Middle Concho 1-31-09

Interesting day!

Chip Palko fell victim of my master plan to insure that I win the PABC Small Stringer Award. When I found out that Chip had a 1.4, well I couldn't have that; now, could I? I skillfully put him in position to catch a 1.14 thus my 1.7 will take the day. (**insert evil laugh here**)

Actually, I had the privilege to be taken out fishing by Chip. It was an honor that I don't take lightly. I knew that it was going to be an interesting day. Temperature was in the mid-60s and clear with the water being 49-50 degrees and stained. Wind was coming out of the south pretty hard, 20 MPH pretty steadily until dusk. I was fishing a 1/4 oz. Scrounger jig head on a white Lake Fork Swim Bait. Pretty bait but despite a couple of hits, I officially got ...

Not the first time. Not the last, I'm sure!

Chip was fishing something he was calling a "Killer Shad" and it did well. We were casting in an area and I got a hit. He tossed in and caught it.

It certainly got my attention and I watched with interest.

We were fishing my areas on the Middle Concho that I have been hitting as of late. There was no less than 5 other boats in the area. We hit the gently sloping mud banks that are shallow and tried to see if the fish would hit. We worked in the salt cedars where Chip caught about 4 good size whites to include this nice fish.


In general, Chip was working on the outside of the cedars. In my opinion, he was doing one thing critically right where as I was doing one thing critically wrong. Chip downsized to this swim bait where as I was sticking to the 4.5 inch swim bait. I didn't think it would make much difference until I saw Chip keep on catching the fish. By then it was too late. I hadn't fished this swim bait and jig head before so I wanted to get familiar with it. I knew that I would have a hard time unless I drug the bait onto the head of the bass. As I noted, no such luck. I have to admit, I did enjoy watching Chip catch this one.

The 1.14 was a blast!


On a side note, I got good news and bad news on a bet we had made. Chip lost one by the boat and said it was a largemouth bass. I said that I didn't think so. He said, "Well, let me catch it again."


He did. That was the bad news. The good news was that I was right, it turned out to be a white. ;-P


Chip did manage to make a pretty good stringer.




I has a great time and hope to get back out tomorrow.





Take care and I hope to see you on the water!