BASS FISHINGBass Fishing Sports Blog

Okay, this is for you expert anglers. I fish small local ponds in the Lewisville, Carrollton, Frisco area. The bass were really biting in March, but with all of the cold fronts that have moved through every few days in April, I've really had inconsistent luck.

I've generally heard that fishing is better right before a front moves in and that seems to have been right. My issue is that after a huge rain or when the air temp drops from the 70-80s to 50-60 for a few days. I am not sure what to do.

Can someone help explain the patterns of bass when the air cools down suddenly, when storms/rain comes, when it's really windy (20-30 mph), when it's overcast vs cloudy, and how I should be fishing (lures, techniques, etc) in those conditions in north Texas?

first off you need to pay attenction to the temp of the water more than the air you could have a few days of 50-60 deg days and the water only changes a couple of degs if the water is colder than it has been slow down your presantion reckon of it like this how quick do you go when its cold out
than when its warm out if you have water temp up a bit fish are more likley to be active if its colder then there going to hunker down and wate for the food to come to them
look for structor like drops in the level of water also look for grass shoot patellel to it and retrive it slow there in there
ifyou have no sturctor or cover check for points and coves and do the same thing

If it’s larger bluegill, crappie or sunfish you’re after, you (like me) need to venture to deeper water where possibly new tactics are required.using a slip-bobber allows fishing in deeper water without having a long leader hanging beneath the float when the rig is cast. The bobber stop, a small piece of rubber attached to the line, is slid up the line to the depth you want to fish, then reeled through the guides and onto the reel for casting. After you cast, the weight of the jig or split-shot or two above the bait pulls line through the bobber, sinking below the float until the bobber stop meets the top of the float and stops the descent. The smallest slip-bobber will offer quick detection of strikes. You can cement pieces of balsa wood to hooks to make your own floating jig for panfish.The mini-bobber helps attract panfish while floating a small bait off the bottom where it is more visible to the fish. Rig a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce egg sinker slipped on the main line; a swivel tied to the line and an 18- to 24-inch leader tied to the swivel. If you use a regular flyrod popper, tip it with a mealworm or other bait. Fresh crickets – even grasshoppers – are buoyant and help lift the popper.for crappie as well as redear and bluegill, one successful rig is a small, one-inch tube bait stuffed with a moldable, floating trout bait like Zeke’s Sierra Gold or the Berkley Select Power Bait fished on light wire hooks tied to two-pound test line.Wherever you choose to fish on the water, day or night, keep the water in the livewell cool during hot weather by adding ice to lower the water temperatures to keep fish in excellent condition after they’re caught. Be sure to NOT overload the livewell during hot weather – the fish will die quickly. If you fish from shore, be sure you have ice in the cooler to prevent your catch(s) from dying in the heat. cold water is also necessary to take along for you to drink as well to keep hydrated and in excellent shape, and ready to go fishing a next time.Fishing clubs • Desert Bass Anglers: 31 boats loved the latest Colorado River bass competition with the winning team of Jim Phipps/Craig Johnson taking the top spot with 18.19. in 2nd place was Billy Skinner with 17.76 also taking half 1st place big Fish with a 5.13 pounder. 3. Buddy Brown/Jim Cox 15.22, 4. Chris Walker/Jim Pacewic 14.99. Taking the other half 1st place big Fish was the team of Steve and Kalib Lund also with a 5.13-pound bass. Winner of the Junk Fish Option was the team of Ed Reeder/Ken Gass with a 2.11 striper. keep in practice for the Sept. 10 tournament also on the River. Dues are still $15 ($10 each additional family member). Call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984. • Yuma Pro am: Pay the $15 membership and sign up Monday through Saturday – the earlier in the week, the better – at Sportsmen’s Hideaway to fish the Aug. 21 Bass Team Tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing. Call Bob La Londe at 580-1270.• Swede Ferguson’s Monthly big Bass Fish Off: Sign up $10 anytime during each month prior to fishing at Fisher’s Landing with the largest fish being determined the last day of the month, winner takes the whole pot. • August 27-28 Slim Evans Catfish Derby: Sign up to fish the derby at Fisher’s gas pump or the bar & grill as well as Sportsmen’s Hideaway prior to fishing. Call Jimmy Phipps at 782-2207.• Bass Class on the Water: Learn when, where and how to catch bass at local waters with a fully rigged bass boat and all gear provided. Seminars also available for RV Parks and Home Groups – call Dave Willhide at 782-2621.Shooting sportsWith school under way, time is close for youngsters interested in the shooting sports to get together with programs available to them that they can enjoy and learn from.The Yuma County 4-H Shooting Sports for Yuma area youngsters will begin the 2011-12 training season with a training class at the 4-H office at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 (mark your calendar), open to 4-H community club members. Bring a photo ID for the 4-H member and the $10 one-time fee for consumables. The first shoot will be at the Yuma County fair Grounds at 9 a.m. Sept. 24 with shooting moving to Dove Valley in December. all of our instructors are certified in accordance with national and UofA policies. there will be an Arizona State Instructor Training Class in Tucson (not sure of the date) – Call Stanley Gourley at 344-0740 or the 4-H Office at 726-3904 with questions.The Game and Fish Department’s Scholastic Clay Target Program season for kids interested in the shooting sports about to begin as well, open to boys and girls from age 9 through 12th grade – call the Yuma Regional office of Game and Fish at 342-0091. also check with the Yuma Trap and Skeet Club (see below) about their shotgun programs available to kids. The Yuma Young Guns with Coach Franco at (928) 246-7157 is another fantastic kids program to look into to see what they will be offering this year. last but not least is the Boy Scout Venture Shooting Program open to both boys and girls in the Yuma area – check with the Scout office at 782-1896.for the hunter needing to get in that extra practice for a successful big game hunt with seasons beginning soon, check with the following clubs offering a excellent variety of shoots for practice and enjoyment each week-end, open to all shooters:• Renegade Archers of Yuma: all archers are most welcome to shoot the trail of 3D animals at 7 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Foothills Archery Range with $5 adult shoot fee, youngsters always free of charge, equipment available upon request, also free. Call Jean Wilson at 247-4450 for directions or information.• Southwest Bowhunters: Archery shoots at 8 a.m. Sundays at Adair Park with the practice range open all week. Call Wayne Wittenberg at 314-0140.• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Open trap and skeet 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays at the Adair Park Range. Call Gary Knight at 210-0805 or John gross at 329-0960.• Annual Turkey Shoot: Aug. 28 at the Trap and Skeet range at Adair Park hosted by Yuma Trap and Skeet Club with shooting, at $5 per round set to begin at 7 a.m. continuing until they can’t get a full squad with a turkey to each round’s “High Score.” FREE YOUTH SHOOT: Yuma Friends of the NRA will provide shotguns, ammo, hearing and eye protection for ages from “big enough to hold a gun” to 16 years ancient – parent should be present. Mentors are welcome – call Mike Brick at 783-9268 if you’d like to help the kids that day. Breakfast, lunch and ice cold bottled water will be on hand that day for shooters at reasonable prices provided by Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club members. • Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Open black powder matches at 8:30 a.m. first and third Saturdays each month at Adair Park with the monthly meeting preceding the shooting on the first Saturday. Call Dennis Hansel at 342-7573.• Cholla Gun Club: Open “Fun Matches” for .22 pistols and rifles at 8:30 a.m. Friday’s at the Adair Park metallic silhouette range – call Glenda or Rick at 502-0736.• Yuma Rifle and Pistol Club: High Power, Vintage and Long Range Matches will resume beginning with the High Power Match Sept. 18 with sign-up by 7 a.m. at the Adair Park big bore range. Call Paul Lerma at 783-6766 or Gerald Brooker at 305-9681.• Yuma Matchmasters: Open IPSC Combat Match at 6:30 a.m. today at the Adair Park small bore range. Call Ron Gissendaner at 726-0022.Hunt happenings• Buglin’ the West Seminar: Hunter Specialties National Pro Staffer, Dieter Kaboth, is among the most respected professional hunters in the country, with years of field experience and legendary elk-calling ability, plus an equally fantastic ability to teach first-hand tactics and techniques that will make a difference in your elk hunting right away. Being presented by Sprague’s Sports, the seminar will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pivot Point Conference Center, South Pacific Room at 310, N. Madison Ave. (off 1st St. next to Hilton Garden Inn). The cost is $10 (redeemable as HS Bucks, store credit). Enter their “Dream Hunt Sweepstakes” where one lucky hunter will be drawn at random to join them on a custom hunt, courtesy of Hunters Specialties, 2nd and 3rd Place prize packages will be offered – 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be drawn from all attendees of the entire series duration. Each event will offer door prizes and raffles, so be sure to register early, seating will be limited to the first 150. Call Sprague’s at 726-0022.• Aug. 27 Arizona Hall of Fame: Join us in honoring Arizona’s 2011 Outdoor Hall of Fame Inductees that will include two of Yuma’s own – Joe Melton and Buck Appleby – for their endless efforts and contributions through the years to Arizona’s natural outdoor heritage. Dinner ($70) will be served at 7 p.m. at Chaparral Suites, 5001 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250 – available by calling Duane Weilnitz at 480-747-0611.

I am currently going to college and have to start thinking about where I am going to graduate school. I would like to go graduate school where I plot to work and live so I get a couple of years living there just to make sure I really do want to live there. I live in Phoenix, and have all my life and will end up having professional degrees in both Architecture and Landscape Architecture. I would prefer to live in a small town because I hate the big city and all the people, but because of my future job I will have to work in a big city, so my preference would be to live in a small town (preferably in a forest, or wooded area) and commute to my job in a big city, but no longer than an hour or so. I am a honestly private and conservative person and picture myself sitting on the patio after a long day and enjoying the theoretical view of the forest around my house, or inside on the couch watching the football or baseball game, with family and friends. I also enjoy the outdoors such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, gardening, etc… on the weekends. my goal is to live on 6 or 7 acres and grow the majority of my own food, in addition to hunting and fishing. I enjoy cooking and food. my favorite cuisine is seafood, both fresh and saltwater such as trout, bass, tilapia, walleye, catfish, salmon, halibut, tuna, shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, crab, lobster, scallops, etc… so I would prefer to live near excellent fishing both saltwater and freshwater, close enough that I could do fishing every weekend (2 or so hours from house). I also want excellent hunting elk, deer, etc… and a climate that is suitable for gardening and livestock raising. as for weather I hate the heat. I have lived in Phoenix all my life and when summer comes around I am miserable and unproductive. I have never lived in the cold but I have higher cold tolerances than all my friends and family so I don't want to live anywhere hot. I have traveled a lot of places in the west and love the landscape and culture in colorado, wyoming, and montana, although they are not near the ocean. I also love the seattle (other than the big city culture) area although I am not sure about the cloudiness. I would prefer the west but am not opposed to the east. I would prefer somewhere that is relatively cheap to live i.e. california is probably out. I know that it a lot of requirements and I know I probably won't find a place that fits all of it but I just wanted to throw everything out there that I could. so let me know what you think would be a excellent place for me. Thanks

Oregon or Washington – Seattle area. just live far enough from the city to have what you want.

Published: August 11. 2011 4:00AM PST

Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:

ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: Boat anglers are having more success than bank anglers because the trout are seeking deeper, cooler water with the warm water temperature.

HUGE LAVA LAKE: Bait anglers are reporting consistent catches and large fish. fly angling has been good midday. Some anglers report they have been most successful fishing in the top three feet of water.

CLEAR LAKE: Limited reports have indicated good fishing.

CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: Fishing is good, with some large fish available for the patient angler. There are still many fish scattered in five to nine feet of water, although fish are slightly more concentrated in the channels. the cool spring and early summer have kept aquatic weeds in check.

CRESCENT LAKE: Anglers have reported excellent kokanee fishing.

BENT RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Flows have stabilized for the summer, resulting in better wading conditions (river flows near Prineville). the number of trout is down compared to the past couple of years, but there are still plenty to be caught, with fish up to 20 inches in length being reported.

CULTUS LAKE: Anglers have reported improved fishing.

DAVIS LAKE: Fish seem to be scattered throughout the lake and don’t seem to be keying in on any specific food source, so don’t hesitate to change flies.

DESCHUTES RIVER (mouth to the Pelton Regulating Dam): Steelhead fishing has been picking up, with some good reports below Macks Canyon. Anglers should expect the number of summer steelhead entering the lower Deschutes to increase during August and September.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Lake Billy Chinook to Bend): Fish will concentrate in areas with cold-water input, such as springs, as summer temperatures increase. most cold-water inputs are located below the lower Bridge. Anglers will find better access downstream of lower Bridge. Rainbow trout average 10 to 16 inches, while brown trout as long as 26 inches are available.

EAST LAKE: Kokanee fishing has been good in the early-morning hours. the cool spring and early summer have kept aquatic weeds in check, and some anglers report their best success has been in the top three feet of water.

FALL RIVER: Fishing continues to be good with hatches of PMDs, caddis and yellow sallies.

HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: Trout fishing will be tougher with the increasing water temperatures. Fishing will be best during the cooler parts of the day and where the fish can find cooler water.

HOSMER LAKE: Fishing has been good at this glide-fishing-only lake. Anglers report good fishing with callibaetis, damsel nymph and traveling sedge patterns.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: Bass fishing has been good, especially in the portions of the lake that are not as affected by algae bloom.

LAURANCE LAKE RESERVOIR: Laurance has been stocked and should be a good opportunity for both hatchery rainbow trout and native cutthroat trout. Only adipose fin-clipped trout may be kept. Non-fin-clipped trout should be carefully released unharmed.

METOLIUS RIVER: Fishing continues to be good. Anglers should look for PMDs in the early afternoons and mayfly spinners and caddis in the evenings. There also are golden stoneflies in the upper sections above Allingham Bridge.

NORTH TWIN: Anglers have recently reported very good trout fishing.

ODELL LAKE: Fishing for lake trout is good, and kokanee fishing is improving with warming weather. the evening bite is typically better than the early-morning bite.

SOUTH TWIN LAKE: Fishing for legal-size stocked fish has been good, with some reports of larger fish.

SUTTLE LAKE: Kokanee fishing has been slow. No recent reports for brown trout.

WALTON LAKE: Anglers have reported honest fishing using PowerBait on the bottom.

WICKIUP RESERVOIR: Anglers have been reporting success jigging and trolling for kokanee, especially toward evening.

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I live in central florida and fish in local ponds and small lakes and have been using a super Fluke watermelon seed color. they have simply stopped hitting it. The water is still around the upper 60s duriing the day and weather has been really nice and warm. we did just have a cold front come thru but they stopped biting about a week ago. i fish morning afternoon and evening and mid day. with no results. What should i switch to.

Thanks in advance for all answers. good luck BASSIN

l've gotten several this week up to 20" on plastic worms in a reddish brown with red flakes. the color isn't as important as slowing it down. bass are more lethargic in colder water/weather and are not inclined to chase too far or too fast. reaallly slooow is the key. go back, try again and slow down. just inch it in. BTW l'm fishing in southern california.

Plastic worms, lizards,jis, spinnerbaits and crankbaits all work well but at a slower retrieve

Soft plastic Texas rigged, deep water SLOW retrieve.

Published: August 04. 2011 4:00AM PST

Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:

ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: Boat anglers are having more success than bank anglers because the trout are seeking deeper, cooler water with the warm water temperature.

HUGE LAVA LAKE: Bait anglers are reporting consistent catches, and large fish and fly angling has been good midday. some anglers report they have been most successful fishing in the top three feet of water.

CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: Fishing is good, with some huge fish available for the patient angler. There are still many fish scattered in five to nine feet of water, although fish are slightly more concentrated in the channels. the cool spring and early summer has kept aquatic weeds in check.

CRESCENT LAKE: Anglers have reported brilliant kokanee fishing.

BENT RIVER (below Bowman Dam): Flows have stabilized for the summer, resulting in better wading conditions. the number of trout is down compared to the past couple of years, but there are still plenty of trout to be caught with fish up to 20 inches long being reported.

CULTUS LAKE: Anglers have reported improved fishing.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Mouth to the Pelton Regulating Dam): the Deschutes River is open to angling for steelhead and trout from the mouth upstream to the Pelton Regulating Dam. Trout fishing should be good with improving weather and dropping flows. Lots of caddis and golden stoneflies are being reported. A few reports of early summer steelhead have been received from Sherars Falls to the Columbia. the number of summer steelhead entering the lower Deschutes should increase during August. Open to fall chinook Aug. 1 to Oct. 31 from the I-84 bridge at the mouth to Sherars Falls. Daily catch limit is two adults and five jacks.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Lake Billy Chinook to Bend): Fish will concentrate in areas with cold-water input, such as springs, as summer temperatures increase. Most cold-water inputs are located below the Lower Bridge. Anglers will find better access downstream of Lower Bridge. Rainbow trout average 10 to 16 inches, while brown trout up to 26 inches are available.

EAST LAKE: Kokanee fishing has been good in the early-morning hours. the cool spring and early summer has kept aquatic weeds in check, and some anglers report their best success has been in the top three feet of water.

FALL RIVER: Fishing continues to be good with hatches of PMDs, caddis and yellow sallies.

FROG LAKE: the lake has been stocked with both legal-size and brood trout.

HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: Trout fishing will be tougher with the increasing water temperatures. Fishing will be best during the cooler parts of the day and where the fish can find cooler water.

HOOD RIVER: while the spring chinook season closed at the end of June, a few early returning summer steelhead have been reported throughout the river.

HOSMER LAKE: Fishing has been good at this glide-fishing-only lake. Anglers report good fishing with callibaetis, damsel nymph and traveling sedge patterns.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: No recent reports. if you’ve fished Lake Billy Chinook recently, please send a report to ODFW Fishing Reports.

SMALL LAVA LAKE: Fishing is good.

LOST LAKE: Has been stocked, and early reports from anglers have been encouraging. the campground is open, and campers can contact the USFS Hood River Ranger District 541-352-6002 for additional information.

METOLIUS RIVER: Fishing continues to be good. Anglers should look for PMDs in the early afternoons, and mayfly spinners and caddis in the evenings. There also are golden stoneflies in the upper sections above Allingham Bridge.

NORTH TWIN: Anglers have recently reported very good trout fishing.

OCHOCO CREEK (upstream to Ochoco Dam): Angling is restricted to artificial flies and lures only; two trout per day and 8 inch minimum length.

OCHOCO RESERVOIR: Fishing continues to be slow due to the hot weather.

ODELL LAKE: Fishing for lake trout is good, and kokanee fishing is improving with warming weather. the evening bite is typically better than the early morning bite.

PAULINA LAKE: Anglers are reporting good fishing. Contact the resort at 541-338-7869 for up-to-date conditions.

PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: Anglers have reported catching larger trout than in recent years. Anglers should consult the 2011 Sport Fishing Regulations for maximum length requirements and bag limits for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. Anglers have reported that bass and bullhead have been very active.

PRINEVILLE YOUTH FISHING POND: the pond is open to children 17 and younger, with a bag limit of two fish per day and an 8-inch minimum length for trout.

SHEVLIN YOUTH FISHING POND: the pond is open to children 17 and younger with a bag limit of two fish.

SOUTH TWIN LAKE: Fishing for legal-sized stocked fish has been good, with some reports of larger fish.

SUTTLE LAKE: Kokanee fishing has been slow. No recent reports for brown trout.

WALTON LAKE: Anglers have reported fair fishing using PowerBait on the bottom.

WICKIUP RESERVOIR: Anglers have been reporting success jigging and trolling for kokanee, especially toward evening.

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hi iv been fishing for the last week off my dock in shallow water, and i caught 1 bass with a buzzbait but after that i didnt even get a bite. it was really cold and rainy that week. so i took a break on friday and the weather got warm and sunny so this morning i went out onto my dock to cast a couple times i here 3 big splashes right under my dock then i looked in the water and saw a couple bass just laying there anyways there are all of a sudden just a ton of bass everywhere ( not just under the docks but in the water next to my dock that will eventually be covered with lillys. i have always had most of my success fishing with a hula popper in the evening but i would like to know what i should throw out there to catch some of them IN THE DAY.

ps this is in Minnesota and there is some milfoil keeping me from fishing at the bottom of the lake and the water is about 4 or 5 ft deep at the most thanks

In the hottest time of day, most bass will be a little sluggish. I'd use a 7.5" Texas-rigged Culprit worm, Red Shad color, with a 1/8oz bullet weight. You could also get a good distance AWAY from your dock and pitch a Tube with a 1/8oz weight inserted to them. Plastic lizards could also be the ticket.

I say "plastics, plastics, plastics". particularly T-rigged worms, T-rigged lizards, and tubes.

Top waters are very very very good lures dureing the day have even caught black crappie on topwater/

texas rig a weightless senko . cast to the fish and let fall on slack line. a 4 inch green pumkin on a 2/0 or3/0 widegap hook should do the trick.

use a popper or just use a floating rapala and if one day u just wanna fish for fun and not for eating you might wanna comsider catching a carp if u choose to do that throw out a whole worm with a split shot (sinker) and u will know if u have one on good luck fishing

I've had good luck with Rooster-Tails in the middle of the day.

I am fishing on a 21,000 acre lake in south texas called lake conroe and im fishing a lot around a marina.Its getting cold and i have always wondered what are some excellent largemouth lures.if anyone could help i would be very heppy.

thankyou

Don't rule out bouncing a 2 1/2 to 3" tube across the bottom, or, more unconventionally, Carolina rig a tube with no weight in the tube, so that you get a very very slow drop (also excellent in thick weed beds). The first cast in a new area, bounce it along fairly quickly, and then slow it down on the next cast.

you top water lures i like yousing floating frogs that are weedless and different size jitterbugs, poppers work excellent to, and you should try the lures that have props on the back of then i for got the name sorry

Chip T gave you some excellent advice! (Thumbs up Chip.)

I would add: "Yo-Yo-ing" a 1/4 OZ Rattle trap.

Excellent luck fishing!

for me, the colder the weather is, the more often I use Texas rigs. downsize the worms.

Jigs work well too.

Jigs, slow-rolling spinnerbaits, and finesse rigs like strait tail worms on 1/8 oz jig heads.

anything that can be fished slooooooooooow. at this time of year i like to use real minnows under a bobber.

Slimys are breaking loose and have been for a couple of weeks. Barracuda anglers, break out your jigs and aim those boats for the Huntington Flats or the Horseshoe Kelp where the fish are cruising. it is a good bite with lots of sand bass and barracuda limits being taken.

Local sport boats are really piling up counts, especially those that fish the twilight runs. To date, the Southern Cal from Pierpoint on its twilight runs have stacked up a sand bass total of 2,621 fish. The Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina has caught 6,724 barries as of today.

The Monte Carlo of 22nd Street Landing is also joining the onslaught for those “skinnies.” Also there are reports of many limits of fish caught over the past weeks in Santa Monica Bay. In the bay, the Spitfire sportboat of Marina Del Rey Sportfishing is catching many limits of sand bass squeezed in between the barracuda.

Why did the barracuda, sand bass and calicos finally get going from a very cold start to nearly a wild frenzy bite?

Veteran anglers give their reasons, but basically hold responsible the warm water and the smooth weather conditions that have lately rolled over the local waters.

Traditionally, the springtime temps and the smooth conditions always started the barracuda bite and close behind came the sand bass spawn that traditionally continues that bite.

Off-shore saltwater: Intermixed with all this warmth, the waters began to make their way up from Mexico and flowed forth, not only locally but they even pushed the waters up and around Catalina and San Clemente islands as well. The islands and the deep water attract not only their share of barracuda and yellowtail, but all the huge-game fish. Marlin anglers and sword fishermen come from all over the world to fish the billfish that seasonally show up around Catalina. as usual, the WSB are playing their here-today, gone-tomorrow game, driving some sea bass anglers nuts. When the sportboats find a school of WSB it is usually a quick catch of fish and just as quickly it’s over with.

Fish tale: Skipper Mike Lewis of the Bahia Marina in Long Beach took his first trip Saturday for mako sharks. He fished the drop off south of the 10-mile oil platforms, where he said the area was absolutely dead. there were no birds, no mackerel bait and no blue sharks in the area.

The water was a very warm 69 degrees. He chummed and drifted dead baits for two hours on the drop off for nothing, so he raced over to the Avalon Bank (the seamount five miles north of Avalon).

He was drifting a large frozen Humbolt squid head that suddenly got slammed by a fantastic white shark at least 10 feet long. The white came from the depths, charged straight upwards into the air and proceeded to chew the squid head hook and all, but not before he ran off all the line on his reel. Lewis said it was no contest and wasn’t sure whether the goliath knew he was hooked.

In the end, Lewis said he was pleased it got away because there is no way he could have gotten that denizen aboard or even tried for a kill. The taking of white sharks is illegal as listed by the California Fish and Game Rules.

Shark talk: In the size parameters of white sharks, a 10-foot specimen is a teenager. Adult whites can reach 20 feet and weigh up to 4,000 pounds.

Many people have always thought of the fantastic white shark as a mythical giant of all the oceans of the world, and it has proven many times it can be. In Chatham, Mass., the Fourth of July weekend marks the unofficial start to summer, but it also it marks the Chatham fantastic white shark watch. They collect in and around Cape Cod to chase gray seals.

Three summers past, a warning was put out by the U.S. Coast Guard of the presence of many sharks in the near waters, and subsequently the little town of Chatham witnessed an invasion of tourism. Business soared and many stores and restaurants boomed.

Lisa Franz, executive director of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, said the first year of the shark sighting she and the business people were really nervous about all the shark hype. The second year she embraced it. The third year she said, “come on down (to where) a shark statue is being constructed.”

Chatham doesn’t have a monopoly on white shark sightings; Southern California has its share of sightings every year probably due to the flood of people visiting the local beaches.

The Lady in Kicking Horse Reservoir (Richard Hugo, Prof of English, deceased)

Not my hands but green across you now.
Green tons hold you down, and ten bass curve
teasing in your hair. Summer slime
will pile deep on your breast. Four months of ice
will keep you firm. I hope each spring
to find you tangled in those pads
pulled not quite loose by the spillway pour,
stars in dead reflection off your teeth.

Lie there lily still. the spillway’s closed.
Two feet down most lakes are common gray.
This lake is dark from the black blue Mission range
climbing sky like music dying Indians once wailed.
On ocean beaches, mystery fish
are offered to the moon. Your jaws go blue.
Your hands start waving every wind.
Wave to the ocean where we crushed a mile of foam.

We still like there in thundering foam
and like. Whales fall in like with gulls
and tide reclaims the Dolly skeletons
gone with a blast of aching horns to China.
Landlocked in Montana here
the end is limited by light, the final note
will trail off at the farthest point we see,
already faded, lover, where you bloat.

All girls should be nicer. Arrows rain
above us in the Indian wind. my future
should be full of windy gems, my past
will stop this roaring in my dreams.
Sorry. sorry. sorry. but the arrows sing:
no way to float her up. the dead sink
from dead weight. the Mission range
turns this water black late afternoons.

One boy slapped the other. Hard.
The slapped boy talked until his dignity
dissolved, screamed a single ‘stop’
and went down sobbing in the company pond.
I swam for him all night. my only suit
got wet and factory hands went home.
No one cared the coward disappeared.
Morning then: cold music I had never heard.

Loners like work best on second shift.
No one liked our product and the factory closed.
Off south, the bison multiply so quick
a slaughter’s mandatory every spring
and every spring the creeks get fat
and Kicking Horse fills up. my hope is vague.
The far blur of your bones in May
may be nourished by the snow.

The spillway’s open and you spill out
into weather, lover down the bright canal
and mother, irrigating crops
dead Indians forgot to plant.
I’m sailing west with arrows to dissolving foam
where waves strand naked Dollys.
Their eyes are white as oriental mountains
and their tongues are teasing oil from whales.

I've always liked Hugo, big man, big life, big poems.

I agree, all girls should be nicer.

Glad I read it,wow.Thanks for sharing

A new poem for me to read and yes I was impressed. thank you