Fortunately for me, I was able to say yes when my brother called and wanted to take me for “some real bass fishing”. I was skeptical, as fishing has slowed considerably now that it is late October. The days and months go by so quickly, it reminds me of the part of a favorite old tune that goes something like “it’s later than it seems”. In addition to that, I had lifted something wrong the day before and had a sharp pain in my spine between my shoulder blades, and didn’t know how I was going to hold up. My brother said this particular place could be either hot or cold, but I was up for that. With a pocketful of Advil and a ton of anticipation, there was no way I was going to turn this down. It was going to be nice not to be a guide, and to let someone else know how to get there, what to use, how to use it, etc., and to be able to just to pay attention to what I was doing, not worried about anyone else.

And that’s just the way it is. He doesn’t need anyone to tell him anything. After several years as a professional bass fisherman, I wasn’t going to be able to offer any advice even if I wanted to. Nice. In fact, for sure I was in for a lesson, more knowledge to add to the databank. I was looking forward to watching someone else figure out the patterns, what the fish were doing, what they were in to. I call it “putting the puzzle together”, and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for that part of fishing I wouldn’t like it as much. I get such a rush out of that.

The tow car, boat, navigation equipment, ease of launching, everything just seemed flawless, effortless and smooth that day. That’s what happens when you take care of your stuff. In fact, that day we would be fishing on a Ranger bass boat that was almost 20 years old, yet looked almost showroom new.

The long drive to the big water seemed like minutes as we talked about alot of stuff and sort of caught up. Both of us own businesses, and it takes a stick of dynamite to get us away for a day, but it has to happen, and should happen more often. Especially when you consider that in a few short weeks we’ll have snow flying and plenty of time to work on the businesses.

After an easy launch, we shot out across the wide open great lake. With sandbars, shoals, and any number of hazzards, it was comforting to know we were navigating across a previously mapped course, staying over 6 feet of water for the entire run.

We arrived to a place where current was flowing into the lake. Instinctively we cast at the current “seam” where slack water met fast. In no time my brother, who was using a tube lure, was into a fat 16″ largemouth. That was quick. I knew it was going to be a good day. A few casts later, I was into one, on a 2″ silver crankbait which proved to be the answer for the day for me on the spinning tackle.

And so it went. We fished the current seam on both sides of the river, and let the current take us well out into the lake, chasing what we thought were feeding schools of fish. One of the most productive patterns was to cast up on a 2′ flat, reel just fast enough to bounce the bottom, and let the lure come over the edge of the flat into 5′ of water. We caught a fish nearly every time the lure just came over the ledge, so we figured they were running the drop off edge feeding on schools of shad that would make the mistake of coming to the edge of the flat.

Sometimes the fish would quit. We’d stop, think, and try something new, and locate them again. One time we figured out that the wind had shifted and was blowing the warmer river water over to the far bank. We moved over there, and immediately caught fish. Another time they had all moved back up into slack water on the far bank of the river in just a small area. We guessed they just chased food wherever it went.

We caught so many fish. Smallmouth, largemouth, white bass, and even a carp. Doubleheaders. Sometimes you’d hook one and lose it, just to have another pick it up after just a few reel cranks. Fantastic fishing like nothing I had ever experienced, that’s for sure. It was like fishing in a dreamworld. What backpain? I learned a ton and I’m still geeked about it. And, though usually when fishing I think alot about life and then write about it, this time there wasn’t much time to think about anything else but fishing. Sometimes I think too much, but it’s only because I care about things. God sort of gave me a much needed break this time.

I had to try catching a few on the flyrod. Using white streamers and a sink tip flyline, I cast into the same areas and caught a smallie, largemouth, and a white bass, and then a really big largemouth, probably 16″ which is a nice flyrod bass. Not knowing the exact conditions, I learned what I really needed in this current was a full sink line that got down near the bottom quick, and a more tinsel type streamer as the water was cloudy. I’ll be ready next time, and I sure hope there is a next time, as I can’t wait to go back.

We decided to wrap up the day. With everything buckled down, we were ready for the bumpy cold ride back. It wasn’t bad at all. In no time we had the boat on the trailer, grabbed a bite to eat, and were on our way home. More good conversation, in fact both of us got to kick around some stuff that was really bothering us. We’d never done that much, and so it was a good thing.

I couldn’t thank my brother enough. I’m already tying flies and thinking about different methods for the next chance we get to go.

Recently, a client of mine wanted to get into some fall fishing on the river, and wanted to wade. That was fine with me, but I knew the fishing was starting to slow down, and we would have to cover alot of water to get fish. I suggested we forego wading and jump in kayaks which would allow us to cover a full mile or so of river in the 4 hours we had to fish. To do the same wading would be difficult, and this time of year a little colder. Having never kayak fished before, my client was skeptical, but I simply said we’d catch more fish if we covered more river. That worked, and before you know it we were on our way.

There’s something about first settling into the kayak for the day. Everything becomes soft and calm, a welcome soothing salve for pain from hard pavement, sidewalks, floors…and world. Instinctively, my first glance is downward over the side of the kayak, which takes me back to when I was a kid hanging my head over the side of a boat gazing through the crystal clear water, letting my fascination and imagination run wild. You’re so close to the water. It’s simply a better world.

We paddled through unproductive water, portaged around a dam, and began floating and fishing. We were using micro plastic worms, a recently invented technique which requires a standard 6″ plastic worm to be cut in half, then cut lengthwise into 4 sections. This results in a sliver of the original worm which is about 1/8″ thick and 3″ long, very flexible and a terrific finesse approach. Terminal tackle consists of a #7 barrel swivel, 10″ of 4# flourocarbon leader, and a #6 circle hook. That’s it.

The presentation is absolutely natural. Cast at shore, the rig is allowed to sink slowly as it drifts, without being slowed down by a tightening line. As soon as the worm starts moving slower than the current, a thing we call drag, you reel in and cast out again. If a fish takes it, the line simply stops flowing with the current. There is no need to quickly “set the hook” with the circle hook. Simply freeze the rod and start reeling quickly and the circle hook will do the rest. This simply adds to the relaxed setting and relaxed method of kayak fishing in rivers.

We caught fish, sure, but that wasn’t the highlight. We also hit the fall colors spot on. After the business of helping my client with rigging, technique, presentation, etc. I settled down and let him fish. I knew he wanted some quiet, so I shut up and stole some time for myself.

The afternoon breeze and sun gave way to calm, cool shadows that stretched across the river interrupted by slivers of sunlight threading through and splashing off the trees on the far bank. Reds, oranges, and yellows almost bright enough to make you squint. Surely the pupils of my eyes were working double time as I looked at the shaded side of the river then back at the blazing color on the other side. It struck me that just by turning my head I could choose which side to look at - the darker side of the river; somewhat of a downer, or the sunny side; bright and cheery. Hmmm… just by choosing.

The flat, calm parts of the river were reflecting pools suspending our kayaks on a horizontal artist’s canvas. While I looked into the water, I envisioned him blending red and yellow to make the orange, blue and yellow to make the green, using his knife to mix white and black and cut in the grayscales to make the tree trunks and branches, and so on. I thought about when I was a kid and would rake up all the colors of leaves in a pile, look at them a while, then fall into them and lay on my back and look at the sky letting the pungent sweet smell of leaves soak through my nostrils and into my soul while the leaves around my head and face made the world go quiet.

I want fall to stop. Stop right in its tracks, right now. Just give me a month or so to go back and forth from responsibilities to the river again and again until I’ve had my fill. Until I have breathed deep enough, drank deeply enough, seen enough.

Our kayaks drifted aimlessly downriver while I directed my client as quietly as possible to cast to fish holding spots. While I always start out gung-ho, thinking I have to put everything into it to get my clients on fish, I almost always end up in a smooth groove with a determined inspiration and knowledge that seems to come from nowhere. I take no credit for it, I know it’s a simply a gift from those I have fished with, fish with now, those long before me that I have had the opportunity to listen to, read their writings, etc.

We had to keep a pace up to make it to the take out by dark, so we passed up some great cover to get to fantastic cover. As luck would have it, we dilly-dallied too long on the upper stretches of the river, and couldn’t fish the fantastic cover as thoroughly as we had planned. Darkness was chasing us as we paddled for the take out. As we paddled along, I thought of the people I had the pleasure of fishing with along that stretch of the river, those I never got a chance to fish with, and those I hope to fish with someday. Though the river somehow keeps us connected in that way, many have gone on to places that will perhaps never allow us to fish together again. I’m supposed to understand that’s life. Okay.

We negotiated one more set of rapids, shot across a small pond, and took the kayaks out not far from where our car was parked. With the kayaks all loaded up and tied down, client happy and on his way, I decided against the traditional beer on the tailgate. I was buzzing pretty good already and feeling way too reflective from floating on a really cool piece of plastic down a liquid conveyor of mixed memories from the past, and positive thoughts for the future. I was mindful of earlier in the day, looking back and forth at the shadowed…then sunny side of the river.