100 Degrees at 11 AM...

 We have not done much fishing this summer. Some of that is due to the travel trailer purchase almost a year ago that's had us split our time with our toys. Some of it is the fact that we've had about 39 days last I heard anyway, of plus 100 degree temps. It's hot on the lake and even though I know there are fish out there dyeing of old age before I can catch them with a heat advisory almost every day I want to make sure I live to see some cool fall fishing. 

Cathy took off on a girls shopping trip, my services not required so I scheduled a canoe adventure to B. A. Steinhagen Lake, this time to a Corps of Engineer launch instead of my usual State Park stomping grounds. The State Park hours begin at 8am and I thought I'd beat the heat by being able to launch at 7am. Might have well waited on the State Park as this trip produced no fish but I did get this good sunrise photo of my canoe. The area is pretty, I have good equipment and this photo will look good on the internet. I guess I will have to be satisfied with that. 

Don't get me wrong it was a satisfying morning. I blooped old school top water poppers around swampy cypress trees and drifted plastic worms along sandy creek bank drop offs. Every now and then I spotted wood ducks swimming between the cypress and occasionally got a half hearted swirl or tug at the lure but it was a strike more out of curiosity than trying to make a meal of my bait. 

This is the kind of bass fishing I grew up with. Drifting along and casting a top water lure. It's kind of a therapy. You methodically cast and swim the bait along imitating the minnows that dart along and scatter when the lure is tossed in fishy looking spots with a crashing strike on top sometimes catching you off guard. That's why you should relax with this kind of fishing. Let him take the bait, don't take it away. 

I thought about loading up and heading over to the state park. I had my line broken by a big bass there last trip. I usually print my park pass at home. I could have checked in at the office before launching but the digital read out on the truck dash said 100 degrees at 11am. I had drank almost half the water I brought along for the trip. I ate a banana and saved my lunch of canned of smoked oysters for the next trip.

I told Cathy fish for supper, possibly, hopefully. I was envisioning a couple of blackened bass fillets served over baked farmer's market squash on a bed of thin noodles. Not today, not today.