03-29-2010, 09:00 AM
Saturday morning found my parents and I waiting out a cool spell early in the morning to head out and do some fishing. It is the first family outing of the year and of course, they were looking for Mr. Whiskers while I was doing my normal bucketmouth hunt. <br /><br />We finally got to RM around 11:30 PM and the wind was howling. It was blowing straight up the main lake, onto the connector bridge, and out the other side up the lake. One side was choppy as all get out and the other side had a slip ripple. We all started out on the side with the less wind, which would put it at our backs, and on the second cast of the day, I nailed a 6 lbs. bass. I caught it on a Davis Bait Co. Paca Jig, Peanut Butter in color, with a matching NetBait Twin Tail trailer, in the same color. After snapping a quick photo with Dad&#39;s cell phone, the bass was released to fight another day and hopefully, in the coming weeks, make some more bass for the future. <br /><br />After a couple of hours of no bites, I decided to fight the wind and stepped over to the other side of the bridge. Using the same jig, I made a cast parallel with the rip-rap, about 5 ft. off the shore, and started my retrieve. I hopped it over a rock and got bit.......but it dropped the jig. Brought it over another rock, another bite, but still the same result, the bass dropped the jig. On the second cast, I pulled it over a rock, felt the tap, and set the hook. The bass came up and tail walked..........and the unthinkable happened.............the line broke. I was stunned and sickened all the same moment. In 21 years of fishing, I haven&#39;t ever had a fish break my line. That&#39;s no lie, either. There is a first time for everything, I suppose. I told a fellow that had seen the bass tail walk that she was at least 7 lbs. He felt that it was between 8-9 lbs. I retied, using the same style, color, and model of jig, using the same trailer, and did the same retrieve. Hopped it over a rock and boom!, another hit! I set the hook and brought this fish to the shore. It was a chunky and healthy 2 lbs. bass. <br /><br />After breaking off another two jigs and my folks not getting any attention from Mr. Whiskers, we drove around for a while and called it a day. I had asked the folks at the Big Texas Valley Trading Post if any big bass had been caught and they said no, none had been reported to them. We went back on the way out and told them of the events of the day, and they said that no more than 5 minutes, another fellow came in and brought in a solid 6 lbs. bass. <br /><br />With this week of warming weather, the bass will be moving up and I fully expect to see some beds this weekend.