I usually try not to go to Lake Ferguson if the river is rising but today in desperation for a place with pretty water I went. The water has risen 3 feet since the last time I went, Greenville gauge 47 feet. When I went outside to go it was “foggy , misting rain” as Willie likes to say. That encompasses anything from a fog to just short of a straight pour down rain. The rain made me a little nervous but I sallied forth anyway. Fishing started sometime just after 1:00 and in the same place the fish were caught last trip. Coming back down the levee the other day I saw about 40 deer out and about, so I figured the bite time was around 3:00 when I saw them. That was wrong. The first fish caught had a shad tail sticking out of its gullet. They had been dining early. The DT-6 caught 5 rather quickly in about 5 to 6 feet of water with some vines and a few weeds that had grown when the place was dry. This spot was near a steep drop down to 20 feet. Just like before, when they quit, they quit. Not another bite. After it was obvious that the game was up in that spot, I left to go find another spot. The meadow used to be a good spot, and it still may be but not for me today. It is bordered by ironwood bushes so thick there is no way to get your boat through them. The rest is an open field with a few short weeds growing in it, not much cover. It might be good when the water really starts to warm up and the bass are thinking spawn. After snooping around a little, I returned to the spot but nothing was happening. No more bites even on a jig. Five fish total, FOD 3 1/2.

When eating out the other night Betsy told us about her catching a nice bass in her front yard. She showed us a picture and the fish I would guess was 7 pounds. The lake was falling and water must have been running out of her yard. She was trying to catch a crappie with a light rod and 6 pound test and a chartreuse crappie jig. The drag must have been set right because she said the fish would just pull out line and then she would get some back. Finally the fish was tired out but she was scared to try to lift it, so she just dragged it up on the bank. Screaming while all this was taking place. She said a neighbor thought she had been hurt due to all the racket. I was asleep at the switch or I would have asked her to email me the photo.

Aside from sailing or surfing, the wind is not the friend of anyone nautical. In certain places it positions the fish, but that was not the case today. Lake Ferguson was falling slightly this morning when I hit the lake around 9:30, and the wind WAS blowing around 12 MPH and was on the increase. I had many ideas of good places to fish but due to the wind many were almost impossible. The ironwood bushes, or closer to trees, were another impediment. The some of the willows around the lake have died and many of the others have had the tops broken out. When the water falls out, this allows sunlight to reach the ground and the ironwoods have prospered. Fishing around ironwoods is very difficult for me. When you get hung up in one it is rarely easy to get unhung and many times you end up sacrificing your bait. I have always said an ironwood bush is a bass’s best friend. I started off with a vibrating jig and a DT-6 of course. I have been taking a portrait of my DT-6 each time I go fishing because it has caught so many fish and it is getting beat up. If I lose it I want something to remember it by.

By 1:15 I had not the first bite and decided to try one more spot, which was the last I had in mind. By now I had the aforementioned baits on the deck along with two swimbaits, a KVD 1.5, a redeye shad and a green jig with a trailer. The water had 3 1/2 feet of visibility and was just over 51 degrees. I use the DT-6 just like a jerk bait moving it very slowly. As I eased into the spot I noticed some nervous shad which was a good sign. This place was out of the main wind, no waves but enough wind to blow you around. The spot was lined with ironwoods too. There was a sandy ridge where there was only one ironwood bush. I threw the DT-6 there first and at first thought I was hung but I began to feel a fish on the other end. It was a 6 1/2 pound that fought but not like they do when the water is warm. The bait was sideways in its mouth. When I put it in the boat I had to bring it in by the gill cover. No landing penalty, if you watch Major League Fishing on TV.

It is very hard to take a good photo of your fish, holding the fish with one hand and operating the camera with the other. Your arm is just not long enough. I am always in a hurry to return the fish to the water so they will not be stressed. Some of the guys on the TV fishing shows will hold the fish out for what seems for ever to me. When they catch one I wish they would hold their breath until they release the fish. If they hold the fish out too long while they are jabbering, I quickly turn them off. After I caught this one I had another bite but no fish. That made me think I needed a bait with more hooks so out came a deep diving jerk bait with three sharp trebles. I quickly caught three more but much smaller. I then went around the spot casting parallel to the ironwoods hoping to catch some that may be just on the outside of the bushes and be able to see the bait in the clear water. That worked for two more and a couple more bites but it was obvious that things were slowing down. If I were going tomorrow I would be in that spot at 11:45. Snatched the fat out of the fire with six bass in all with the 6 1/2 FOD.