Beating the heat to land Lake Geneva bass
I've stated my case before, and I'm sticking to my original contention. The heat we've experienced has had more of a detrimental effect on anglers than the fish.
That's why we got on the water early to tap into the good largemouth bass fishing on Lake Geneva.
Fresh from another successful Canadian foray into the often frustrating world of muskie hunting, Spence Petros and Green Acres Mike suggested I join them on the water.
Over the last year or so I had the good fortune to put together usable column material pertaining to Mike Ventresca (aka Green Acres Mike). And this week was just another page added to the journal.
Even with the anticipated slug of hot air due to wrap us once the sun climbed above the horizon, Petros suggested we concentrate on fairly shallow patterns for the bass.
I started plumbing the 10-foot depths with a Little Action Mac pre-rigged plastic worm. The dynamic duo went to their usual setups consisting of 5½-inch Yum Dinger plastics and 4¾-inch Yum Houdini worms.
Dawn was about to show its sun-draped face any second, so we decided to slowly drift along a weed edge before the largemouth tucked themselves into the deeper weeds.
We immediately started catching fish. We had double and triple strikes from bass running a pound to nearly 3 pounds. It was only when I complained that my right thumb was literally chewed up by the saw-like teeth of the bass I caught that Petros kicked me out of the “Macho Angler's Club.”
Despite his advanced years, Petros is the poster child of determination and stamina. He's been known to fish from before dawn to well beyond sunset. I've known Petros for more than 30 years, and I have never been with anyone else who can match his intensity and drive. I truly believe he is the living proof of a reincarnated Greek God.
After collecting dozen fish on the Mac worms, I switched to the Yum Dinger and fished it whacky-worm style. I wanted a change of pace and I certainly got it.
And then dawn went from misty gray to steamy, hazy, yellow, accompanied by wave after wave of heat. But it didn't matter because we had found the right pattern and the bass were heavily involved in some serious eating.
Spence had been guiding Lake Geneva again this year and he reported to me earlier in the season that he fully expected to have a banner time with largemouth. And he did, with guide clients going ashore at day's end smiling from ear to ear and filled with enough true stories to last them until the next time.
Lake Geneva has been kind to fishermen this year with a fantastic crop of largemouth bass, jumbo crappies, and hefty bluegills. The only downside was with the smallmouth population, once the prime attractor to this crystal clear body of water. The smallies are still there, but in fewer numbers and smaller sizes.
A day in the boat with these guys wouldn't be so hilarious if Green Acres kept his lip buttoned. Everytime he had a strike or lost a fish, he would fill the air space above his head with expletives beyond description. And yet this hobby farmer held his own in the count department.
Little Action Macs and Yum Dingers have done well on Geneva this year, as did Mini-Mites and Rattle Traps.
And there's still plenty of season left to make a day on the water a memorable event.
On the way home I decided I had to stop at one of those emergency treatment places along Rand Road.
When the doctor inspected my right thumb, he simply said, “Bass fishing with Petros, eh?”
I never said a word.
angler88@comcast.net