Mostly Bass Report

[Tony Scime]

I have a tough time fishing for muskies on these nice, calm, sunny days. I know the best time is at night, but I have trouble doing the night troll anymore. I'm useless the following day and I have just too much to do to be useless. And I like day fishing.

Plus, unlike the muskies, the bass are relatively accommodating even on these calm, summery conditions. So I went out twice this past week. Wednesday morning I trolled for muskies for a few hours with nothing. So then I decided to go bassing down the west river. Most of my bass fishing this year has been with friends and relatives lacking a Canadian license, so it was mostly in NY waters. But I've been anxious to go back to a few spots I used to bass a few decades ago. It's been that long since I went bass fishing Staley’s to Black Creek area.

First drift on Wednesday I had a 17 incher, a nice start. Then I hooked a really big bass. It broke the surface, and I think it was the biggest smallmouth I've ever hooked. Made the 17 incher look and feel like a baby. Made a couple long runs (and I keep my drag fairly tight for six lb line) and on the second or third of run I felt my line scraping against something, and then snap. It broke my line. I don't think it was my electric motor, or boat bottom, because although the fish had started running under the boat, I kept my rod submerged. I think it scraped my line against a sharp rock or something. That really sucked. I caught a few more stout 17 and 18 inchers before I quit. Not a bad couple hours of fishing.

So on Saturday morning I went back out to bass fish. Spent the early hours drifting the upper part of the west river in a deep fog. And John Pensyl was right; the little bugs were enough to drive you crazy! Caught nothing in the fog. By around 8 or 8:30 the fog finally started to break up and I ran back down river. It was a very good morning, with about 15 fish, mostly stout 18 to 20 inch range. Real horses. I do measure the larger fish, so my lengths are accurate. That's much larger than I would do in the Tonawanda Channel, and much larger than I used to catch 30 years ago (a lot of 12 to 14 inchers then). All on drop shots.

Interestingly, both days I fished in both deep water (25 to 26 feet) and relatively shallower water (16 to 21 feet). I caught a good number of fish in the deeper water, but they were mostly 14 to 16 inches. I think the biggest were 17 inchers. All my bigger fish - 18 t 20 inchers - were caught in the "shallower" water. In fact, the monster I hooked in 16 feet.

Both days were flat calm and sunny. But even though we've had no wind or rain lately, the water down the west river had a fairly deep stain. That's how I remember it back in the 1980s and is a very good sign both for its bass and musky fishery. When it died ten years ago, it was gin clear.

I'll probably do at least one more bass outing before the weather changes this weekend, and then I'll go for muskies again.

[John Pensyl]

I thought I saw your boat in that deep fog. I came past you coming back up river from un13 at one point. Making that "run" at 9 mph through the clouds left me soaking wet. Unbelievable fog. I think the bugs finally let up because I killed them all. I lost my mind for a little while and went on quite the slapping spree.

[carl schenk]

I told myself that I was going to fish for bass at least once a month this year and am running out of time in September.  I'm going to give drop shotting another try while this weather holds.  Hope I can do half as good as you did.  Fish sure are getting bigger on their diet compared to how I remember it.  Think i'll try the west river also.

[John Jarosz]

Tony...do you think the size of the bass has anything to do with the gobies out there?  The gobie wasn't there 30 years ago when we bass fished.  I distinctly remember keeping a couple 12"-13" bass to eat 25 years ago (anything larger was definitely C&R) but there were also more smaller ones caught than now.

I also remember catching a perch this year off the Catt that spit-up a goby.  First time I ever saw that!

[Tony Scime]

I think diet definitely must help the size. These fish are stout. But I  think catch and release is as, if not more, important. Also, I don't think the fish are as plentiful in the west river as in the east. I would guess that I would catch twice as many fish in the east. So maybe lack of competition helps. Also, there's a lot less pressure in the west. On Wednesday, I didn't see another fisherman while I was down past the shipyards. Same on Saturday until noon.

One thing about drop shotting, you have to realize that the takes are really soft. Imperceptible to the less experienced angler. So you have to be sensitive to any different feel or movement of the line. Of course, with semi-circle hooks many of the fish hook themselves.

[carl schenk]

I tried drop shotting for three hours today and once again I caught no fish.  I need a lesson or two.   Since I was down near Black creek I did some trolling for muskies and also a few drifts throwing a tube but drew a blank also.  Came back in on fumes.

[Tony Scime]

Carl,

I plan on going out on Thursday morning for bass. If you're interested, let me know.

Tony

[carl schenk]

Tony,  I will be happy to meet you and learn a new technique.  It's time I reacquaint myself with my alarm clock.  Still not ready to consider myself  a geriatric tho.  Just let me know the time and what equipment to bring.

[1o8js667r5pue]

Thanks to one quick conversation with tony I tried drop shotting and am thrilled I did. I have yet to hammer this fish in any type of way but me and my buddy are able to catch somewhat constantly and we got fish even in 15mph east winds on the larry yesterday. I have been using a medium action rod and my buddy got a light action rod and that sensitivity is a great help. 

[1o8js667r5pue]

my one question would be, how do you deal with the current? Do you drop and then pick it up to allow it to stay under the boat or do you just drag? 

[Tony Scime]

Riley,

I generally "just drag", but I do pull it forward and drop it back. Bass will often grab the bait when you drop it back in their face.

Although I don't think it's necessary, I do use my electric to slow the drift to under 1.5 mph, depending on the location. Sometimes slower, if I think it's a good spot. More time for a fish to grab the bait. But that may all be in my head. But I do catch fish doing it.

Tony

[Tony Scime]

Carl,

I sent you an email. See you tomorrow morning.

Tony