Learning Patience is KEY to catching Big Fish!

The kids are out of school which means lots of flexibility and FISHING! We're always on the lookout while driving around for NEW fishing spots to try (living out in the country with lot of lakes around...we're always coming upon little spots we've never tried).

One of my FAVORITE spots in our town of Carleton Place (just outside of Ottawa) is under a major over pass on Hwy 7. It has easy access and it connects the Mississippi River with Mississippi Lake so there is lots of stuff coming in and out. One of the best parts is it has nice moving water, but also great weeds and sop bogs on either side of the bridge which I've learned usually seem to contain at least one or two decent size large mouth if you're patient and using the right tools :)

I'm the first to admit I'm not always the most patient person! I'm usually a GO GO always doing something, never sitting still kinda girl. It's one of the reasons I love FISHING because I have no choice to be patient...I can cast for an hour or two with nothing but small catches of pan fish and then all of a sudden BOOM...I have a BIG fish on the line and it makes it all worth while....in this sense fishing is a great learning experience for overall life!

A couple weeks ago I was at my favorite spot under the overpass with my youngest guy while my hubby was out in the banana boat with the older kid trolling and trying to catch BIG stuff. I stood there casting over and over again for 90 minutes in the evening with my worm and bobber (it was extremely weedy and I wasn't feeling too adventures ) and cast after cast I was reeling in silly panfish after silly panfish (don't get me wrong some are getting to huge crazy shocking sizes , but after almost 1000 panfish caught so far this season...I'm a bit bored:). Ill be honest I was getting bored and frustrated (especially since I knew hubby was probably catching BIG stuff out in the lake while I stood dinky fish on shore) when it was almost time to leave out of the blue I felt THAT TUG...that one that is so strong it starts to pull your line out and you hear that hmmm of your unravelling line. I didn't know what it was..and frankly I didn't care...I just knew it was BIG and I was ready! Of course after fighting with this guy for 5 minutes and asking my little guy to get the NET I realize I'd left it in the car...and when I ask for my gloves...I'm informed that I only have 1 as daddy took the other one on the boat...oh this will be FUN! When I get the catch in close enough..he's hiding under the sop weeds and still have no clue what he is or his size. After some more fight we get a head above water and see its a HUGE Largemouth...bigger then any I've caught before....in I go with my hand (just in time as the line snaps as I grab him) to bring him on shore and revel in my catch. This guy was gorgeous...super healthy, clean and 21". Absolutely made my day (OK probably week..lol..it's tough being home with 2 kids for summer break :) Besides having an awesome catch..I was again reminded patience is probably the most important of all my fishing tools.

Bass Party in the Mississippi....

This past Monday with beautiful sunshine and only 2 more ME days left till the kidlets were done school I really really wanted to FISH (the forecast for the next 2 days was....well it just plain sucked.... rain forecasted both days)! With the postal strike being over I really needed to get back into WORK MODE...but being the master planner and prioritizer I am....I figured I could do groceries in the morning (as the fridge was empty) fish the afternoon and work after the kiddies were in bed :) I of course didn't anticipate the stupid computer virus that was going to take over my laptop and take up 2 hours of my time. When the groceries were done and I had handled the computer issue I only had 2 hours before kid pick up to get some fishing in....which totally eliminated most of the ptions I had in mind so I had to think fast and figure something out.

I decided to to venture somewhere close to home...a nice little jetti out into the Mississippi River around the corner from my house. I hadn't used this location yet this year due to the fact it has rained so much it was nearly impossible to get there as it was a bit flooded...but most of the bog had cleared up by now so I had hope I could get to the spot I wanted. It was still mucky...I ended up with mud all down my back from it flinging off my flip flops..but I made it into the end of the point alive. I made my way into the river (up to my thighs) where one off shoot of the Mississippi meets up with the main river again...perfect resting place for some bass :) It only took the first cast for a nice little small mouth to jump on my line... just using worm and hook this day...actually I had a ziplock bag of worms in my pocket (odd..and a first I must say) so i didn't have to keep going back to shore every 2 minutes.. That's sort of how it went for the next 75 minutes.... 23 small mouth (and a few whitefish) made my day. A lot of the small mouth were smaller 10" or so..but there were a couple that were 13-15". Haven't caught my 18" small mouth for OFHA awards yet..but I still have a whole summer to work on that :) Fantastic day....can't wait to go back....so close to home makes a perfect spot for an hour here or there of fishing fun!