Not quite 24 inches...a summer time giant!

By my own admittance, I am a panfisherman at heart. But I can be persuaded to fish for other critters, especially when they are big for their species. We have been fishing several ponds in the evening during the most recent heat wave and catching bass mostly on Senkos and similar – style plastics in either small, open pockets in the algae and vegetation or underneath bushes that provide shade and ambush points for bass. We have caught some fish by dragging the worms right over top of the slop and then letting it tumble into a small opening. Some fish, despite the brutal 95 to 105 heat, have been taken as shallow as 18 inches of water!

Algae and floating vegetation shouldn't stop the bass fishing.

When the wind blows strongly, it will pile the slop up against the windward shoreline and open up the opposite bank for easy wormin’ and buzz bait chuckin’. Todays conditions had a southeast wind open up the ‘deeper’, four foot section of the pond. Watching the radar, I saw a string of thunderstorms coming and tried to beat the weather and see if the fish were about to turn on. I only got two fish, but one was a monsterous bass that took a 4 inch watermelon Senko. She made two big-time leaps, just to give me an idea as to what I might lose, and then did some drag-pullin. I fish the slop with 20 pound Super Braid and a tight drag. When a fish runs on this rig, I know it has to be a good one. Fishing by myself, I took a few

Almost all our bass are coming on senko-style worms rigged in reverse for easy travel on 1/0 hooks, no weight.

’self-photo’ images and got her back quickly. It was very windy and I didn’t want her to ‘dry’ for the sake of a bunch of pictures. She was hooked right in the roof of the mouth and very releasable. At just under 24 inches, this is my biggest to date!

Another good fish was this 20 incher I got in the slop.

My wife Linda was pretty cocky last week when she handed it to me with a 13 to 3 score and took big boy honors with a near five-pounder. Lucky for me, she had to work today and I got a shot at a giant! But summer’s not over, and I wouldn’t doubt if she puts it on me a few more times before it’s all over!

As I write this, it is over 100 degrees and is predicted to go even higher as the week wears on. Subsequently, ponds in my region are shrinking, and some have even suufered fish kills due to oxygen depletion as they continue to shrink.

My favorite bass pond is almost 3 feet down from pool level, dangerously close to fish-kill conditions.

My wife Linda and I got out to do some bass fishing last week and , despite the low conditions, we had two decent , late evening trips fishing Senkos and buzzbaits on largemouths that averaged 2  to 3 lbs. My wife is one of the best plastic worm anglers I have ever seen, and usually takes me to the showers with quality and quantity. Today was no different, as she totaled 13 fish, including a fine 20 inch bass that pushed 5 pounds. Her best in this pond is 7-8 and she has taken numerous ‘fives’ from other waters. Still, the marraige remains strong.

Lindas first of the evening was a nice 17 incher.

After going just 2 for ten on buzzbaits, I got one on the Senko.

A return trip gave us four bass apiece as the algae had drifted over much of the pond. We ‘walked’ senkos and slopsticks over top off the gunk by fishing them in-line on 2/0 worm hooks. Hooking them backwards, or tail first, allowed easy travel over the surface slop with heavy strikes from below.

We hooked Senko style worms tail first and fished them backwards for easy travel through the slop.

Best fish of the trip was Linda's near five that went 20 inches. Nice fish!

Although we had a couple of good evenings at this pond, it wasn’t the case at another one of my favorite, cow-country locations. When I arrived I noticed the water as several feet below pool and there were many, many dead bluegills scattered all along the bank at the back end of the pond. Indeed, a fish kill had occured.

Sadly, I saw about 200 dead bluegills from 9 to 11 inches at one of my favorite ponds.

I believe this 20 inch bass fell victim to low-oxygen levels.

But my son and I actually fished this same pond this morning and, amazingly, caught and released 30 nice bluegills and red ears along with a few bass. I saw only a few bass that had died, and none of the 12 to 14 inch crappie from this water were visible casualties. I had contacted the owner with a phone message but he has not gotten back to me yet. We’ll see…     Meanwhile, there were other sights…

Young 'un needing a drink in 100 degree heat.

This fawn doesn't quite know what to make of me.

Fishing for bass and others in cow country…there’s more comin’!

Clearly. I need to take more time to notice what is around me!