25 what? And where?

Those two questions were asked recently in the comment section of this blog.

The answer to the what would be . . .

Twenty-five of these beauties.  Now, don’t go getting all excited that we found them all in one spot, because we did not catch them all in one spot.  And don’t go getting all upset because I didn’t tell everyone we caught a few trout.  I’m hoping that report is coming soon enough.    It took us about four hours of trolling, hard fishing, culling through white trout and juvies to come up with one limit of keepers.

And the where?  Well, I would not be a really good fishing buddy if I told you all of Choupiquer’s secret spots, now would I?   I will tell you this, a friend of his named this spot “Sleepy Reef”, but I’m sorry to tell you that you won’t find that name on any map.  Besides, he blindfolded me coming and going!

This fish felt like a really big trout and had me fooled until right before its colors broke the surface.

Why is this fish called a sheephead?  Take a closer look and answer that for yourself!

(Sorry about that blood spot!)  This fish has teeth like a sheep.  I threw it back after admiring the shades of purple and teal, to which these photos do not do justice.

On a different day, on a solo trip to my favorite fall/winter trout lake, the sun rose to greet me over the eastern bank.  Don’t feel sorry for me because I had to fish alone.  I don’t mind!

As I spun around and gazed toward the western shoreline, I was pleased to see Mr. Moon still watching over me from up above.  Or maybe his presence was a curse.

I fished the grass beds for four hours, where just days before, my friends had caught a limit (25) of trout in the grass beds.  I fished every which way:  Tight line, slow retrieve on bottom, bouncing the bait off the bottom, under a popping cork; glow bait with chartreuse tail, purple bait with chartreuse tail, solid blue moon, avocado green sparkle beetle with red flecks, black cocoho with yellow tail; white jig head, red jig head, lead jig head.

The only two fish I caught were close to the bank (not in the grass beds) and just a half-inch too short to hit the ice chest.

Finally, I called my friend who had successfully pulled trout out of there days before:

Me:  Well, Boudreaux, I’m swallowing my pride.  Please tell me HOW y’all caught those fish in these grass beds.

Boudreaux:  Well, we tried everything but it came down to this.  We used a light jig head, about 1/8 oz., then put a short grub-type plastic bait with a curly tail.  Cast it out there, and kept it high in the water column, so it didn’t get tangled in that grass.  The trout would just come up and SLAM it.

Me:  Okay, Boudreaux, thanks a bunch.

Boudreaux:  Hey, is the wind blowing?  Because you know that wind ain’t your friend out there.  It was calm the day we caught those fish.

Me:  Yes, the wind is blowing, but I have to try anyway.

Boudreaux: Well, good luck anyway!  Hope you catch ’em!

Me:  Thanks again.

Two more hours of hard fishing later, I still had nothing in the boat.  Nothing.  A big fat Z-E-R-O.  It was the wind.  It was not the fisherwoman.  I threw everything at those fish but the kitchen sink.

I packed up my gear, and my aching back and headed to the house.

Did you ever notice that your back only hurts while fishing when you’re NOT catching fish?

Skunked but not defeated,

BW

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15 Comments

  1. I been noticing the back and left knee hurting much of the time.
    I think I been to that Sleepy Reef spot a couple times.

    Yea the wind is either your friend or your foe. I still think these trout act like crappie so ‘wind in your face’ if on shore so in a boat you’d be casting to the shore with the breeze.

    Nice shirt not sure about the glasses, C.

  2. Oops its November did you try silver minnow panfish assassins under a Mr Crappie popping cork 1/16th oz jighead?
    Didn’t think so. Got mudminnows? beerbottle brown color?
    Didn’t think so.

    How’s 20th look for lessons?

  3. No wonder I couldn’t find Sleepy Reef when I Googled it the other day! I’d be VERY happy to bring home 25 Specks like that one. I would have kept that Sheephead too! I’d have boiled that booger in some crab boil and then used it in a sauce over some fried specks!
    When you went out alone to fish the grass beds, was that Lake Decade?
    BTW, I too have found that aches and pains are more noticeable when the fish aren’t biting.

      1. Just wanted verification. Even if Sleepy Reef as on the map, you know Hubby wouldn’t go if it was 100′ from Decade.

          1. “Kinda Stubborn”??? THAT IS THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF ALL TIME! To keep the peace and have a relaxing day on the water…I just go along for the ride, fish and hope some fish swimming by is dumb enough to want my bait.

  4. Shoot, I know where Decade is! But that funny whistling sound is the rest of the discussion going over my head.

    Well, except for that shirt from Lake of the Woods. That was my dad’s favorite vacation spot, with Leech Lake second. Minnesota lakes are the best!

    1. I guess this means you’re not into fishing jargon, Linda? LOL! It’s okay. I’ll do all that for you when we go fishing! I guess Choup went to Lake of the Woods, and I didn’t even get the T-shirt! Oh well . . . good to hear from you.