I got up about 3AM Saturday morning to meet a friend from Seoul and take him out to my new favorite lake for a little bass fishing. We left Camp Humphreys at 4AM and were on the water an hour and a half later. I felt because of the high-pressure weather system we’ve had the last few days, the bass were a little more picky than usual. I started out with my usual tactic (chartreuse spinner-bait), but they didn’t seem interested. The water was extremely clear, which also may explain their pickiness… The first fish of the day was a big cat who inhaled my spinner-bait in about two feet of water. It put up a pretty good fight, twisting and turning and by the time I landed it the line was wrapped around its belly and it started up-chucking its breakfast in the boat. I could tell it had been dining on small fish. What a smell! I put it in the expando-net we had trailing along side the boat, and later it swam out. Good for it – see you next time…
The next fish came from Peter who caught one of those tarpon-looking-things, a small one, but interesting none-the-less.
I switched over to worming, which proved somewhat frustrating because the bluegill were biting the tails off of my Berkely Power Worms. Peter started throwing topwater lures and had a swirls close by, but still the bass remained elusive. He did manage to catch a few decent-sized bluegills on crank-baits though.
I switched to a Rattlin’ Shad and caught one of those tarpon-looking-things myself.
Then we started catching a lot of small bass. I caught one worthy of posting except I had my shirt off, and since my belly was bigger and whiter than the bass’ I’ll refrain from posting it here 
Crank-baits proved to be the answer. I lost the Rattlin’ Shad so I tried medium divers. These proved to be just as effective. The bass were not liking anything they could get a good look at, but when we fished anything loud and wobbly with a moderately fast presentation they would nail it. Later, as the sun came up and it started getting hot, jigging worms seemed to be the right answer.
I also got to try out the new camera. I recently purchased a Cannon EOS Rebel XT and it seems to be a fine addition to the tackle box. For fishing, it’s simply point and shoot. It does a hell of a lot more, but point and shoot is just fine out on the water.
By the time we got back to Camp Humphreys you could stick a fork in me because I was done. It had been a long day and I was more than a little sunburned.
Gar, could you make the pictures clickable please. I’m curious about the tarpon looking fish, but it’s so small I can’t get a good look. Thanks.
Sorry about that. I asked the Nomad to try and fix it. I tried everything I could to do just that from here, but it isn’t working. He’ll fix it I’m sure
Gar,I would also like to see more on that cat fish you caught .
You were able to get up at 3am,REAL SPORTSMAN !!!
The rest of the Cp Humpheys,so called Bass Pros were still at the soju tents.
Git-Er-Done! Joel, I fixed it.
Joe,
LOL. True, true… with the exception of Big Bill that is. He’ll get up and bring the doughnuts too!
The water was extremely clear, which also may explain their pickiness…
Clear water = fewer fish biting ?
I stand by my earlier contention that the Nomad himself is scaring away the fish.
Kushibo.
The clearer the water, the better the bass can see what you’re throwing out there; line, weights, and lures. After the spring spawn and with the approach of hot weather, the bass start becoming more sluggish, less agressive, and much more selective in their feeding habits. I’ve found that on clear-water lakes, the fish bite better on overcast, windy days.
Those “tarpon-looking-things” must be pretty aggressive little fish. In the first picture, the lure hanging out of that fishes mouth is nearly as big as the fish. I bet those would be great fun to catch on a fly rod.
Let’s see Joe… How many times were Alan and I the first ones to arrive out at your old place on Saturday and Sunday mornings? I believe it was YOU who would regularly stumble out of the bungalow an hour or two after we got there.
By the way, you’re motor ran great. I’ll drop you an email later.
Ah the truth is slowly coming out…
LOL
Nomad, more often than not Joe and I had gotten hammered together the night before anyway, so it wasn’t exactly a race to get out there the next morning.
And let me tell ya, there’s no better way to get rid of a hangover than to have to bail 100 gallons of water out of an old john boat, with a cut-in-half milk jug mind you, in the hot Asan Bay summer sun!
Actually, Rob, there is a better way to get rid of a hangover.
Especially in the middle of summer – go walk around the open market, particularly the fish and meat sections and let me tell you, that smell will give your stomach and brain something else to worry about besides your hangover.
Nice fish by the way Gar! Sounds like you guys had fun.
Thanks Rob,
If we didn’t have fun, I sure tried to paint it like we did… kidding.
Pete is a great fisherman. His problem is he has no time usually. He’s changing jobs soon though, and moving to Taegu in a couple of weeks. He’s promised to hook me up once he gets the local fishing spots dialed in. I’m looking forward to it. He’s also looking for a bass boat…
Joe: Ae you a pinch jealous of the Pyeongtaek Bass Pro’s? What do you catch in Iraq by the way? Sand sharks? Lol. You would have loved today out in your old stomping grounds on the river.
Check out the Bass Hole for some pics of the brand new “Pyeongtaek Bass Club” we just got started, pig head and all.
Nomad,
I want to go night fishing!
Very nice!