I've been to Beck 4 times over the last 3 weeks. I tried everything I could think of for bass at this time of year, but I was skunked every time. Each time was in the early to late evening. But if there is one thing I've learned from you guys on this board, it's that "Persistence pays off!"
So on Memorial Day morning I got my lazy ass out of bed at 5:30 and headed to Beck. There was a small storm cell going through when I got there so I sat in my car and rigged up 2 poles while waiting for the storm to pass. I rarely use two poles but I keep an old spare rod and reel in my trunk along with my regular rod. I thought I would use 1 for bass and the other for panfish.
My wife did not go with me this particular morning, but she often accompanies me on a late summer afternoon because she likes the lake. She'll bring a folding chair and read while I fish. We always head to an area that we jokingly refer to as "our spot". It's the stretch of shoreline to the left (west) of the boat launch. There's a series of reeds and openings along the shoreline there. It has been real productive for me over the last few years. But normally when I go by myself I like to work a lot of shoreline and always head up the east side, over the outflow from the dog run, and work the north shore opposite the island. But this morning I decide to just go west of the boat ramp and work an area between two stands of reeds.
Problem Rod # 1: I cast out my panfish rig (the old backup rod) and the cast jerks short. I check the rod and it turns out that the tip got mangled in the trunk. I fix it as best I can and cast out again. I use my "main" rod and start working for bass. Jerk bait, heavy cover jig with plastic craw tail, shallow diving shad rap, and even a texas rigged Zoom worm. But nothing seems to work. So I say the hell with it, and switch my "good" rod over for panfish (bobber, #4 TruTurn hook and 1/3 to 1/2 of a nightcrawler). I cast out and immediately get a hit. I thought it was a chunky blue gill at first, but when I brought it in I realized it was a warmouth. I've got them before in the same area, but rarely.
Problem Rod # 2: In my excitement to release the warmouth, get a photo of it, and get it back in the lake, I stupidly don't pay attention and end up stepping on the tip of my good rod. "Crunch!" Damn it! Now the tip of my good rod is busted. I didn't want to go home yet, so I end up using a pair of dikes to clip off the rod tip just above the next guide and use it that way. It's ugly and short, but it works.
I get a few more nibbles, but no hits. I make one last cast and slowly bring the bobber back toward shore, using ever trick I know. Twitch it, gently bring it in a few inches to try different depths, etc. Just as I get it close to shore, practically at my feet, I give it a slight twitch and prepare to call it a day. Suddenly the bobber disappears under the water. I set the hook and I could tell immediately that this was no bluegill or warmouth. I manage to fight it in and bring it up the bank. It was a nice sized LMB, not my PB (that distinction goes to a bass I caught in Opeka in 2016, the one that's in my profile photo), but definitely a PB for me at Beck. I take a photo and release him back in the lake.
As a special bonus, a water snake comes cruising past and I took a photo of that.
So it was nice to end my 2020 skunk streak at Beck with couple of decent fish, even if it did cost me two rods! ;-) But that's okay because now I have an excuse to replace them!
Warmouth
Warmouth, Beck Lake 5-25-20 by Steve, on Flickr
LMB
Large Mouth Bass, Beck Lake, 5-25-20 by Steve, on Flickr
Watersnake
Water Snake, Beck Lake 5-25-20 by Steve, on Flickr
Beautiful Memorial Day morning at Beck
Early morning, Beck Lake, 5-25-20 by Steve, on Flickr
Busted South Bend rod
Busted rod tip 2 by Steve, on Flickr
So on Memorial Day morning I got my lazy ass out of bed at 5:30 and headed to Beck. There was a small storm cell going through when I got there so I sat in my car and rigged up 2 poles while waiting for the storm to pass. I rarely use two poles but I keep an old spare rod and reel in my trunk along with my regular rod. I thought I would use 1 for bass and the other for panfish.
My wife did not go with me this particular morning, but she often accompanies me on a late summer afternoon because she likes the lake. She'll bring a folding chair and read while I fish. We always head to an area that we jokingly refer to as "our spot". It's the stretch of shoreline to the left (west) of the boat launch. There's a series of reeds and openings along the shoreline there. It has been real productive for me over the last few years. But normally when I go by myself I like to work a lot of shoreline and always head up the east side, over the outflow from the dog run, and work the north shore opposite the island. But this morning I decide to just go west of the boat ramp and work an area between two stands of reeds.
Problem Rod # 1: I cast out my panfish rig (the old backup rod) and the cast jerks short. I check the rod and it turns out that the tip got mangled in the trunk. I fix it as best I can and cast out again. I use my "main" rod and start working for bass. Jerk bait, heavy cover jig with plastic craw tail, shallow diving shad rap, and even a texas rigged Zoom worm. But nothing seems to work. So I say the hell with it, and switch my "good" rod over for panfish (bobber, #4 TruTurn hook and 1/3 to 1/2 of a nightcrawler). I cast out and immediately get a hit. I thought it was a chunky blue gill at first, but when I brought it in I realized it was a warmouth. I've got them before in the same area, but rarely.
Problem Rod # 2: In my excitement to release the warmouth, get a photo of it, and get it back in the lake, I stupidly don't pay attention and end up stepping on the tip of my good rod. "Crunch!" Damn it! Now the tip of my good rod is busted. I didn't want to go home yet, so I end up using a pair of dikes to clip off the rod tip just above the next guide and use it that way. It's ugly and short, but it works.
I get a few more nibbles, but no hits. I make one last cast and slowly bring the bobber back toward shore, using ever trick I know. Twitch it, gently bring it in a few inches to try different depths, etc. Just as I get it close to shore, practically at my feet, I give it a slight twitch and prepare to call it a day. Suddenly the bobber disappears under the water. I set the hook and I could tell immediately that this was no bluegill or warmouth. I manage to fight it in and bring it up the bank. It was a nice sized LMB, not my PB (that distinction goes to a bass I caught in Opeka in 2016, the one that's in my profile photo), but definitely a PB for me at Beck. I take a photo and release him back in the lake.
As a special bonus, a water snake comes cruising past and I took a photo of that.
So it was nice to end my 2020 skunk streak at Beck with couple of decent fish, even if it did cost me two rods! ;-) But that's okay because now I have an excuse to replace them!
Warmouth
Warmouth, Beck Lake 5-25-20 by Steve, on FlickrLMB
Large Mouth Bass, Beck Lake, 5-25-20 by Steve, on FlickrWatersnake
Water Snake, Beck Lake 5-25-20 by Steve, on FlickrBeautiful Memorial Day morning at Beck
Early morning, Beck Lake, 5-25-20 by Steve, on FlickrBusted South Bend rod
Busted rod tip 2 by Steve, on Flickr
