ) caught some fish on that including an 18.5" 3lb 3oz beauty. The cool thing about that fish is that a couple of casts earlier I caught a small bass and as I was reeling it in I saw a good-sized bass try to grab the swimbait hanging out of its mouth. I am pretty sure that was the 18.5"er I caught.
Later in the day I did have a stretch of bad luck just to remind me that even the best days have their moments. I made a cast with the jerkbait and hooked a good-sized bass. I had it most of the way to the kayak when the lure came flying out and went about 15' in the air. When it landed I saw 2 bass come up and smash it. I hooked one of them and then lost that one at the kayak.
I quickly cast back out and hooked a big one! I had this one about 1/2 way back when it came up and made a big jump and tossed that jerkbait back to me. So I lost 3 bass on two casts. Two of them were pretty big but the third one was in the giant territory.
I could not complain too much since I had done well landing the big girls up to that point. It was an awesome day of fishing until tragedy struck right at the end of the day. I snagged up my 110 +1. I think it was in some old gill netting or something in a rock pile. I spent a good 1/2 hour trying to free that thing and broke my telescoping lure retriever in the process. It was just impossible in the current, waves and wind to get that lure back.
I felt pretty sad losing that magic bait. I think the river gods thought I was having too much of an advantage over the bass and decided to take that lure away. I have to say that I did order another in that color while still out on the river.
After that I headed back to the ramp I stopped and fished a couple of spots and picked up a few more bass including a pretty decent one to end the day.
Overall, even with the loss of that lure, it was a pretty awesome day. I ended up with 41 bass with the best 5 going 15lb 7oz and 94.25" (20.5, 19, 18.5, 18.5, 17.75). I probably caught about 25 of the bass on that 110 +1, maybe 10 on the swim bait a handful on the S-waver and one on a drop shot.
So when do the big bass bite? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind!
Here a are a couple more pics and the video.
Even though I got to the water well before daybreak, the wind was already blowing pretty good. I was expecting that though so I was ready for those conditions. I started the day throwing topwater but could not generate a sniff. So I quickly switched over to the S-waver because it has been doing a great job lately. Within a few casts I had a good-sized bass hit it right at the kayak but the hooks did not catch.
A few casts later I caught my first bass of the day, just a little guy but its always good to get the skunk off quickly! I fished the S-waver for a while and had a lot of follows that just would not commit. It was frustrating to see a decent sized bass right behind it at the kayak and then either swim away or take a half-hearted swipe at it. After a bit I put down the S-waver for a bit and picked up the Vision 110 +1. That produced a couple more small fish. I thought that maybe the big fish were just out deeper so I picked up my wobblehead.
That produced a better fish (2+lbs) but I could not get a second bite. I then fished my way up to a little island without getting another bite on anything I was throwing. I decided to pick the S-waver back up and quickly caught a 2 and quarter pounder but could not get a second bite.
I was feeling a bit frustrated at this. I thought I would be catching a ton with some giants mixed in but that was not the case up to that point. After flailing around with the S-waver for a bit I picked up the 110 +1 again. I am not sure if the bite just turned on or if that was just suddenly the right bait but on my second cast I caught a beautiful 20.5" 3lb 12oz bass. Still pretty skinny from the spawn but a good fish.
On the next cast, lightning struck again. This time it was a 19" 3lb bass.
As I fished my way further upstream I mostly kept that 110 +1 in my hand. I occasionally would hit a shallower spot with the S-waver but that 110 +1 was getting it done! I caught nice fish here and there mixed in with my fair share of dinks. All the bass wanted that 110 +1.
The bass were being super aggressive. I made one cast and as my jerkbait tumbled in the wind the line caught in the trebles. As I quickly reeled it spinning across the surface a bass came up and smashed it. I jerked it out of the mouth of that fish and flew through the air about 5'. As it landed another bass smashed it and I ended up landing that one. I love when they are just being greedy like that!!
After getting reasonably far upstream the sun came out and the wind picked up a bit more. I decided to head back downstream past the launch and fish that water so that I would have the wind assist on the way home. That's always nice at the end of a long day.
As I made my way downstream I came to the little island where I had caught the 20.5" and 19" (and a handful of other decent fish). I decided it was worth a cast or two. On about my 3rd cast I felt a bass smash that jerkbait. This time it was an 18.5" 2lb 15oz bass. That spot was pretty amazing!!
As the day progressed I mostly fished the 110 +1 jerkbait and they kept biting it. I did briefly throw a 4" paddle tail swim bait and (MinnowZ) caught some fish on that including an 18.5" 3lb 3oz beauty. The cool thing about that fish is that a couple of casts earlier I caught a small bass and as I was reeling it in I saw a good-sized bass try to grab the swimbait hanging out of its mouth. I am pretty sure that was the 18.5"er I caught.
Later in the day I did have a stretch of bad luck just to remind me that even the best days have their moments. I made a cast with the jerkbait and hooked a good-sized bass. I had it most of the way to the kayak when the lure came flying out and went about 15' in the air. When it landed I saw 2 bass come up and smash it. I hooked one of them and then lost that one at the kayak.
I quickly cast back out and hooked a big one! I had this one about 1/2 way back when it came up and made a big jump and tossed that jerkbait back to me. So I lost 3 bass on two casts. Two of them were pretty big but the third one was in the giant territory.
I could not complain too much since I had done well landing the big girls up to that point. It was an awesome day of fishing until tragedy struck right at the end of the day. I snagged up my 110 +1. I think it was in some old gill netting or something in a rock pile. I spent a good 1/2 hour trying to free that thing and broke my telescoping lure retriever in the process. It was just impossible in the current, waves and wind to get that lure back.
I felt pretty sad losing that magic bait. I think the river gods thought I was having too much of an advantage over the bass and decided to take that lure away. I have to say that I did order another in that color while still out on the river.
After that I headed back to the ramp I stopped and fished a couple of spots and picked up a few more bass including a pretty decent one to end the day.
Overall, even with the loss of that lure, it was a pretty awesome day. I ended up with 41 bass with the best 5 going 15lb 7oz and 94.25" (20.5, 19, 18.5, 18.5, 17.75). I probably caught about 25 of the bass on that 110 +1, maybe 10 on the swim bait a handful on the S-waver and one on a drop shot.
So when do the big bass bite? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind!
Here a are a couple more pics and the video.