FEEDING FRENZY

Late summer can be a tough time to catch fish.  Shad are just bite-sized right now providing a virtual swim-by buffet for most any species of predatory fish.  But anglers willing to take advantage of this feeding frenzy are often rewarded with plenty of action.  Such was the case this past weekend on our camping trip to Marion Reservoir.

My boys and I tried for some catfish on the usual catfish chum holes to no avail.  It didn't seem like much was going on so by mid-morning I was itching to try something different.  We decided to pull some spinners in an attempt to catch some walleye.

And although we would eventually catch some walleye, they were beaten to the punch almost each and every time by hungry white bass.  Each boy had nice whites on nearly immediately on the first drop and the action would slow the shallower I got.  Each trip back out to our starting point produced bunches of fish on spinner rigs designed for walleye but apparently just as tasty to white bass.

Despite what some may say, I'm no dummy and told the boys we should try spooning and casting to these white bass on the start of our run.  I hit the anchor lock on my I-Pilot trolling motor and rigged up three poles.  Two had Cicada spoons on them while the other had a 1/4-ounce jig with a SuperFluke, Jr.  Figuring the spoons would be more productive, I gave those to the boys.  But on Brandon's first cast he got a big tangle in his rod so I gave him my rod rigged with the Fluke, Jr.  I'd never get it back.

Brandon caught a fish on the very first cast on it.  And Cody was right there with him.  Numerous times they had doubles, and when I was fishing, even triples.  The action was steady and non-stop.  Each fish brought into the boat was a flopping, wiggling, squirming mess.  In the midst of the their tantrums they'd fling regurgitated shad all over the place.

I reasoned that a big school of whites ranging in size from 8 inches to nearly 2 pounds were feasting on shad pushed into the side of a break in about 7 feet of water.  A stiff breeze was blowing in making the fishing good and the 105 degree day tolerable.  Over the next couple hours, we figured we caught well over 100 white bass of all sizes, both casting and fishing vertically.  All were pitched back into the water and many left me a tip for my generosity in the form of half-eaten shad. 

By about 12:30 p.m., I was ready to go despite the boys pleas to stay longer.  I wasn't hot, or tired or bored.  I was hungry!  With two, little 12-year-old chow-hounds in the boat they had eaten everything we had for breakfast and never saved Dad a crumb.  A box of honey buns, crackers, you name it, GONE!  They reminded me of a big school of white bass on a feeding frenzy!

But the boys knew we'd be back out.  And despite their annihilation of my breakfast goodies, they admitted they could probably eat a little something, too!  However, they were kind enough not to fling any regurgitated honey buns around in my boat.  And that's a good thing!