5/1-Tough morning/SD River

[VinnyBass]

Being forgetful made my SD River fishing trip a little tougher this morning. Last night I sorted out a selection of crawbaits,
senkos, creature and a few other plastic worms in little ziplocks that were geared just for the SD river. This way I could travel light
as I have a tendency to bring way, way, way too much tackle with me.
Already off to a late start, I was rushing around the house trying to pull it together. I then spent time looking all over for my phone,
then had to run back in the house right before leaving as I forgot my lunch and drink.
Finally I was on my way and as I arrived I sadly discovered that I left all the ziplocks of my selected baits on top of my boat. Yeah,
I had some baits in the small tackle bag, but my plan was just to take those ziplocks, but grabbed that tackle bag out of habit. I kept
thinking about those baits at home, but started flipping and working the small selection of baits I had with me. All types of things
started happening as I somehow get snagged on my third cast, then when re-tying a Texas rig, I thought I was trimming the excess line
and cut the main line. Had a bait wrap around another rod that was so bad I had to cut both lines. Dropping weights etc., I can go on
but I won't.
Anyway, I missed a bite deep in the cover, and then later a bass somehow came off right before I landed it and the only good news
there was it was a small bass. A skunk was in the air, but finally got bit again on a t-rigged brushhog and thankfully was able to land
my "Skunk-breaker" bass which obviously was the highlight on the morning.
I decided to call it a day after that and when I got home, I put all the ziplocks with selected baits in my tackle bag so they are
ready for a future trip to the river.
Must admit that getting old has its drawbacks...ha ha

[Big C]

You always get at least one.

[NotBassFishingAgain]

It’s days like those that will humble you..

[bendopolo 44+]

I have a set of checklists pinned to my sun visor. One is for my boat, one for the kayak and one for float tubing. Rods, tackle bag , Mirage Drive, motor flush/ boat wash bag, stuff like that. A quick check before I leave. This trick has saved me many times, mainly at 3:30 am, leaving for some long distance God forsaken fishery still on my first cup of coffee.

[Mcfish]

They are missing you back at the home...be sure to be back by noon for bingo and your pudding! Kidding you buddy...Mom said there would be days like this! Way to blow off the skunk!

[VinnyBass]

They are missing you back at the home...be sure to be back by noon for bingo and your pudding! Kidding you buddy...Mom said there would be days like this! Way to blow off the skunk!

Darn I missed the Bingo session, but they told me you did quite well....ha ha.
The water is flowing in quite steady from El Cap which created lots of back areas with lots of debris where that are hard to access.
With the water flowing and high winds at times and there are many huge clumps of floating tulles that block off many areas where you can pitch directly to the shoreline.
Never know what to expect but that is what bass fishing is all about. Even if I remembered to bring those packs of selected baits, there was no guarantee I would have done better.
Oh yeah, Nurse Suzy said that you were the one who ate the last chocolate pudding.......thanks a lot

[Mcfish]

Nurse Suzy is a witch..straight out of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". I thought you were a Tapioca kind of guy......

[Early release]

I read this and snorted. Like Jim, I do checklists, because well, old. But most of them are in my head, so there's the added fun of maybe not remembering the checklist, much less the checked item. It's good you went anyway and even got a fish.

[Neuroshima]

Vinny, did you hear about the 12 lber that was caught in the river a few weeks ago? Is that the same area you fish?

[VinnyBass]

Vinny, did you hear about the 12 lber that was caught in the river a few weeks ago? Is that the same area you fish?

It is a little ways east of where I usually fish. That was a heck of a nice bass!

[VinnyBass]

I read this and snorted. Like Jim, I do checklists, because well, old. But most of them are in my head, so there's the added fun of maybe not remembering the checklist, much less the checked item. It's good you went anyway and even got a fish.

When I am not fishing out of my boat, I customize a lot of my tackle/baits the night before for the place I will be fishing.
Even deciding on what rods to take. If I am fishing clear water, I take lighter gear with lighter test line and places with lots of
stick-ups and rocks, for example I take heavy gear with heavy line and mostly braid.
It is amazing how long it can take to sort out a certain amount of baits specifically geared for a certain lake because as I think
I have enough, I suddenly think oh wait...I better take some of these just in case. Of course that happens a number of times ha ha
Finally, everything is laid out and ready to go in the morning. The problem with yesterday was mostly thatI was running late and
was in too much of a hurray.
I will deflect now to my buddy Joe(hope he is not reading this). One time, years ago I met him at Otay and he drove all the way
down from Alpine and was so excited as there was a great topwater bite, that he forgot the front seat to his Skeeter boat. Could
he rough it? Nope....so he drove all the way back and got his seat while I fished out of his boat. There are times when it does not
matter how young or old you are that if you are in too much of a hurray, you may forget something.

[KillinTime]

Looks like a good one!

[Fisheromen]

Had to smile reading this. Can't count the number of times I have cut the main line thinking it was the tag. Really annoying when it is a leader knot! And getting the lines wrapped around the rods... really bad in a tube when you cannot reach the rod tips! Braid is especially bad for that!

The one you caught looks chunky! Enjoy your pudding!

[Dannicus]

Hear hear. Trying to unwrap rod tips is a bummer!
Nice to to chat with you at the Murr yesterday BTW Vinny. Now let's call in that nurse it smells like you made another pudding boom boom.

[camobass]

I read this and snorted. Like Jim, I do checklists, because well, old. But most of them are in my head, so there's the added fun of maybe not remembering the checklist, much less the checked item. It's good you went anyway and even got a fish.

When I am not fishing out of my boat, I customize a lot of my tackle/baits the night before for the place I will be fishing.
Even deciding on what rods to take. If I am fishing clear water, I take lighter gear with lighter test line and places with lots of
stick-ups and rocks, for example I take heavy gear with heavy line and mostly braid.
It is amazing how long it can take to sort out a certain amount of baits specifically geared for a certain lake because as I think
I have enough, I suddenly think oh wait...I better take some of these just in case. Of course that happens a number of times ha ha
Finally, everything is laid out and ready to go in the morning. The problem with yesterday was mostly thatI was running late and
was in too much of a hurray.
I will deflect now to my buddy Joe(hope he is not reading this). One time, years ago I met him at Otay and he drove all the way
down from Alpine and was so excited as there was a great topwater bite, that he forgot the front seat to his Skeeter boat. Could
he rough it? Nope....so he drove all the way back and got his seat while I fished out of his boat. There are times when it does not
matter how young or old you are that if you are in too much of a hurray, you may forget something.

Reminds me showing up to otay at zero dark 30 driving from east of alpine to get a couple hours in before church. It was about 6 years or so ago during one of the more recent EPIC bite years there. Unload everything side of the road, pump up my tube…..where’s my fins? Ughhh
First and last time that ever happened. No time to go back because I had somewhere to be. I didn’t even bother trying to fish the bank as there was only one tiny opening in the tules and Harvey’s was where it was at!

[VinnyBass]

I read this and snorted. Like Jim, I do checklists, because well, old. But most of them are in my head, so there's the added fun of maybe not remembering the checklist, much less the checked item. It's good you went anyway and even got a fish.

When I am not fishing out of my boat, I customize a lot of my tackle/baits the night before for the place I will be fishing.
Even deciding on what rods to take. If I am fishing clear water, I take lighter gear with lighter test line and places with lots of
stick-ups and rocks, for example I take heavy gear with heavy line and mostly braid.
It is amazing how long it can take to sort out a certain amount of baits specifically geared for a certain lake because as I think
I have enough, I suddenly think oh wait...I better take some of these just in case. Of course that happens a number of times ha ha
Finally, everything is laid out and ready to go in the morning. The problem with yesterday was mostly thatI was running late and
was in too much of a hurray.
I will deflect now to my buddy Joe(hope he is not reading this). One time, years ago I met him at Otay and he drove all the way
down from Alpine and was so excited as there was a great topwater bite, that he forgot the front seat to his Skeeter boat. Could
he rough it? Nope....so he drove all the way back and got his seat while I fished out of his boat. There are times when it does not
matter how young or old you are that if you are in too much of a hurray, you may forget something.

Reminds me showing up to otay at zero dark 30 driving from east of alpine to get a couple hours in before church. It was about 6 years or so ago during one of the more recent EPIC bite years there. Unload everything side of the road, pump up my tube…..where’s my fins? Ughhh
First and last time that ever happened. No time to go back because I had somewhere to be. I didn’t even bother trying to fish the bank as there was only one tiny opening in the tules and Harvey’s was where it was at!

Yikes!
I can just imagine how you felt. Driving all the way out there and being being so excited to fish and then suddenly being in a sense
of shock.......especially since the fins are a necessity in a tube. Once you have that happen, I know like you said, it will never happen again.
Thanks for sharing....as we all have probably some crazy stories.
Tight lines

[Mcfish]

I read this and snorted. Like Jim, I do checklists, because well, old. But most of them are in my head, so there's the added fun of maybe not remembering the checklist, much less the checked item. It's good you went anyway and even got a fish.

When I am not fishing out of my boat, I customize a lot of my tackle/baits the night before for the place I will be fishing.
Even deciding on what rods to take. If I am fishing clear water, I take lighter gear with lighter test line and places with lots of
stick-ups and rocks, for example I take heavy gear with heavy line and mostly braid.
It is amazing how long it can take to sort out a certain amount of baits specifically geared for a certain lake because as I think
I have enough, I suddenly think oh wait...I better take some of these just in case. Of course that happens a number of times ha ha
Finally, everything is laid out and ready to go in the morning. The problem with yesterday was mostly thatI was running late and
was in too much of a hurray.
I will deflect now to my buddy Joe(hope he is not reading this). One time, years ago I met him at Otay and he drove all the way
down from Alpine and was so excited as there was a great topwater bite, that he forgot the front seat to his Skeeter boat. Could
he rough it? Nope....so he drove all the way back and got his seat while I fished out of his boat. There are times when it does not
matter how young or old you are that if you are in too much of a hurray, you may forget something.

Reminds me showing up to otay at zero dark 30 driving from east of alpine to get a couple hours in before church. It was about 6 years or so ago during one of the more recent EPIC bite years there. Unload everything side of the road, pump up my tube…..where’s my fins? Ughhh
First and last time that ever happened. No time to go back because I had somewhere to be. I didn’t even bother trying to fish the bank as there was only one tiny opening in the tules and Harvey’s was where it was at!

And that's why I leave an extra pair of fins in my truck!

[bendopolo 44+]

McFishes statement has inspired me to store my extra fins on my Truck from now on. Take up minimal space, don’t weigh much. Cures horrible problem. What’s not to like?

[camobass]

Believe me, it was two trips in one, my first and last. It was also the first time in over 30 years of tubing that it happened. The older I get, the more forgetful I am. Rather than a list now, it’s my wife, she’s a fishing machine and reminds me of everything I need to bring.