| The bass looked like a porpoise crashing down on my topwater lure! The 5-pounder leaped completely out of the water, arched over and blasted my popper, engulfing it before realizing this "minnow" had treble hooks dangling from its belly. A couple of minutes later it was posing for pictures, then it was released no worse for wear except perhaps for jangled nerves.
I was fishing on a 15-acre "tank"on the Chain Ranch near Canton, Oklahoma. Pure Fishing and Pflueger fishing tackle invited four writers, your's truly included, to test this year's new products and to experience the joys of small-waters fishing for bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish.
And "joys" is the right word. Each morning and afternoon for 2 ½ days we teamed up with a Pure Fishing/Pflueger rep and fished from small "bass buggies" on one of the ranch's many small lakes. The bass were more than willing to chomp on our variety of offerings, and every now and then a bite would yield a slab crappie or bluegill instead of a largemouth. (I was on assignment for Bassmaster Magazine, and the story will appear in an issue a few months into the future.)
This was my first real test of Berkley's Gulp and Gulp Alive products, and I came away convinced that bass truly do have a strong attraction for these frogs, minnows, worms, lizards and other creatures. They would bite them, taste them and hang on. Bites from smaller bass were frequent and aggressive. Fish in the 3-5 pound range were less frequent, but not uncommon. My best fish was the 5-pounder (I can't stay away from topwaters), but a 9-pounder and a 7 ½-pounder were also taken by other anglers.
I came home from this trip with several thoughts to pass on. First, small waters can offer big rewards for anglers. Oftentimes farm ponds are home to fish that are all but bypassed by fishing pressure. This means these fish are more likely to bite when a bait swims by. Anglers looking for a place to fish should definitely be detectives to locate and ask permission to try ponds in their area.
Second, recent innovations in fishing lures and tackle truly do translate into more fish caught and more fun for the angler. Besides having positive experiences with Gulp and Gulp Alive, I also discovered Berkley's PowerBait Atomic Teaser, a small pre-rigged tube jig that fish can't leave alone. Cast it on light spinning tackle and 4 or 6 lb. test line, and work it slowly, and you'll get lots of bites - guaranteed!
Third, new super lines like fluorocarbon and braids are exceptional products with definite advantages - in certain applications - over monofilament. Don't be afraid to experiment with these lines and learn which uses they're best-suited for.
And fourth, Pflueger's reels are top-notch. We tested the Patriach baitcaster and Supreme XT spinning reel, each with 10 ball bearings, and they were as smooth as silk. Also, their drags performed flawlessly. I recommend both with no hesitation whatever.
The point of this trip - and this report - is to reaffirm that anglers don't have to own expensive boats and fish large waters to be successful. Our country is pockmarked with smaller waters where fish are waiting to provide action for anglers. You can cast from a bass buggy, float tube or kayak, or you can wadefish or fish from the bank. You can be completely outfitted with a simple assortment of tackle and a few lures. With these items, there's no excuse for not fishing and finding your own bonanza of action and fun on these "hidden jewels" that are scattered across our landscape.
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