Percy Priest 8-17-2011

Great expectations. It was a beautiful morning, overcast with a welcome chill in the air. I was on the water before good light, put on my running lights and pulled my rods from the rod box. Finally the reliable 200 Optimax cranked and engine temp warmed I headed a quarter mile away to the pumping station ready for a top water bite, buzz bait or popper, it didn't matter. Somehow the bass didn't get the message. Nada, nothing, no action on top nor on a fluke, jig, crank bait, swimbait and if I had one, a live minnow. These fish were truly turned off and not just there but all up and down the river. I fished the junction of Spring, Fall and Stones and a little way up Spring Creek. I then motored up the Stones stopping at likely looking spots including the fork of East Fork and West Fork. Fished a number of spots up the East to within 100 yards of I840. Retraces back to the intersection and cruised up the West Fork. 

All of this time I had not had a legitimate  bite, a few bream nibbles is all. Why we fishermen are so stubborn I don't know. We insist on catching (or trying) to catch a fish the way we want to. I had used my search bait, a fluke, most of the morning because I have confidence in it. It then dawned on me (about 11:00) that as reluctant as the fish were maybe a smaller finesse approach might work, duh! I rigged a mojo rig with a shaky head worm and a few minutes later I hooked a nice bass. This one was quite strong, making about 5 strong surges and on the sixth, the sickening sound of mono parting. Lest you think I am claiming yet another six pounder escaping, I can only say this one was between 3 & 4 and never jumped but was seen clearly on those runs by the boat.

Finally caught another but small. Fished a few more spots on the way back toward the Jefferson Springs ramp but made one more stop at the pumping station. Finally picked another squeaker on a rattle bait. By then the sun began to bear down and I loaded out about 1:30 with 2 bass and a couple of white bass. I saw no schooling fish and not a lot of big shad schools on the surface. This was a disappointing fishing day but a great day to be in God's incredible creation.