THE BASS COLLEGE

It's Tuesday, March 2, 2010, about 10:30 in the morning. I should already have 3 full weeks of full time guiding under my '10 belt, and should be out there today near the best of the beginning of the big fish bite. Hardly.

Instead . . .

Schools just to the east and north of us delayed or cancelled again today, and as I sat here a little while ago looking out my office window at yet another blizzard, snow whipped by 20 mph N winds, a deck and boat covered with an inch of new snow, and another trip cancelled due to weather, I'm wondering "Is normal weather ever going to get here?" With the coldest early January here, and one of the coldest winters overall since they've been keeping records, persistent cold weather that just will not go away (lows should be near 40 and highs should be near 60 by now; last week I had 4 days where my deck themometer read 19, 17, 22, and 21 degrees in the mornings!), and 4 decent-sized snows here causing many days of school closings--and not to mention what New York, Philly, Washington, and the rest of the country--including Florida--have endured for months now, there are a few questions I'd like to ask Mr. Al Gore--who is conspicuous by his absence on the airwaves right now! I'll tell you what's "inconvenient": all this miserable, freezing weather and rescheduled fishing trips! Wonder if I can make application for part of that $1.2 million Nobel Prize money for compensation on lost income due to this year's brutal and extended deep freeze!

I fished yesterday. Very chilly (persistent east wind), but had a pretty good day with Joseph Poole (see pix). Water temp still only 43-44 (that will drop with this week's frigid mid-week forecast and more snow melt from heavier snow east and north). Had 8 bass with a 5-0 smallmouth and another smallmouth near 5, a very good five fish limit, an 18 pound striper, and a mixed bag of other critters. Could have caught many more if we had been willing to spend more time largemouth fishing, as they are biting better than the brown fish--but who wants to catch largemouths? Talked to another boat who did, and they had 13 largemouths, but no smallmouths. Only 3 trailers in the parking lot at McFarland.

Best baits were 4 and 5 inch swim baits, tubes, and grubs. Drum and Buffalo seemed to like the FishHead Spin yesterday. I also caught a largemouth on a LC Deep Pointer jerkbait. Joseph had the hot bait with a Strike King Coffee Tube in White Illusion/Purple/Gold Flk.

Have already cancelled scheduled trips T, W, Th because of the weather/wind forecast. Supposed to blow tomorrow at 20-25 out of the NNW, and the high only around 40. Discussed it with scheduled clients, and though I'm willing to go, we decided it's just not worth it.

Better days coming! "Supposed" to be in the 60's here by Sunday. We'll see! "Paging Mr. Gore. Mr. Gore, where are you?"

Steve

people that remember the old tough fishery are gonna be shocked at how good pickwick has gotten over the last few years when BASS visits this year. I expect big bags and 100 fish days