Expedition – Fishing on Kentucky Lake

Well, I’ve dropped off the face of the earth for a week… the reason?

FISHING!!!

My dad came over from South Africa.  It was the first reunion we’ve had in nine years and we went FISHING!  We wanted to do some bass fishing, so we rented Cabin 21 at the Big Bear Resort on Kentucky Lake.  We drove down from Indianapolis on Monday the 11th and started our adventures in bass fishing with Captain Kirk’s Fishing Guide Service at 6 AM on Tuesday morning.

The sun rising over our bass adventure!

Heading out with Captain Jerry Schwartz on Day 1.

Pa catches his first Small Mouth Bass.

I land a monster 30 inch, 17 lbs 8 ounce Small Mouth Buffalo Sucker!

This little monster was a beast to bring in.  We didn’t have a net to schoop it up with since we were bass fishing and didn’t anticipate catching a huge Sucker using Bass bait! 

Anyway, I brought the monster to the side of the boat and twice Jerry tried to lift it into the boat… twice it struggled loose and went on a run again.  Then my dad tried getting it into the boat twice… and twice it struggled loose and again went on a run!  Finally, on the fith attempt, my dad was able to pull it over the side of the boat.  What a battle!  We took the picture and I released the fish but it had fought itself to death and it floated up.  I had planned on taking my biggest Bass of the trip to the taxidermest, but I hadn’t counted on catching such a big Sucker too.  Since he died anyway, I figured I’d take him to the taxidermest.  We schooped him out of the water and put him in the holding well.

Later that day, I found Doug, from 5 Rivers Taxidermy.  Doug is an awesome guy and he was more than happy to help me out with the monster fish!

The sun rises over beautifull Kentucky Lake.

Pa, the perpetual fisherman.

Pa is the first on the board on Day 3 with a small Striped Bass.

I land the first of the twins, a 26 inch, 6 lbs 8 ounce Striped Bass.

We were fishing in the flooded rock quarry.  Captain Hank Lyon who took us out on Day 3 was giving us some advice as we tried to snag the source of the surface commotion in the quarry.  I started out reeling at a relative pace, but was not getting any bites.  I figured maybe the fish aren’t biting that quick and started slowing down my reeling.  Two casts later, this baby grabs my line.  I set the hook and boy did that just tick him off!  He went on a run so fast that he totally ripped my reel out of my hand!  I finally grabbed hold of the reel again and still the fish was running my line off the reel against the drag.  My dad thought that the drag was set to loose and he managed to get it tightened two notches.  Two notches was about all we had time for before the fish again went on a run that ripped, again, the reel out of my hands.  A large battle ensued just trying to keep the fish under control.  This fish was NOT going to come quietly!  Once I finally got the fish closer to the boat, Captain Hank realized that the fish might make a run for the boat motor and the sharp props would cut the line.  He raised the boat motor out of the water.  Just as well as the fish did end up running in that direction.  Finally, after quite a battle, we were able to get the fish out on the boat.  We placed it in the first live well and continued fishing.

I land the second of the twins, a 26 inch, 6 lbs Striped Bass.

After landing the first Striper, I cast out my line to the same spot as where I caught the fish and reeled in.  Nothing.  Then I cast it out to the other side of the boat and BAM!  The second Striper took the line.  This one didn’t put up quite as big a fight as the first, probably because I was more prepared for it!  It went into the seond live well and we continued fishing.

The Twins… two 26 inch Striped Bass weighing in at 6 lbs 4 ounces and 6 lbs respectively!

After a short while, the bass in the live wells had died.  I decided to have them mounted too and we went back to the harbour to go put them on ice.  This photo was taken as we were offloading them.  After that we continued fishing some more.

Pa ends the trip with his biggest fish, a 16 inch, 2 lbs 8 ounce Striped Bass.

Needless to say, this was one of the BEST trips ever!

Though I REALLY wanted my dad to catch a 10 lbs Large Mouth Bass, and though that didn’t happen, this time, I just KNOW that big daddy is out there with his name on it! 

Later

C