6/24/08-Keepers on the Milky River

Today started out pretty interesting as the Milky River changed its course flowing the opposite way it normally does. This is one of the only rivers I know that does this. Kous and I put the raft in and headed up river toward the water cleaning station and floated along a weed bed that begins up there. Kous caught the first fish of the day, on a Yum Dinger in watermelon gold color, a 12 inch Smallmouth that missed the cut off for our tourny. I caught the second fish of the day a 12 1/2 inch largemouth that also missed the cut off. This weedbed continued to produce, but as usual they were smaller. I started throwing a wacky rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog into the weeds and a largemouth nailed it. This one felt a little better than the others ones I've gotten on the Milky and sure enough it was as in jumped out of the water, but I managed to keep it on the hook and land it. It was a Largemouth I'd estimate was 14 1/2 inches and weighed exactly 1lb 3ounces. This would prove to be the big fish of the day and is pictured.

Kous switched to a yellow jig bait that he managed to catch a baby Largemouth on. Then he switched back to his Yum Dinger. It wasn't long before he hooked up with a big what looked like Smallmouth bass that he promptly lost. This probably would've been the big fish of the day and definitely put the tournament away for this week as he estimated it was about 16 inches. He did manage to catch another Smallmouth that was 14 inches and weighed 1lb 1ounce. He got a terrible hookset on this and he had to leave his hook in the fish's throat. Hopefully it will rust out soon.

This brings up an interesting dilema the fishermen in our bass tournament are scheduled to vote on two issues next time we all get together. Majority vote will add to or edit the rules. The first issue is whether or not fish caught solo should count, the second is whether or not fish where the hookset is so bad that removing it will cause death or harm to the fish should count and whether a penalty should be assessed.

I will not be fishing tonight as I'm going to the Stevie Wonder concert here, but hopefully I will be trying some new areas out in the upcoming weeks. The Yum Dingers get a thumbs up as usual and the Brush Hogs continue to produce the bigger bass, when fished. I will keep everyone posted. Kous is winning the week 6lbs 9ounces to 2lbs 3ounces to zeros.

Thanks for reading, Bass-Sniper