Rainin' in Athens!

So I got up at 5 this morning looking forward to a morning in the tube and it was pouring! As I write this it is 0825 and rain is still coming down. We need the rain so I won't complain but was sure looking forward to feelin' the thump. But I don't fish in the rain in the tube. I sure hope it either clears up or tomorrow is better but according to the National Weather Service I don't think my desires will be met. Major BUMMER.

Only got a few sprinkles on the Northeast side of San Antonio. Some areas here got over an inch. Hopefully we get a lot more! Rain dance.

No measurable amount of rain was in my gauge this morning. Did get a small shower last night enough to wet the lawn. Forecast is saying 50 percent chance of more showers today and tomorrow. (RD). Judging by last nights radar it looks like the Nueces Canyon got a "GOOD" soaking! I hope we get a lot more!

Flags, I must have just missed you. I launched from the beach near the bait shop at around 8:30 or so I guess, stayed over on that side of the orange divider boom all day . . . went all the way out to the dam just for some exercise. It rained early, then cleared up. Slow moving, no lightning.

I ended up with one bass likely just over 10 lbs. near the end of the day in the cove behind the restaurant, then another likely just under 5 lbs. Oh, I'd say 5 others in the 1 to 2 lbs range.

But! Over behind the restaurant just before I got off the water, about the time I caught the big bass, I flipped my Keitech out mounted on a 4/0 hook and thought I had a nice bass that turned out to be a large panfish. Whatever it is, bluegill, redbreast, etc., it had no trouble getting snagged on a 4/0 hook!

Today's Pics below!

Brad

Nice fish Brad R. Athens is on my bucket list!



Side Note: As for rain only got a little at my house. Good news is that west Texas and the hill country got some good rain. A lot of the water bodies I fish got some much needed RAIN! Hopefully we get some more! (Rain Dance).

It'd be worth the trip, that is for sure! Lake Athens has a good "trifecta" combination for a panfisherman: numbers, size and variety.

Flags is a seasoned pro at hitting all three aspects. I go out at times just carrying ultra-light tackle. Often, it is to get "even" for all of the bitten off tails of expensive Keitech bass plastics when I am in the bass fishing mode.

Knowing some good spots certainly helps but another way I have found that works from a canoe or kayak is to set up a slow drift in likely places (the edge of lily pads, etc.) and I rarely go far in my "bass mode" before some fish starts tugging a bit on my plastics. If they are large enough to swipe off the paddle tails from bass plastics, those are the ones I want. These would be more places to shift over to ultra-light, look for some bulls.

Brad


One need not go much, if any, beyond the sight of the boat ramp to have a great day.

Nice fish.

Yeah that's what I figured it would do but I had to go to the DFW area in the afternoon. My wife had made dinner plans with some friends of hers so that killed the rest the day. And when I woke up Sunday morning it was raining again. it is 1012 as I type thus and it hasn't let up yet. Looks like this weekend will be a bust for me. Nice fish on your post though.

Someday I'm going to have to actually target bass in Athens. I catch a few while after sunfish but have never gone specifically for them. I bet a big bass in the tube would be fun. But I have a hard time breaking away from those big sunfish.

Nice fish Brad R. Glad you guys got some rain.

Picked up half an inch today in the back yard gauge. The Nueces Canyon and Sabinal Valley got "HAMMERED"! Some areas in the canyon got over 5". The valley got between 3 and 4 inches.

Picked up a half inch at the house. As mentioned some places got over 5 inches.

Half inch at my house! Over all the rest of the State got some much needed rain. Could not have come at a better time!

That's a great fish Brad! I would't have thought that cove would have produced anything that size. What size and model Keitech are you using? do you fish it with a weight?