08-26-2019, 03:44 PM
I made an early morning trip out to the Bear River on Saturday morning. Had the poles in the water at 4:55 a.m. down near the bottom near the refuge gate. Fishing was slow but about 15 minutes later I had something happen that really surprised me, a coyote started howling across the river on the north side. I have hunted coyotes in the past and spent a lot of time chasing them in my younger days. Definitely a coyote howling. That first howl started a chorus of yapping and howling from several locations on the refuge, including on the south side of the river. This lasted for about 10 minutes then quit. I guess coyotes[i][/i] will set up wherever there is food, even out in the marshland.
Fishing was slow there so I relocated up the river. Thank goodness I brought the bug spray. I was assaulted by mosquitos They were very bad at that location. I set a pole up downriver with a big carp chunk on a circle hook. Placed it in a rod holder and placed a clip on bell near the rod tip. It was still dark out. I walked upriver about 30 yards or so and put the other line in the water. Then I heard the bell going off. I ran down to the pole and it was bent over and throbbing with a fish on. Ended up being a nice 26 inch cat hooked in the corner of the mouth with the circle hook. I set the pole up again and returned to my other pole. 5 minutes later the bell is ringing again. I run down again and see the same thing, pole bent with a good fish on. Ended up being a 28.5 incher, hooked in the corner with the circle hook. Set it up a third time and returned into the other pole. Not long and you guessed it, bell went off again. Unfortunately, I missed that fish, just didn't stick. Then the sun started to poke over the mountains and the bite shut off at that location. I moved again and caught another 26" cat.
I have had that bell in my backpack for a while and have never used it. It actually made the trip quite fun, just something different to try. I will probably have to go out and give it another try in the dark and hope to hear that sweet bell ringing again.
Sunrise was gorgeous.
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Fishing was slow there so I relocated up the river. Thank goodness I brought the bug spray. I was assaulted by mosquitos They were very bad at that location. I set a pole up downriver with a big carp chunk on a circle hook. Placed it in a rod holder and placed a clip on bell near the rod tip. It was still dark out. I walked upriver about 30 yards or so and put the other line in the water. Then I heard the bell going off. I ran down to the pole and it was bent over and throbbing with a fish on. Ended up being a nice 26 inch cat hooked in the corner of the mouth with the circle hook. I set the pole up again and returned to my other pole. 5 minutes later the bell is ringing again. I run down again and see the same thing, pole bent with a good fish on. Ended up being a 28.5 incher, hooked in the corner with the circle hook. Set it up a third time and returned into the other pole. Not long and you guessed it, bell went off again. Unfortunately, I missed that fish, just didn't stick. Then the sun started to poke over the mountains and the bite shut off at that location. I moved again and caught another 26" cat.
I have had that bell in my backpack for a while and have never used it. It actually made the trip quite fun, just something different to try. I will probably have to go out and give it another try in the dark and hope to hear that sweet bell ringing again.
Sunrise was gorgeous.
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