That post was intended as an introduction to the importance of “Patterning” the fish you are after. This post is an introduction to understanding the importance of “Speed and Depth Control”.
Here is the deal…regardless of how good you may be at something…sometimes you have to ask for help. You have to bury your ego…get on bended knee…and be humble. Not exactly my personality. Such was the case when I visited K-96 Lake (south east corner of 135 & 96 Hwy.). Here is the scene. The wind is gusting well over 40mph and it is blowing consistently over 30mph. Only a fool would go fishing. So…since everyone I know says I qualify…I went fishing. For the record, I don’t believe that “A good day to go fishing is any day you can go”. However, I do believe that a “Bad day fishing is better than a good day at work”. (I may be a fool but I’m not stupid!) That said, sometimes you are better off staying home watching T.V.
Such was this day. I cannot tell you how hard the wind was blowing and how difficult it was to just make a cast. The video will give you some idea but, believe me, it was a LOT worse than the video shows. However, to keep on schedule for my “project” I needed to get to the lake. So, I did what any fool would do…I went fishing!
The way the lake lays it’s easy to get out of a south wind by fishing the east side of the lake. The problem was the water was down and you could practically walk across the lake. Thus, there were no fish. So off to the west side I go. After all, what’s the big deal with some wind anyway? Hey, I’m the great fisherman right? I have fished in a lot worse conditions and caught fish (and I have!) so this “pro” should have no problem keeping his “streak” alive today. Right?
More than 3-hours later not only was the “streak” in danger of ending but soon my male “ego” was about to end as well. Here is how it happened.
As I approached the west side of the lake (nearest I-135) I met a nice couple and she had just caught a very nice catfish. This was great as it gave me some confidence. I had also watched a lady further down the lake who had caught what appeared to be a crappie. As I approached her she presented to me a whole stringer of great crappie that she had caught. I thought GREAT…if she can do it…certainly the “Kansas Fisherman” could do it too!
WRONG!!!
What made this more difficult was that after more than an hour of fishing, as I was going back to the truck and passed her again, she told me she had caught her two biggest fish after I had left her! In the meantime, I had not had one single bite. I was thinking of pulling my hair out (unlike my golfing buddies Jack and Dan I actually have hair to pull out!)
Then comes the UNTHINKABLE. She volunteers to show me…ME…The Kansas Fisherman…how to catch a crappie so I could keep my “streak” alive. Are you kidding me! Me! The ex-pro fisherman…the TWO TIME member of the Kansas pro bass team…the guy with the instructional blog and web site…the guy that is supposed to be teaching her. WHAT!
She proceeds to give me one of her bobbers, shows me what lure she is using, where she is casting her lure and then lets me fish beside her in her “honey hole”. Later as she is leaving (and I’m still trying to land my first fish of the day) she gives me a handful of chartreuse crappie “Powerbaits” to attach to my hook…and then…as if to say “You can do it”…she tells me to keep her bobber. Says she has plenty more at home. Plenty more at home?
My mother raised one fool and that was my sister…so…I accepted her offer and continued to fish after she left…caught some great crappie too…and kept my “streak” alive.
The key was the ability to control both "depth and speed" at the same time. While I have briefly mentioned this important concept in a prior posting, we will actually see it in action in this posting and cover it in more detail in the "Lesson for Today" segment.
I learned something that day that is so true that it is actually a “Law” that cannot ever be broken.
That “LAW” says, “If a nice lady that goes by the name Kasi agrees to help you catch fish…LISTEN TO HER! She is without a doubt the KANSAS CRAPPIE QUEEN.”
Special thanks to Kasi…you saved the day and kept the “streak” alive. Make no mistake about it, YOU are the Kansas Crappie Queen and if anyone ever doubts that, all they have to do is watch the video. What you did that day (a day where conditions were virtually impossible) was an amazing fishing feat. Nothing was more amazing than seeing you catch all those fish in such extreme conditions. I would be proud to fish with you anytime! (And, yes, ask for help!)
Special message to Kasi’s husband. Forget it…don’t even think about it…you can’t out fish her! I know you tried the other day and failed…AGAIN! How do I know you can’t out fish her?
Because…after all…she is clearly the KANSAS CRAPPIE QUEEN for a reason…!
Until next time…go fishing…keep some to eat…turn back the rest…check back in soon.
Clay
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