More of this Feature • Part 1: Day one • Part 4: Day four coming soon soon • Part 2:Day two • Part 3: Day three

Join the Discussion "What is your favorite big bass bait?  Do you ever tie on a bait just for big bass, or do you just hope to catch a big one with what you are using?  Do you go with live bait or something else?" Ronnie

Related Resources • Fishing with Randy and Wanda at Sinclair

Past Articles One Year Ago - 03/05/01 - Fishing Muddy Water Two Years Ago -3/6/00 - How To Fish A Cold Front Three Years Ago - 03/01/99 - Unusual Fishing Catches Four Years Ago - 03/02/98 - Early Spring Patterns

After taking my wife out to dinner on Friday night, Fritz got to my house at about 10:00 PM.  He unpacked his rods and tackle and was busy putting it all together when I went to bed.  

Saturday morning we did not get in a big hurry since it was cold and we would have to be on the water early the next morning.  We arrived at Sinclair at about 9:00 AM and put in way up Little River at Double Bridges.  I had heard there were some fish biting up there and we wanted to avoid Little River Marina since there was a big tournament going on.

After putting the boat in we started right at the ramp, fishing the riprap on the bridge and on past it.  The wind was blowing and it should have been good, but nothing bit our crankbaits and spinnerbaits, so we idled across the river to some docks  to try them.  After fishing several docks with crankbaits and spinnerbaits without a bite I pitched a jig to a blowdown near one.  On one pitch, as soon as the jig hit the water I felt a little bump and set the hook.  A solid 2.5 pound bass ran toward the boat with my Rattleback jig in its mouth, but I managed to land it.

After fishing several more docks without a bite we headed down the lake, planning on coming back to the shallow water later in the day and working spinnerbaits after the sun warmed the water.  It was about 51 degrees up the river early and I hoped the sun would warm it and move the bass in.

The ride was  very cold so I stopped at the next bridge, a railroad trestle, to fish the rocks and warm up.  After trying crankbaits and spinnerbaits we switched to a jig and pig and a Senko.  I caught another good 2.5 pound bass on the Rattleback jig off those rocks down about 10 feet deep.

Next page > Part B - Two More Bass, Then Bad Luck

Coming Soon - The Rest of the Trip - Day One > Page 1, 2, 3, 4