2016 – Fishing Reports

9/5/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Two fishermen fished Decker Lake on 9/5/16.  It was mostly a slow morning,  Both Rex Yokum and Randy Rowley caught around one 2 1/2 lb. bass each, both on Little George’s.  It was a foggy and overcast morning.  After striking out at a couple points, the lilly pad field, and the discharge, the two fished the cove to the north of the dam.  They were fishing the shore line, when they heard a splash besides them, further out in the cove.  Randy turned to the source of the sound and saw three more splashes in short order, and they didn’t look like carp.  Randy put his trolling motor in high and went in their direction.  The pair spent the next two hours or so chasing solo spashes, but occasionally were fortunate enough to have bass schooling within casting range.  Playing a hunch that we were using baits that were two large, Rex downsized to a Little George and connected on the next school  This convinced Randy to do the same and he connected a few minutes later.  The overcast kept the temperature down and there wasn’t a lot of boat traffic.  All in all, it was a good day to be on the lake.

7/23/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Three fishermen fished Lady Bird Lake on 7/23/16.  It was a slow morning.  Dustin Rhodes caught a large perch.  Dustin, Burl Fulenwider, and Randy Rowley all had hits, but the bass would not commit.  There was brief schooling action/chasing of shad on the surface, but the bass would not stay up top for any length of time.

6/10/16 – 6/12/16 Self-chartered Saltwater Bay Fishing Trip

Seven fishermen had a great time at the 6/10/16 – 6/12/16 Self-chartered Saltwater Bay Fishing Trip at Port O’Connor.  The seven fishermen who fished caught several trout, black drum, redfish, and several not so wanted hardheads, rock fish, and gafftops.  We have a few trout and redfish that we threw back for next year.  We stayed at the Salty Dog Outfitters facilities and all had a great time.  We had two boats that were utilized during the trip (Daryl Shipper’s and Randy Rowley’s) and only one Murphy story with Randy’s boat.  We also had a lot of fish stories in each boat and across the water to each boat and Burl even had one in his sleep that Dan and Trevor enjoyed.  Randy lead a devotional on Duck Hunting with Mr. Murphy.

6/6/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Four participants enjoyed a beautiful day on the 6/6/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Bastrop.  David Peterson caught a 17″ channel catfish on a medium diving crankbait.  Michael Peterson caught a 16 1/2″ bass on a Sebile square bill shad colored crankbait.  Randy Rowley caught a 15 7/8″ bass on a Rapala Scatterrap perch colored crankbait.  Randy also couldn’t connect with five bass on frogs, despite giving them three seconds each to eat them before he set the hook.  David also had one on with a frog, but it got off.  Michael managed to hook a diamond backed water snake, but managed to shake the hook.  Unfortunately, Mr. Murphy joined us on our way home.  Randy had a blow-out of one of this boat tires.  We were able to break one bolt free holding the spare tire but couldn’t break the other one.  Randy dropped the boat and went to Callahan’s and bought a hack saw.  A guy stopped buy who had a large socket wrench and Randy and him were able to break the bold free.  But the cable combination lock was fused, so Randy had to saw it.  Fortunately, Randy had bought road hazard insurance, so a new tire only cost him $11.

5/28/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Three participants had a frustrating day at the 5/28/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Fayette.  Burl Fulenwider caught a 15″ bass on a blue and white Rapala jointed Shad Rap.  He had another bass on, but it got off before it got to the boat.  Randy Rowley had a bass hit a spinnerbait but he failed to hook it.  We saw several bass and threw baits right in front of them, including Randy bouncing a frog off of ones head right by the boat, but we couldn’t entice bites.  We didn’t see other fishermen catch bass and the reports that we got from other fishermen, with one exception (who was probably lying), were poor.

5/12/16 Chartered Striped/Hybrid Bass Fishing Trip

Ten fishermen had a great time at the 5/12/16 Chartered Striped/Hybrid Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Buchanan with Empty Pockets and Boss Striper guide services.  The five fishermen who fished with Empty Pockets caught a limit of 25 stripers.  The five fishermen who fished with Boss Striper caught 10 stripers.  Both groups caught several stripers that had to be thrown back because they were too small.  Jim McGee caught the biggest striper, and the biggest ever caught on an FCS striped/hybrid bass fishing trip, a 34 incher!  Vince Berry also caught a nice 25 1/2″ striper.

4/30/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Three participants had a good time at the 4/30/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Bastrop.  Six bass and a catfish were caught.

First – Randy Rowley

Most – Will Voges (boated two bass and one 4 lb. flathead catfish; had another bass come off at the boat); Randy caught two and Dustin Rhodes caught one and a half (see below)

Biggest – Will Voges (16 1/2 incher)

Last – Will Voges

The fish were caught on a Whopper Plopper (topwater bait), lipless crankbait, fluke, and ringed swim bait.  Dustin had a bass break off on a fluke.  Later we saw a bass in the same area, about a foot under the water.  After several attempts to get it to bite, we realized that it was caught on something.  We netted it.  It had a worm hook in its mouth and the line was wrapped around a submerged tree.  It was the bass that Dustin had hooked 30 minutes earlier.

4/22/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Three participants had a good time at the 4/22/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Bastrop.  Seven bass and a catfish were caught.

First – Rex Yokum

Most – Rex Yokum (boated three bass and a catfish; lost about a three pounder at the boat); Randy Rowley caught two and Jim McGee caught two.

Biggest – Randy Rowley (17 1/4 incher)

Last – Randy Rowley

Jim McGee caught his two on back to back casts.  The fish were caught on a buzz bait, spinnerbait, lipless crankbaits, and square bill crankbait.  Randy also had the same fish hit his dog walker twice and miss it both times.  Randy also foul hooked a carp, but it got off and all that he had to show for it was a scale about the size of a 50 cent piece.  Also there were about 40 game wardens and servicemen at the pavilion by the boat ramp – we figured that they were engaged in some kind of exercise.

3/25/16 Self-chartered  Bass Fishing Trip

Three participants enjoyed a beautiful day on Lady Bird Lake on 3/25/16.  Randy Rowley caught a double limit – four trees, a bridge for walkers/joggers, and five underwater trees. Burl Fulenwider caught three underwater trees and Randy’s trolling motor.

3/12/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Two participants had a good time at the 3/12/16 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip on Lake Decker.  The duo fished out of Will Vogues kayaks (Randy Rowley was sick, so he and his boat stayed home).  They caught three bass.  Will had two come off of the hook, including a six pounder!